Dina Safonova is the Russia’s Master of Sports, the head and the coach of the Dynasty Rhythmic Gymnastics Center and the Tula Region team coach.&nbsp;The specialist told us about the next step she would like to make in her professional development in judging:<blockquote>"I am very glad that I was lucky enough to pass the exams in Sochi and become an Association judge. I was able to apply my knowledge in judging at the qualifying tournament of the Sky Grace Cup Central Federal District. I hope that in the future I will take part in judging international Sky Grace competitions."</blockquote>

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Our judges

The professional from the Tula Region is the new character in the Our Judges section.

Our Judges. Dina Safonova

Young judoka Alina Yastrebova from the Martial Arts Academy is the participant of the Christmas training camp.Her mother Svetlana Prokhorova told us how workouts and training sessions in Valdai facilitate comprehensive development of children:<blockquote>"I am very proud that Alina was picked. We were really looking forward to this trip, we were in anticipation for a long time, and when we arrived, of course, we were delighted with the organization, how high-level everything was. I think many children dream of going to events like the Kremlin New Year tree celebration, the circus. Yesterday we were at the Mariinsky Theater for The Nutcracker. We could only dream of a childhood like that when we were little. And I am very glad that a five-year old child has already been everywhere. Now, thanks to this trip, the child seems to have become much more mature and responsible. It’s great that there is an opportunity like this to combine physical exercise and engage in intellectual development."</blockquote>The training camp was organized by the founders of the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

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Opinion

Alina Yastrebova from the Martial Arts Academy came to the training camp with her mother Svetlana Prokhorova.

"It's great that there is an opportunity like this!" Svetlana Prokhorova, mother of a young judoka, talks about the Christmas training camp

The best judoka of the country are practicing for international competitions in the Martial Arts Academy.The 2012 Olympic champion and current coach of the Russian national team Arsen Galstyan told us about the upcoming events:<blockquote>"At the moment, our team is preparing for the Grand Slam in Paris, which will take place on February 1. The second part of the team is preparing for the Grand Slam in Baku in mid-February. Another group is doing heavy pumping, physical preparation for the next competitions. Certainly, the main events this year are the World Championship and the European Championship, for which we are purposefully preparing."</blockquote>The professional also shared with us the details of selection to the national team and workouts of the national team in Sirius:<blockquote>"Since this is a national team, and our team is one of the strongest in the world, naturally, the competition is strong. Certainly, we have a serious selection process in our team. And everyone already showcasing themselves the best they can, as they can, both at meetings and at competitions. The preparations are different, it depends on how much time is left before the tournament. The less time, the easier the program, so that our guys can recover more and conserve energy."</blockquote>

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Arsen Galstyan is coaching the Russian national team and preparing athletes for international competitions.

"Our team is one of the strongest in the world!" 2012 Olympic champion and Arsen Galstyan speaks about preparations in the Martial Arts Academy

The Alina festival choreographer Irina Zenovka came to the Christmas training camp, which is taking place in Valdai.The specialist helps gymnasts put together new programs.&nbsp;During one of the training sessions, she took part in composing a new exercise with a ball for the Academy's pupil Yana Zaikina from Volgograd.&nbsp;The Christmas training camp is taking place from January 3 to 16.

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Academy Life

She helps the gymnasts with choreographing new programs.

The Alina festival choreographer Irina Zenovka came to the Christmas training camp in Valdai

After watching The Nutcracker at the Mariinsky Theatre as part of the Christmas training camp, Academy coach Olga Frolova shared her impressions.&nbsp;<blockquote>"A wonderful atmosphere, very interesting set design, very interesting production, costumes, excellent actor preparation, I would like to note. We liked it very much. We appreciated the technical component and the artistic one too. We like it very much. Thank you very much," Olga said.&nbsp;</blockquote>The coach explained what rhythmic gymnastics and ballet have in common and how visiting the Mariinsky Theatre will help our gymnasts.&nbsp;<blockquote>"It is very interesting, useful to see a real Russian school of ballet. The Mariinsky Theater has always been famous for good productions, wonderful artists, and I think that this will be beneficial. Even we see in the performances some elements that are present in our rhythmic gymnastics, so it will even be an incentive for them somewhere," she said.&nbsp;</blockquote>The Christmas training camp was organized by the founders of the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

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Athletes and coaches visited St. Petersburg as part of the Christmas training camp organized by the founders of the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

Academy coach Olga Frolova shares her impressions after watching The Nutcracker at the Mariinsky Theatre

After the training session, during which the participants of the Christmas training camp changed sports, judo trainer Evgeny spoke about how the children presented themselves.<blockquote>"I think it's a very memorable moment for the children, first and foremost. I even talked to the coaches. They said that our kids are quite strong, and they showed exercises on how to do pull-ups correctly, they did exercises for the press, they lifted their torsos, and they learned something new.&nbsp; I taught the gymnasts the right way to move. They did a preparation exercise for wrestling. We have this tag game, also all in a game form. Well, and, accordingly, the gymnasts showed, the kids themselves, how flexible they are, they also showed acrobatic elements," Evgeny said.</blockquote>He also noted that these events are important for athletes.<blockquote>"These events are important. We have artistic gymnastics, judo and rhythmic gymnastics here. Artistic gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics are still a bit similar, but the judokas fit in here, so to speak. It was really cool, fun. Everyone is happy, everyone is thrilled," the coach said.</blockquote>The training camp, which takes place from January 3 to 16, was organized by the founders of the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

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The training camp, which is taking place from January 3 to 16, was organized by the founders of Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

Martial Arts Academy trainer Evgeny Ivanov talks about an unusual training session at the Christmas training camp

The Academy students, Dynamo-Moscow gymnastics club athletes, as well as young judokas from the&nbsp; Martial Arts Academy visited the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg.The participants of the Christmas training camp watched the The Nutcracker ballet.The training camp, which was organized by the founders of the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy, is taking place from January 3 to 16. In addition to training, a cultural program has been organized for the participants.

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The training camp, which was organized by the founders of the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy, runs from January 3 to 16.

Participants of the Christmas training camp watched the The Nutcracker at the Mariinsky Theater

At the Christmas training camp, our group gymnasts continue to work on their programs.Academy coach 1996 European Champion Anna Ustsova told us how the training sessions are going in Valdai.<blockquote>"We combine business with pleasure. Our New Year training camp is very productive. We have a lot of work, we practice our exercises. Our team was created only at the end of October, that is, not much time has passed, but already now, it is acquiring its own kind of team. The exercises are already starting to look like exercises, and the composition is starting to be conveyed. And many thanks to Alina Kabaeva, the founders, for this opportunity to be here and work," Anna said.</blockquote>The training camp was organized by the founders of the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

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Anna works with gymnasts in group exercises.

"We combine business with pleasure!” Coach Anna Ustsova talks about the training sessions at the Christmas training camp in Valdai

Between training sessions in Valdai, the participants of the Christmas training camp went to St. Petersburg. There, the Academy's students, athletes from the M. Voronin Dynamo Moscow gymnastics and the Martial Arts Academy judokas attended a New Year's performance at the New Year tree celebration.Academy coach Elizaveta Chernova shared her impressions of the holiday and noted the importance of these events for young athletes.<blockquote>“Certainly, there are new emotions, new impressions. And probably even a Christmas miracle. It is so nice that we are in such beauty during this bright holiday. Show clothes were so beautiful with everybody today, just like the contests, the very performance, and the very atmosphere. It is so wonderful here. Indeed it is the real New Year and Christmas fairy-tale. Every trip to such places and even some music or a performance immediately gives rise to a creative idea. It inspires me to come and stage a kind of a performance or create a routine for a festival. Definitely, such events inspire and motivate me to continue working,” the coach said.</blockquote>The training camp was organized by the founders of the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

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The training camp was organized by the founders of the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

"Events like these inspire and motivate me to work!" Coach Elizaveta Chernova talks about the New Year's performance in St. Petersburg

After the New Year's performance and a tour of St. Petersburg, the M. Voronin Dynamo Moscow gymnastics club athletes shared their emotions.Fotinia Titova:<blockquote>"It's very cool, very beautiful there. There are a lot of bridges, the city is big and very beautiful."</blockquote>Miroslava Fadeeva:&nbsp;<blockquote>"We guessed limericks. It was very interesting, I really liked it. We danced around the tree, played Father Frost's favorite game. He says: "I'm going to freeze you now." And he names some part of the body, like the nose or ears, and you have to cover them like this so that he doesn't freeze them."</blockquote>The training camp was organized by the founders of the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

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Training Camp

Athletes Fotinia Titova and Miroslava Fadeeva spoke about the New Year's performance and a tour of the city.

Participants of the Christmas training camp share their impressions after a trip to St. Petersburg

<div data-component="video" data-props="{&quot;materialId&quot;:4122,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;ВМЗ НЕБЕСНАЯ ГРАЦИЯ ИВАНОВ&quot;,&quot;video&quot;:{&quot;subDir&quot;:&quot;e0a/063&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;e0a063781ad989362ea3b9.mp4&quot;,&quot;durationMs&quot;:357269},&quot;id&quot;:&quot;e72206ce3932bf530877c6690b66fa87b&quot;}"></div>The founders of the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy organized a Christmas training camp for athletes.The Academy's gymnasts and Dynamo-Moscow gymnastics club athletes, as well as judokas from the Martial Arts Academy, are training in Valdai.Also, nine-year-old Olya Shcherbakova from Rostov-on-Don is taking part in the training camp. At the New Year Wishing Tree, she asked to meet her idol, Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva. And this wish was granted.All this is in the REN TV news segment.

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Olya Shcherbakova is a participant in the Christmas training camp organized by the founders of Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.