The head of the Cuban Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation, Yaynet Villalta-Peña, who was a judge at the international Sky Grace Cup tournament, shared her impressions.<blockquote>"It is a great pleasure for us to be here again, at the Sky Grace Cup tournament in Qatar. It's another new experience to be here as a judge. I was in teams of different categories evaluating difficulties, artistic component, performance, and I think everything went very well.</blockquote>The specialist also spoke about the advantages of the rules of the Sky Grace International Clubs Association.<blockquote>"Many other countries will participate, because these are really very interesting competitions for which gymnasts come up with their various programs. I would like to note the inclusion of a jump rope in the tournament, which is so important in the preparation of every gymnast. I think that the Sky Grace tournaments should continue and never stop, because this is really a very interesting competition."</blockquote>At the international Sky Grace Cup tournament in Doha, Cuba was represented by senior Isabella Rojas and junior Lizabeth Godales. To prepare for the competition, gymnasts came to the training camp at the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

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Sky Grace

Yaynet Villalta-Peña was one of the judges at the international tournament Sky Grace Cup.

"It is a great pleasure for us to be here again!" Head of the Cuban Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation talks about the Sky Grace Cup

Four-time Olympic champion Alexei Nemov held a master class with athletes of the M. Voronin Dynamo Moscow club as part of the Christmas training camp in Valdai.&nbsp;After the lesson, he shared his impressions and noted that these training camps are important.<blockquote>"I am grateful to Alina Maratovna for organizing this whole process. Because our most important task, of adults who have already achieved something in this life, is to share experience. And today, having worked with our girls and boys, I received lots of positive emotions. We talked, we worked, we did a very good job. And this is the most important thing at the moment — that we are together, we are one team, we are moving towards the athletic heights. Gradually, confidently. And such training camps are necessary and needed. They only motivate us, so that we move forward, are stronger and with kindness, with such good energy move forward towards high results," he said.</blockquote>Alexei noted that the master class united everyone.&nbsp;<blockquote>"This master class brought us together: indeed, we talked with Tagir and found out who does what. Zhenya Kanaeva is here too. That's all that unites us, our athletic past. These are the results we achieved in our time. And thanks to high-performance sport, of course, we are here and we are one family," Alexei said.</blockquote>Alexei also shared what, in his opinion, is the secret of becoming an Olympic champion.&nbsp;<blockquote>"In fact, there are a lot of components. Some of the most important ones are probably the love for your work, hard work, respect for people, and patience," he said.&nbsp;</blockquote>The Christmas gathering was organized by the founders of the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

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Opinion

The four-time Olympic champion held a master class for athletes of the M. Voronin Dynamo Moscow club

"This master class brought us together!" Alexei Nemov talks about the lesson at the Christmas training camp

Lyudmila Makhneva is a Russia’s Master of Sports, senior coach of the Duet athletic club in Zelenograd.She shared her opinion on the International Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Clubs Association rules.&nbsp;<blockquote>"For me, Sky Grace rules are a new interesting experience in rhythmic gymnastics. The International Association rules allow both the coach and the athlete to fully reveal their potential. Sky Grace gives the strongest gymnasts from Russia and other countries the opportunity to compete. I was glad to take part in the Sky Grace tournaments as a judge and coach. I am looking forward to the next competition."</blockquote>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Our judges

In the Our Judges section, we meet a professional from Zelenograd.

Our Judges. Lyudmila Makhneva

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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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

Elina Khabirova from Kazan, one of the participants in the training in Valdai, spoke about how she got the opportunity to try her strength in the Christmas training camp.<blockquote>"Alina Kabaeva invited me in order to take a look at me. I was very excited, I really wanted to come here.I want to be much better, improve choreography and learn new elements. I hope the review will be successful for me and I will be accepted into Sky Grace,” Elina said.</blockquote>She trains under the guidance of the Academy coach Evgeniya Eliseeva. The gymnast told how the classes are going.<blockquote>"I really like the atmosphere here. Evgenia Eliseeva is very positive. She can laugh, she can scold," she said.</blockquote>The athlete also shared that her idol is Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva.<blockquote>"I like Alina Kabaeva. She is a special gymnast, vibrant. She has such original elements. A droplet, a flip," Elina explained.&nbsp;</blockquote>Elina Khabirova from Kazan is a student of the Diva rhythmic gymnastics club and trains with coach Oksana Imshaeva.

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Elina Khabirova from Kazan is a student of the Diva rhythmic gymnastics club and trains with coach Oksana Imshaeva.

Elina Khabirova from Kazan tells about her participation in the Christmas training camp in Valdai

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.