Gymnasts from Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy visited the Yonghegong Lamasery and lit incense for good luck before the start of the 12th Zhong Ling Cup international tournament in Beijing.The young athletes also visited the local market, where they tried unusual Chinese dishes.<blockquote>"I really liked it here. I even tried a dried scorpion. It tastes like some fried chips in oil", said Karolina Tarasova from Donetsk"I like it here too. But the food here is very spicy, my mouth is still on fire", said Kristina Voitenko from Novosibirsk.</blockquote>Together with the Academy athletes, Belarusian gymnasts Alina Harnasko and Anastasia Salos went sightseeing in Beijing. At the international Zhong Ling Cup tournament, they are present as guests of honor.The Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy will be represented by Ksenia Savinova, Karolina Tarasova and Kristina Voitenko at the competitions in Beijing.

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Competitions

Gymnasts from Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy visited the Yonghegong Lamasery and lit incense for good luck before the start of the 12th Zhong Ling Cup international tournament in Beijing.

Academy gymnasts got acquainted with Chinese culture before the Zhong Ling Cup competition in Beijing

Tatyana Ryupina, Senior Methodologist at the Talent and Success Educational Foundation, told how the first half of the school year went for preschoolers and preschoolers from early development groups:<blockquote>"The first semester of the new school year flew by and was extremely productive and informative. Our teaching staff developed a series of teaching fairy tales and stories for gymnasts and judokas. The main goal was to foster a lasting interest in the sport the children are involved in and to create a positive example they would want to emulate. Consequently, we also strived not only for athletic success but also to cultivate the moral and willpower qualities that are essential for future champions and winners. We also developed a whole system of mathematics for the very youngest children. This system is called "structured counting." Develops children's attention, perseverance, and logical thinking."</blockquote>Tatyana Ryupina also noted what skills the young gymnasts and judokas have improved during this time:<blockquote>"During this semester, the children's English vocabulary increased. The teacher began reading in English with the older children. The children also learned the history of rhythmic gymnastics and judo, respectively. Our preschool department is constantly evolving, the program is improving, and our teachers are growing professionally. Young gymnasts and judok are not only improving their athletic skills, but also developing moral and volitional qualities and cognitive functions that will be essential for their future athletic and lifelong pursuits."</blockquote>

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Opinion

Tatyana Ryupina, Senior Methodologist at the Talent and Success Educational Foundation, summed up the results of the first half of the school year for preschoolers from early development groups.

Tatyana Ryupina, Senior Methodologist at the Talent and Success Educational Foundation, summed up the results of the year

A dance master class was held at the Academy for group exercise gymnasts.It was conducted by Nisa Chusovitina, the teacher-choreographer at Alla Dukhova TODES dance studio. The specialist also collaborated with Irina Zenovka, choreographer of the Alina festival, to create a dance sequence for the new gymnasts' program.<figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/ac3/1cf/ac31cfd5acd7c31bb4298d7694a8a896.jpg"></figure>

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Academy Life

Nisa Chusovitina worked with group girls.

A dance master class from choreographer TODES was held at the Academy

After the end of the mAlinka tournament, the Academy coach Elizaveta Zorkina summed up the performances of the young stars and told what advice she gave the athletes before the performance:<blockquote>"A little time has passed since the last mAlinka, but we managed to improve something. Something may have remained in place. But we will not stop working. I always tell them to stretch their toes, keep their hands up, and listen to the music. And also, not to get distracted by their parents, because usually, small children distract because of that. And we tell them to act as if they are performing in an empty hall, just by themselves."</blockquote>The specialist also told how difficult it was for gymnasts to perform with the apparatus, and noted some of the young athletes:<blockquote>"We teach them from a young age to take the apparatus in their hands. From the very beginning, they are gradually mastering apparatus training. But still, the exercise is something different. So it was difficult for everyone. I really like Ksyusha Berest. She is a girl born in two thousand and nineteen. She is really great, she always tries very hard. And I see progress in her. And I really like Polina Pakhomova born in two thousand and eighteen."</blockquote>The Academy coach Elizaveta Zorkina also shared her plans for the coming year:<blockquote>"For those born in two thousand and twenty, we will be creating then an exercise with the rope for them. At the next mAlinka, they will be perform freehand and with the rope. And for the year of two thousand and nineteen, we will compose a ball routine. For me, the year of two thousand and twenty-five is an achievement overall. I started working as a coach, and all these little girls have become very dear to me. I hope it continues like this, and that they will only bring me joy."</blockquote>On December 10, the traditional mAlinka tournament for the youngest athletes was held at the Alina Kabaeva Sky Grace Rhythmic Gymnastics Academy.

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The specialist also shared her plans for the coming year.

Academy coach Elizaveta Zorkina summed up the performances of the young athletes after the mAlinka tournament

Irina Zenovka, the choreographer of the Alina festival, came to the Academy to create a program with ribbons for group team.Gymnasts born in 2011-2012 will compete in the juniors program.<figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/896/4f2/8964f2ecffb0c7dff3eae68e3e784777.jpg"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://skygrace.ru/static/files/images/editor/654/bc5/654bc5841863420908e374cd2fa5bab7.png"></figure>

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The exercise with five ribbons will be possible to see next season.

Irina Zenovka is creating a new program for the junior group gymnasts

The Academy gymnasts have started working on new programs for the upcoming season.Choreographer Natalia Belugina has arrived at the Academy and has already started staging a new exercise with maces for Ksenia Savinova from Gatchina.

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Choreographer Natalia Belugina came to the Academy.

The Academy gymnasts have started working on new programs

Russia’s Honored Coach Natalia Lashchinskaya, who evaluated the athletes' artistry at the Russian Cup, told how the gymnasts' approach to exercises has changed this year:<blockquote>"They've improved a lot. They've started to feel the music. They've even developed their own emotions. Together with their coach and choreographer, they choose the music—the one they'll feel. We've had a lot of lessons that have helped them understand: what kind of music is it, what does it represent, when was it written, by which composer, and so on. The girls have improved a lot!"</blockquote>The specialist also highlighted the tournament's most memorable routines:<blockquote>"I really like Masha Borisova's routine. I like Ulyana Janus's routine, and Anna Vakulenko's hoop routine is good, and so is the ball routine."</blockquote>

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She also highlighted the tournament's most memorable routines.

How has the gymnasts' approach to their routines changed this year? Natalia Lashchinskaya tells about it

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Due to the emerging cases of mailings sent on behalf of the Alina Kabaeva Charitable Foundation representatives, we’d like to state that the foundation does not send letters and does not practice any fundraising.

Important information!

Ekaterina Sazonova from Moscow became the bronze medalist of the Russian Cup.&nbsp;The gymnast appreciated her performance at the start in Kazan:<blockquote>"This tournament was a great success for me. I performed all four events without any major errors, which I'm very happy about, and I'm very happy with the result. I like all the programs. I made a really good ball at this tournament. I've never performed it like that before, and it was my last time performing it. I tried to convey the entire image. I have a very profound image there about the feelings of a lost person, the image of lost love. And I was able to fully express myself in this program. I came out with sadness and a desire to give everything I had on the court."</blockquote>She told what helped her to perform without losses, and also summed up the results of the season:<blockquote>"I think it was self-confidence, of course, and my coach's belief in me. And, of course, daily hard work. This has probably been my favorite year of my entire career. I came back from a serious injury and even managed to win a medal at the end of the year. I'm very happy about that. I've been working towards this for a very long time."</blockquote>By the way, Tatyana Sergaeva, the head coach of the Russian national team, <a href="https://skygrace.ru/en/news/mneniya/ya-by-skazala-chto-eto-byla-bitva-harakterov-tatyana-sergaeva-ob-itogah-kubka-rossii" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">noted</a> her as the most stable gymnast at these competitions. Ekaterina Sazonova's coaches are Yana Kelperis and Ekaterina Sergeeva.

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By the way, Tatyana Sergaeva, the head coach of the Russian national team, noted her as the most stable gymnast at these competitions. Ekaterina Sazonova's coaches are Yana Kelperis and Ekaterina Sergeeva.

"My favorite year of my career!" Ekaterina Sazonova talks about the results of the season and her performance at the Russian Cup

At the Step to the Dream tournament, Miroslava Monina from Penza and Alesya Naifonova from Vladikavkaz each won two gold medals among gymnasts born in 2012.Miroslava shared her impressions of the competition and noted the progress at the end of the season:<blockquote>"I didn't do very well at this tournament. There are always shortcomings that need to be corrected. My coaches, Alina Gusarova, Irina Gusarova, Alina Protasova, and choreographer Ekaterina Belova helped me. I think my elements are getting better and my risks are getting better. First and foremost, I want to thank Alina Kabaeva for giving me the chance to perform in Armenia, at this tournament. I also want to thank my coaches and choreographer."</blockquote>Alesya told what she had been working on since the previous start, and also appreciated how she had improved this year:<blockquote>"In Yekaterinburg, my boomerang didn't work out in the ribbon; it flew backwards, but here I practiced it and got it right. And in the hoop, I lost my risk, but here I practiced it and it worked. I think my artistry has improved a bit and I've become a little more precise in my execution of elements and risks. I want to say a huge thank you to my coaches Irina Gusarova, Alina Protasova, Alina Gusarova and choreographer Ekaterina Belova. And a huge thank you to Alina Kabaeva for the opportunity to compete."</blockquote>The athletes' coaches are Alina and Irina Gusarova, Alina Protasova, and the choreographer is Ekaterina Belova.

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The athletes won two gold medals each among gymnasts born in 2012.

Miroslava Monina and Alesya Naifonova share their impressions of the performance at the tournament in Armenia and the results of the year

Silva Sargsyan from Armenia shared her impressions of her performance at the Step to the Dream tournament in Yerevan:<blockquote>"I'm incredibly happy to be here and happy they invited me. It's always such a joy to perform in Yerevan because I'm always supported, the gymnasts are always rooting for me. I'm incredibly proud to always compete here. Actually, I've competed so many times that I'm never nervous anywhere, because I'm so used to it. I go out there every time to show my best, everything I've trained for at home in Nizhny Novgorod."</blockquote>Silva also named the Sky Grace gymnasts, which she left an impression on her:<blockquote>"I really like Veronika Malinina, she's a very colorful, artistic girl. All the other girls are great too. I'm really happy that they came here to Yerevan for this competition."</blockquote>In addition, the athlete recalled how the Sky Grace Cup International Tournament and Beijing Top Open 2025 took place for her, where she won silver with rope:<blockquote>"This was my fourth time competing. I'm incredibly happy with my silver medal in the rope finals. I'm always thrilled when Alina Maratovna invites me to this event because it's such an important competition; they have different rules, and it's always so exciting to change things up like this at the end of the year, when all the major competitions have already ended. It's exciting to try it out, and there were so many positive emotions. I remember that I pulled myself together and competed in all four events without any losses in the finals."</blockquote>

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Silva also named the Sky Grace gymnasts that left an impression on her.