NEW YORK (CBS)- Students of all ages across New York City are ignoring their alarm clocks Friday morning, as city public schools, colleges and universities are closed due to the massive winter storm that continues to plod over the tri-state area.
City public school students aren't the only ones excused from classes.
All CUNY Colleges are also giving in to mother nature Friday, as well as Columbia University, NYU, LIM College, LIU - CW Post, Marymount Manhattan College, Pace University and School of Visual Arts.

Be advised, Nova Sports Center will be closed and all of the classes will be canceled. Athletes are advised to continue monitoring MyDynamics.com for more information on weather related conditions and current updates.

В Лос-Анджелесе прошел турнир по художественной гимнастике,
на который съехались более 350 участниц из России, Украины, Беларуси, Европы,
Латинской Америки и Австралии.

Интервью с главным организатором турнира Алла Свирски
вы можете прочитать на страничке портала DaysRU.com

http://daysru.com/news/%D0%BA%D1%83%D0%BB%D1%8C%D1%82%D1%83%D1%80%D0%B0/020810/la-lights-2010-22050

There are five pieces of equipment used in rhythmic gymnastics. Every two years, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) designates four of the apparatus to be used, and the other to be set aside for that time period.

Floor Exercise

This event is unique to the introductory levels of competition in the United States and abroad – you won’t see it at the Olympics and other international competitions. In the U.S., it is a compulsory routine in which all athletes perform the same skills to the same music, without use of any additional equipment.
What to Watch: Leaps, turns, jumps and flexibility moves will all be on display. Unlike the floor exercise performed in artistic gymnastics, there are no tumbling (flipping) skills.
 
Rope

The rope is made out of hemp or synthetic material, and is proportional to the size of the gymnast.
What to Watch: Look for swings, wraps, figure-eight-type movements, throws and catches of the rope, and jumps and leaps through the open or folded rope.

The hoop is made of wood or plastic, and is 31-35 inches in its interior diameter.
What to Watch: Rolls, high tosses and catches of the hoop, spins, and passes through and over the hoop will all be executed by the gymnast. 
 

Ball

The ball is made from rubber or synthetic material and is 7-7.8 inches in diameter. Very bright-colored balls are not allowed, and the only pattern permitted on the ball is a geometric one.
What to Watch: The athletes will perform body waves, throws and catches, balances, and bouncing and rolling of the ball.

Clubs

The two clubs are of equal length, about 16-20 inches long. Clubs are made from wood or synthetic material and weigh about 5.2 ounces each.
What to Watch: Circles (the clubs swing parallel to each other) and mills (the clubs swing opposite each other), throws and catches with the clubs as a unit and with the clubs separately, and rhythmical tapping are all skills in a club routine.
 
Ribbon

The ribbon is a single strip, made of satin or a non-starched material, attached to a stick made of wood or synthetic materials. The ribbon is about 6.5 yards long, and 1.5-2.3. inches wide. The stick is 19.5-23.4 inches long and only .4 inches wide.
What to Watch: The gymnast will create all sorts of patterns with the ribbon, including spirals, circles, snakes and figure-eights. She'll also throw and catch the ribbon. It must always stay in motion throughout the entire routine.
 
Which is your favorite apparatus in rhythmics?

Participants:
According to USA Gymnastics, there are more than 91,000 athlete members in the JO program. Almost 75% (more than 67,000) are in the women’s artistic gymnastics program.

The Level System:
In the JO program levels range from 1-10, with level one as the introductory level with the most basic requirements and skills. Gymnasts progress at their own pace, and in all programs but acrobatic gymnastics (acro), gymnasts must achieve a minimum score in competition in order to progress to the next level. In acro, it is up to the gymnast's coach to decide when s/he is ready for the next level.
A gymnast is not allowed to skip any levels, but may compete in more than one level per year in every program but men’s artistic. In men's artistic, athletes compete in one level per year.

Age Minimums:
In women’s artistic gymnastics, a gymnast must meet the following age minimums to compete:
Levels 1 & 2: reached her 4th birthday
Level 3: reached her 5th birthday
Level 4: reached her 6th birthday
Level 5: reached her 7th birthday
Level 6: reached her 7th birthday
Level 7: reached her 7th birthday
Level 8: reached her 8th birthday
Level 9: reached her 8th birthday
Level 10: reached her 9th birthday

In men’s artistic and rhythmic gymnastics an athlete must have reached his/her sixth birthday to compete at any level. In trampoline, tumbling, and acro there are no age minimums.

Competitions:
Competitions are held at the local, state, regional and national levels. Usually a gymnast qualifies to each successive level of competition by achieving certain qualifying standards at a smaller competition. For example, a gymnast who achieves a predetermined score at a statewide competition will qualify to the regional competition.
National competitions are only held at the highest competitive levels (levels 9 and 10) in women’s and men’s artistic, but are held at lower levels in programs with fewer athlete participants such as tumbling and trampoline.

In many programs a gymnast doesn’t enter competition until s/he has reached level 4 or 5.

The Elite Level: After a gymnast has reached level 10 she can attempt to qualify to elite (Olympic-level) competition. Qualifying varies in the different JO programs. In women’s artistic, for example, an athlete must meet a minimum score performing compulsory and optional routines, while in rhythmic gymnastics, a gymnast must place in the top 12 at the level 10 National Championships. The qualifying scores and procedures often vary from year to year as well.

In all programs, though, once a gymnast has reached the elite level, s/he is technically no longer part of the Junior Olympic program. S/he may now be selected to represent the United States in international and other major competitions.