Acrobatic gymnastics
Acrobatic gymnastics (previously called Sport Acrobatics and nicknamed "Acro") is a competitive partner sport combining the strength, flexibility and technical precision of gymnastics with the grace and musicality of dance as well as the trust and camaraderie of a dedicated partnership. Participants at a highly competitive level compete age categories of 11 and under, 12-14, 15-16, and 17+. There are also levels that participants can compete in which are often equally as competitive, but do not have the option of competing internationally. The levels that compete are 4-elite. All acrobats perform in pairs or groups and must specify a level or be within the above age categories. The events that acrobats perform in are: women's pairs (two females); men's pairs (two males); mixed pairs (a male base and a female top); women's groups (three females); men's groups/quad (four males). Each pair or group competes routines individually choreographed for that particular group. These routines are competed to music and the acrobats are required to dance and otherwise perform to this music. Acrobats perform with, on or around each other to demonstrate their flair, grace and style to the judges and audience. The rules for the sport, known as the Code of Points, ar
governed by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique. These rules are subject to change every four years according to the Olympic Cycle as per the other disciplines of Gymnastics. The Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) or International Federation of Gymnastics (IFG) is the governing body of competitive gymnastics. Its headquarters is in Lausanne, Switzerland. It was founded on July 23, 1881 in Liege, Belgium, making it the worlds oldest existing international sport organisation.[1] Originally called the European Federation of Gymnastics, it had three member countries — Belgium, France and the Netherlands — until 1921, when non-European countries were admitted, and it was renamed to its current name.[2] The federation draws up the rules, known as the Code of Points, which regulate how gymnast's performance is evaluated. Six gymnastics disciplines are governed by the FIG: Artistic gymnastics (further classified as Men's Artistic Gymnastics — MAG and Women's Artistic Gymnastics — WAG), Rhythmic gymnastics (RG), Aerobic gymnastics (AER), Acrobatic gymnastics (ACRO) and Trampolining (TRA). Additionally, the federation has been considered the authority responsible for determining whether gymnasts are old enough to participate in the Olympics.