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PAST & PRESENT |
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In 1995, Evelyn Koop, the founder of the Rhythmic Expressions, realized an old dream: to create a company that could lift her beloved rhythmic gymnastics to levels where it would be recognized as one of the performing arts. It would also mean returning to the roots of what has become an Olympic sport of the highest caliber: the rhythmic group performance.
For this new team, she selected 12 girls most of whom were former RG competitors, some who came from a background of dance performance.
Evelyn Koop has promoted this form of gymnastics, now called Aesthetic Group Gymnastics (AGG) since she began to develop the sport in Canada in the 1950's. Kalev's performance groups were soon famous and much sought after for many events. Kalev's Senior Elite travelled and performed around the world.10 years later, the "Rhythmic Expressions" had grown to a size where the club had two senior and two junior international competition teams, in addition to many AGG groups at levels from Child to Adult, from pre-competitive and Interclub, to Provincial and National. The club's "Rhythmic Expressions" team had represented Canada at every AGG World Championship, the only Canadians to do so. The group had also been selected as the only Canadian representative at the FIG Galas of the World Gymnaestradas during this period of time, in 1999 and 2003. And, again, at the FIG Gala of 2007 - link here!
This division of Kalev Estienne was now re-named the "Kalev AGG Academy", with the purpose of continuing to develop the sport in Canada, training gymnasts to the point that they are capable of achieving good results in high-level international competitions.The Academy will also help develop AGG coaches and judges.To recognize the success of the club in International AGG, Canada has been awarded the AGG World Championships 2008!
Many of the first gymnasts of the Expressions came from the Senior Elite of that time, coached by Don Calderwood (on top, in the photo below): Some of these gymnasts were Sandra Bauer, Heli Oder, Gloria Hui, Janine Romeiko, Jessie Sorrell, Julia (?) and Susanna Wadsten.
(Left)
By 2000, the group had grown.
(Right)
To see more members, click HERE.
Since its inception, the Rhythmic Expressions has also toured and performed internationally: Sweden, Estonia, Russia and South Africa. It has become an attractive goal for retiring competitors as well as members of other performance groups who have the ability and desire to progress to a professional performance level.
In 1998, a Junior division was established, for younger girls with a background in rhythmics and/or dance, who enjoyed performing and wanted to enhance their skills. Members were Amy, Arielle, Bronwen, Deborah, Erika, Katie, Lauren, Noemi, Sabrina, and Tatiana, coached by Susanna Wadsten (top row, middle).
In June, 1999, the group won a silver medal in a performance group competition!
In 2000, they were coached by Elvira Boudakova and in 2001 by Triinu Kimmel.Arielle, Deborah, Sabrina, Kylie and Emily (missing here)
This division no longer exist since young gymnasts have since been absorbed into the many AGG teams that Kalev now offers for different levels of age and skills.
The Expressions have represented Canada at several World Gymnaestradas, performing at the FIG Gala, which is the showcase performance of the best groups in the world!
(Above: the Canadian FIG Gala team at the 11th World Gymnaestrada in Sweden)
They compete in Aesthetic Group Gymnastics and have participated in all AGG World Championships to date, including the first one on May 27, 2000, in Helsinki, where Canadians Evelyn Koop and Maija Ceming also judged.
(On the right: Talvi, Ann, Lisanne and Emily wearing the leotard for the Worlds in Tallinn 2001.)
They have also particpated in International Dance Competitions and won...
the "Four Seasons"...
Jesse, Susanna, Vanessa and Gloria... and silver for the "Backstreet Boys",
choreographed by Elvira Boudakova.
Elvira in front of the company
Kalev started performance group competitions in 1996, organized by by Triinu Kimmel. The first competition had 15 teams from many different clubs. This AGG competition has become an annual event as part of "Kalev Cup".
In 2000, the first World Championships in "Aesthetic Group Gymnastics (AGG)" were held in Helsinki, Finland, organized by SVOLI, the Finnish gymnastics federation, since this type of gymnastics has lived on there since the days of Hilma Jalkanen.
To the Kalev performers, "AGG" was simply a new name for what they were already doing, and happily and easily learned the new rules. They have participated in every AGG World Championships, most often reaching the finals, which is quite an achievement for non-European groups. Our team is hoping for new groups to form in Canada and the US so that they can further their development in competitions that are not as far away as Europe is.Three Kalev coaches have taken International AGG judging courses: Evelyn Koop, Tatiana Kastsenkava and Alla Kosheleva, and Kalev has run several AGG workshops with teachers such as Mall Kalve, Antton Laine and Anu Mattila, who also have choreographed for the Expressions.
During the World Championships 2003 in Graz, 13 delegations , which included Evelyn Koop (for Kalev) signed an agreement to form a new international assembly for AGG called "International Federation of Aesthetic Group Gymnastics" IFAGG). The first board of IFAGG was elected in October and Evelyn Koop is a member of its Promotion Committee.
Evelyn Koop has also initated an Canadian Federation for AGG (CAGG), which was created in December 2003, and of which she is vice-president. She has also been active behind the decision of IFAGG (the International Federation of AGG) to hold the 2008 AGG World Championships in Toronto!
