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National Danish Gymnastics team combines fun and fitness to entertain and teach audiences. Date published: 4/7/2004
Fantastically fit and effusively fun, the National Danish Performance Team for 2003-04 literally wowed spectators at Massaponax High School. Explosions of color, humor and unique choreography captured the audience, causing occasional "lung-ful" intakes of breathless wonder. "I thought it was amazing. I didn't think it would be this good," enthused Jessica Torrance after the performance. The young ones, sitting on the gym floor for an up-close view, were mesmerized by the performance. "Awesome," 9-year-old Kyra Trowbridge said about the gymnasts and the routines. March 27 was the group's grand finale here in Virginia before heading to Washington, D.C. for its next stop. Different Styles"I want to show the world what our kind of gymnastics is," explained gymnast Elke Brons, 25. She started in gymnastics because she wanted to have "fun, to feel good and get healthy." "The Danish definition of gymnastics is a completely different animal than what we see in our country," said Paragon Gymnastic's owner Ken Wood and host for the National Danish gymnastics team. "The main goal [of the team]," said team manager Andeis Christian Amstrup, "is to promote an awareness of Danish gymnastic traditions and give an understanding of Danish culture." With the Danish population at 5 million, 1.3 million are members of the Danish Gymnastic and Sports Association. "A lot of people do gymnastics because they want to keep the body fit and for social networking," Amstrup said. Where American gymnasts are concerned with the competitive side of the sport, Danish gymnasts focus on the fun of the activity. Sharing these ideas is the focus of the group's worldwide travels. Determined commitmentWhile versatility and flexibility is a must, endurance is as well. The team prepared for its worldwide tour with five weeks of training, seven days a week, eight to 10 hours a day. While there are several teams in the association, the national travel team is made up of the most skilled gymnasts, said Amstrup. And, they are committed. The gymnasts pay $5,000 each to tour, and auditions are intense. More than 200 tried out for the 28 spots. Plus, after competitors were whittled down, an interview was conducted. "It's important to have the right personality," said Amstrup. "It's quite tough when traveling around the world. You have to accept a lot from others."
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