Italy’s national team of rhythmic gymnastics has presented their new routines today in front of local audience. Around a hundred people gathered on saturday afternoon in Desio’s sports hall, to see the open training of „Squadra Azzurra“ – Alexandra Agiurgiuculese, Milena Baldassari and the group. Videos were forbidden, but bulgarian fans will be among the first ones to see live the new compositions when they’re ready – at the end of march at the Sofia World Cup.
Alexandra Agiurgiuculese has 3 new routines, with only her ribbon to the mix of evergreens being kept. The hoop’s music is a dramatic remix of “Gangsta’s paradise”, with most of the elements being the same as in her old hoop. The clubs are groundbreakingly different and the balkan rhythms suit perfectly Alexandra, who was born in Romania. The real surprise though was the ball routine, which will definitely please the crowd in the bulgarian capital. “Zaydi, zaydi, yasno slantse” („Come out, come out, clear sun“) shows the lyrical and tender side of the gymnast. With it’s uncharacteristical beginning, the song supposes a jazz performance, but it’s when you hear the traditional bulgarian instrument kaval, that you know this song was chosen specifically for the World Championships.
Milena Baldassari has an entirely new program, in which there’s once again a french song. Julieta Cantaluppi’s student’s clubs are to the tune of „Carmen“, but this version is by the rapper „Stromae„, with the song being about the negative effects of social medias, which definitely makes it an unusual choice. Her hoop is to the well-known theme from „Peter Gunn“, and Milena is very artistic and dance-y, while managing to do very risky elements. Her ribbon is lyrical, to the „Carol of the bells“ violin version, while the ball is maybe the most perfect music for Baldassari. Moscow-born Regina Spektor performs „Après moi“, while Milena, whose mom is russian, gets seamlessly in the dramatic character. The routine has many, well marked musical accents and is definitely characteristical.
The group performed separated into 2 groups of 5 girls – the main team, and a reserve one, in which all of the girls were no more than 17 years old. Like we already wrote some time ago, the 5 hoops routine is the same one as last year’s, with some exchanges changed, and some new collaborations added, one of which is spectacular. In the 3+2 routine, to the remix of „Eye of the tiger“ and „The Matrix“‘ soundtrack, there are mainly elements from the old composition, but as a whole it’s energetic and uplifting. The change of the music from the rock part to the lyrical one is accurately represented by the gymnasts, which is one of the new rules in the CoP. The two routines were performed 3 times each, by both the teams.
The next possibility for the italian fans to see their favorites is gonna be at the beginning of march, again at PalaDesio, for an Italy – Spain meet, in which will take part senior and junior individuals, as well as the groups of the two countries.
Photo: beatricevivaldi.it