Help!!! Floor Music Question!

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gymnastmom96

My DD will get to choose new music in a few weeks (she uses her music for 2 years). The last couple of years she has used pop and hip-hop type music. The first was a Mary Poppins tune and currently she uses a Fort Minor cut. We have started considering music and no surprise, she like the top 40 stuff. I mentioned this to her coach and she suggested she go with something more "traditional" as she is getting older. (she's a dinosaur at 12)
My sister's DD is also a gymnast in a Romanian owned gym in another state. Her coaches chooses all their music. She claims judges frown on modern music.
Is this true? I have always thought that was just "gym mom" talk but now I'm beginning to wonder.

I would love to hear from judges, coaches, and other optional mom.
 
Even if judges hate the music, they have to evaluate how the choreography reflects the music. It's unacceptable to score the routine lower because of the music choice.
 
Even if judges hate the music, they have to evaluate how the choreography reflects the music. It's unacceptable to score the routine lower because of the music choice.

In an ideal world, this would be absolutely true.

But there's that 6 tenths of very nebulous "artistry/presentation" which basically comes down to "how much did the judge like your routine."

It depends on the judge, really; some will take off artistry points for using music or even skills that they don't like, some won't.
 
My dd's coaches/owners are Russian---she just got floor music this year. Her coach will absolutely not use top 40 stuff. She prefers classical and traditional music. My dd ended up with an orchestral version of a broadway song....even though the coach doesn't love show tunes Go figure...:)
 
My coaches always said you couldn't choreograph as good routines to new music :rolleyes:. But at the end of the day, it's your routine!

I would say judges prefer something a bit original and quirky than your average show music over. and. over. again.

P.S. I have a Lady GaGa Just Dance edit if you would like it :)
 
Only .3 of artistry, actually. No judges would last around here who purposefully underscore routines based on the music selection, thanks to USAG's presence. I really don't know anyone who scores routines to modern/rock/whatever music lower... I mean, you see a TON of that at JOs, so I don't see the issue in L7/8.
 
Music style can bring low score.

We had a meet at the beginning of the year and a L7 team girl had her routine criticed heavier than the other girls. The Judge was candid enough to talk to the coach about the routine and said point blank "That music is too (mature) for her".

So all in all I think though Judges try to remain unbiased with music choice it absolutely can be viewed more critically....whether a Judge means to or not it is hard not to have some predisposition to what they want to see and hear.:eek:

The music was a Calipso/techno with a 50's flavor to it.....nothing too outrageous.
 
Another point

You know, another point to consider is that Nastia kind of set the standard for what the world wants gymnastics to look like. Unintentionally and without even realizing it, many (including coaches & judges) are going to be looking for the more graceful gymnastics. However, not every gymnast was made to perform that way. We allow our girls to choose from a selection that we have determined would be a good fit for the gymnast's movement style. I imagine that your dd's coach has that in mind, too. If it were my daughter, I would encourage her to follow her coach's wisdom -- perhaps asking for a selection that would be appropriate for her performance type, from which she could pick her favorite.
 
We had a meet at the beginning of the year and a L7 team girl had her routine criticed heavier than the other girls. The Judge was candid enough to talk to the coach about the routine and said point blank "That music is too (mature) for her".

So all in all I think though Judges try to remain unbiased with music choice it absolutely can be viewed more critically....whether a Judge means to or not it is hard not to have some predisposition to what they want to see and hear.:eek:

Sounds more like the kid couldn't handle the routine than the judge having an issue with the music. For judges, the problem is not the music, but it can certainly be the choreography and/or presentation. I mean, I wouldn't give a 16-year-old Winnie the Pooh, but the same routine might be appropriate for a 9-year-old... and vice versa with a heavy metal routine.
 
P.S. I have a Lady GaGa Just Dance edit if you would like it :)

What does this sound like? My 11 year old keeps insisting that she wants Lady Gaga. She, of course, is drawn to the Top 40/hip hop selections. I keep trying to tell her that this music will stay with her for 2 years, so she might want to consider something that she won't be sick of in a few months time. Personally I can see her doing some kind of jazz or latin music. I don't know what her coach is thinking about. She still has a couple of months before getting her routine.
 
What does this sound like? My 11 year old keeps insisting that she wants Lady Gaga. She, of course, is drawn to the Top 40/hip hop selections. I keep trying to tell her that this music will stay with her for 2 years, so she might want to consider something that she won't be sick of in a few months time. Personally I can see her doing some kind of jazz or latin music. I don't know what her coach is thinking about. She still has a couple of months before getting her routine.

Here you go: Send big files the easy way. Files too large for email attachments? No problem!

Don't know why the link page is coming up with that big title but it does work:D
 
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If a routine fits a gymnast it will be performed better and score better. I don't think it has as much to do with a judges preference but has more to do with how the routine will be perceived. An 11 year old doing a hip hop routine will be very hard unless they have been dancing for years. Something more traditional can still be fun. It is very hard to choreograph a routine if the music doesn't suit the gymnast. I truly believe coaches need to guide their gymnast to right type of music for them, popular radio songs get old very fast.
 

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