Everyone can tell the difference between a gymnast who merely goes through the motions and one who performs their routines and dance with so much expression that it is a joy to watch. We have developed some dance and routine drills that can help create that type of dancing ability and are fun to do. Some of these dance drills can be done on the sidelines while a gymnast is waiting for their turn to perform their routine. Others can be done while gymnasts are doing their routines with just a particular change of emphasis.

Exaggeration dance – fun drill where gymnasts go through routine, compulsory or optional and exaggerate each dance movement.

Wrist/ankle weight dance – go through the dance in the routine with both wrist and ankle weights on.

Speed dance – fun drill where gymnasts do each dance element as fast as they can.

Happy dance – fun drill where gymnast is instructed to perform their routine in a playful, light, carefree, joyful manner with a smile on their face.

On the note dance – routine dance drill where gymnasts try to make every element in the routine move exactly with the music.

“Feel the music” dance routine – routine where the gymnast is instructed to let the music move each element in feeling, intensity, duration and in general rule the routine.

Arms only dance in front of mirror – routine element drill where gymnasts stand in front of the mirror and do only the arm movements for every element in the routine exaggerated and exactly with the music.

Arms emphasis routine.

Steps only dance elements – look coach, no hands dance routine (arms folded or by side only).

Steps emphasis routine – (routine with arms folded or by side only).

Head movements and position and facial expression only dance in front of mirror – routine element drill where gymnasts stand in front of the mirror and do only the head movements and position and facial expressions for every element in the routine exactly with the music.

Head movements and position and facial expression emphasis routine – routine where gymnasts do only the head movements and position and facial expressions for every element in the routine exactly with the music.

Hand movements only dance in front of mirror – routine element drill where gymnasts stand in front of the mirror and do only the hand movements and finger positions for every element in the routine exactly with the music.

Hand movements emphasis routine.

Dramatic dance routine – a routine where the skill elements are done dramatically as if the gymnast were in a play.

Flexibility emphasis dance routine – routine where the emphasis is on performing each element to the point of maximum use of flexibility.

Precise dance routine – a routine where the skill elements are done as crisp and precisely as possible.

Maximum amplitude routine – routine where the gymnast is instructed to perform each element with maximum amplitude.

Same routine, different music – It can be a fun and potentially useful variation to have the gymnasts do their routines to different music. The music can be popular music with words, music of a different tempo, music with more dramatic emphasis or just music the gymnast likes. Practice like this improves the ability of the gymnast to interpret their routine musically and dramatically.

Do someone else’s routine – This is almost a given. Most coaches can’t keep their gymnasts from learning and doing other gymnasts routines. Put this to good use. One positive aspect of this drill is that it that can improve the ability of the gymnast to interpret routines musically and dramatically. Another aspect is that higher level gymnasts doing a routine for a lower level or compulsory gymnast can demonstrate to the owner of the routine and even sometimes the coach better ways the skills and routine can be done to the max.

Create a floor routine – This can be a fun drill for dance-confident gymnasts. Gymnasts are given music, which they have never performed to and must create a routine on the floor while hearing the music. This is both an interpretive dance practice drill and also allows the coach to see what elements a gymnast is most comfortable with.

Create a beam routine – Gymnasts must create a routine on the beam from scratch which includes all the beam requirements for their level. This is both an interpretive dance practice drill and also allows the coach to see what elements a gymnast is most comfortable with on the beam.

For some very interesting choreography concepts check out our Secrets to Gymnastics Choreography e-Book.