The floor exercise or “FloorEx” is a women’s gymnastics event that involves a combination of dance, acrobatics, and tumbling skills performed on a 40 ft x 40 ft mat. Gymnasts typically perform a routine that is 70-90 seconds long, which includes music and choreography that showcases their individual style and personality. The routine must also include a variety of tumbling passes, such as roundoffs, back handsprings, and flips, as well as leaps, jumps, and turns.
FloorEx is judged based on the gymnast’s execution, difficulty, and artistry, with deductions taken for mistakes such as falls or incomplete elements. The floor exercise is often considered one of the most exciting and visually stunning events in women’s gymnastics, as it combines athleticism, grace, and showmanship.
In this video, Rebekah Ripley from Brigham Young University shows over-the-top style when she takes the floor as a mechanical “Barbie” doll. Her robotic moves easily convey exactly the doll-like routine that they are supposed to.
But then, she springs into action in one of the tumbling runs and the robotic moves go out the window! She flips and twists high in the air, then sticks a fantastic landing! My favorite part is the half-way mark where Barbie’s batteries run down, then she comes back to the 2010 mega-hit “Barbie Girl” by Aqua. It’s the perfect touch for this stylish, inspired routine. And clearly the judges love the routine too, as she scores a 9.9!
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