The Evolution of Mass Gymnastic Performances (the End of the 19th Century – the Beginning of the 21st Century)

Abstract

Topicality. In 1882, Mass Gymnastic Performances called «Sokil takeoff», took place. Thanks to the organizers of the Sokil Movement, which had successfully spread over the countries, the idea of Mass Gymnastic Performances became very popular among young people. Their hedonistic significance is manifested in aesthetic entertainment. They are a powerful agitation instrument, which raises the patriotic spirit of both participants and spectators, and is the object of both domestic and international tourism. For over a century, authors and creative teams have been searching for new ideas, developing technical equipment, creating musical and rhythmic-plastic compositions to reflect the theme of the event to  which they are dedicated and to enhance the entertainment of Mass Gymnastic Performances.  The Purpose of the Research is to study and summarize data relating to the changes that have taken place over the centuries in Mass Gymnastic Performances. Methods of the Research are theoretical analysis and generalization of educational, scientific-methodical, reference literature and data of the Internet network on the identified issue. Results of the Research. In the studied historical period, physical culture holidays, gymnastic performances reached unprecedented development and turned into a kind of new form of mass physical culture spectacle. At one time, the evolution of Mass Gymnastic Performances was significantly influenced by the creative ideas of the USSR athletes and artists. They started thematic performances, introduced a new dynamic style without long overlaps «in one go», developed a scheme for constructing compositions with peaks of the viewers` attention. For the first time, they began to implement current movements, collapsible metal gymnastic devices and a background podium into the performances. And today, there is a standard of distance between the participants in the field of 2,8 meters in Mass Gymnastic Performances, proposed byConclusions. To this day, Mass Gymnastic Performances have not lost their actuality. For more than over  130 years, they have been a means of sports promoting, aesthetic upbringing, moral qualities and performing hedonistic functions. North Korea has become the modern record holder of Mass Gymnastic Performances.