VISITING DANISH GYMNASTS

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27593, 25 February 1955, Page 14

VISITING DANISH GYMNASTS

DISPLAY FOR 3000 CHILDREN

SPECTACULAR, RHYTHMIC EXHIBITION ‘ For 3265 schoolchildren at Wilding Park yesterday afternoon, the highlight of a display by the Danish gymnastic team was the spectacular tumbling provided by the men at the end of the programme; but to the physical training instructors among the crowd the extraordinary suppleness of both the-men and women in the team, and their rhythm and teamwork were probably equally as remarkable. The programme began with callisthenics and included a range of exervarying from the rhythmic and only mildly energetic to the definitely strenuous, as well as vaulting, balancing and folk dancing. “These gymnasts were the same as you are when they were your age,” one of the team officials, Mr Herman Andersen, told the children. “Gymnastics is taken very seriously in our schools, and it is only after mastering the fundamentals that you can tackle the tumbling work you see our team do.” The fundamentals demonstrated included exercises for suppleness of the muscles, balance and agility. The men, in one of their early appearances—for most of the programme men and women alternated in their exercises—raised gasps of astonishment from the spectators with their variations on the “touch your toes” routine. They apparently find no difficulty in bending their bodies double, with their legs straight, so that their faces almost touch their shins. The girls’ exercises with large red balls, contrasting effectively with their yellow dresses, provided a fascinating display. Moving gracefully in unison, the girls tossed the balls in the air, performed ballet-like movements with the balls poised on their outstretched hands, and executed some intricate moves with the balls. Soto Performance Thfe only solo performance was given by Arne Christensen, who demonstrated a one-man sequence of gymnastic exercises, including cartwheels, hand stands, hand springs, somersaults—in fact all the tumbling feats that every energetic youngster longs to master. There are two schools of thought among gymnasts: there are those who claim that no artificial devices such as springboards should be used; and those whp say that anything which adds to the exhilaration of the sport is permissible. The men showed that they were competent in “straight” work on the vaulting horse, and also well practised in the use of springboards. Actually, they did not use an ordinary springboard at all in this display, but either a *‘beat board” (a wooden ramp) or a metal frame to which was attached by numerous strong springs a central platform. Placed in front of the vaulting horse, this device gave the gymnast much greater lift than any springboard, and enabled him to execute high-flying somersaults, dives and handsprings over the long horse. In everything they did the gymnasts, men and women, showed an enjoyment of-their work which was obviously derived from years of training and bodily discipline. rExpenditure on Defenee>~The Minister of Defence (Mr Harold Macmillan) said in the House of Commons that the percentage of the gross national income spent on defence in 1953 in Britain, the United States and Canada respectively was 11.3, 14.7, 9.2. —London, February 22.