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If you're a gym fan who's obsessed with artistry, here are some synchronized swimming routines that you really really should check out (THREAD 1/?)
I was a synchronized swimmer but theres not a very large community following synchro so I became a gym fan and I'm here to convince you all to fall in love with synchro (2/?)
First, the amazing 2016 olympic gold medal winning team from russia. The theme is "angels" and I literally teared up watching this routine because of its beauty. RUSSIAN ELEGANCE AND DOMINANCE (3/?)
In the synchro world, the US team is am underdog. They've had a lot of coaching turn overs and are a young team. They've been focusing on artistry and making innovative routines (like dutch WAG). 2020 routine, theme is "robots" https://www.facebook.com/karen.b.alvarez.94/videos/10221105527093670/?lst=100006562266874%3A1408723782%3A1592843272 (4/?)
Artistry, Execution, and Difficulty are all evaluated separately and given fairly equal weights. There are 8 person team routines (like above) and 2 person duets at the olympics, but there are 10 person combos, mixed duets, and solos at worlds (5/?)
One of my favorite duets is the 2012 olympic gold medal winning from russia, which is a creepy doll routine. It really shows the range of the themes and how committed synchronized swimmers are to their theme
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Do you like NCAA gym because gymnasts perform fun routines to pop music? There's synchro for that too! USA duet's 2020 routine to Billie Eilish (7/?)
There's also a 2012 russian tech duet to Michael Jackson. A tech duet is like a WAG compulsory, but the duet can choreographic it and theme it however they want as long as they include required elements. (8/?)
LOOK AT THE ARTISTRY AND COMMITMENT TO A ~COMPULSORY TECH ROUTINE~!!! (9/?)
Solos aren't an olympic event, but they are a uniquely beautiful event. Because there is not another swimmer to synchronize with, its really about synchronizing to the music. IMO, they are the most artistic event (10/?)
Here's Andrea Fuentes' (Spanish Olympian and current US head coach) edith pilaf solo at 2012 Euros. (11/?)
I am obsessed with synchro artistry and honestly it sets the standard so damn high that I'm usually very underwhelmed by WAG floor routines. I really really recommend people check out synchro! I might add some more routines to this thread later (12/?)
Adding to this again because I haven't mentioned combos! Combos are routines of 10 people that is a combination of all the other events: solos, duets, trios, and team segments. With this flexibility, combos are often the routines that best tell a story (13/?)
My favorite combo is the 2015 chinese routine to Phantom of the Opera (which sounds like it should be cheesy but it's done so damn well)
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My second favorite combo is the 2009 Spanish routine to Stairway to Heaven which is literally like watching poetry in motion (15/?)
