Since this was a sport completely new to the kids, it was very exciting for them. This sometimes made it very hard to "organize" them in the gym to learn how to use the hand sets. For the time being it seems to be more a toy to them than a sports hand set. However, on "good days" some of them did really well with some nice combinations like big circles with the ribbon and jumping over it, same with the rope like doing a certain jumping rhythm (4 slow hopps and 8 fast) or let the hoop rotate around the hand with a hand change or jumping through the hoop.
Of course there were no hand sets in the beginning, so I had to find out where to get them. At a sports club in Tijuca, the SESC Tijuca, I finally found a lady, Lilian, selling them. So, I sent an email to all my friends in Germany asking them for a donation for my project by waiving just one beer or package of cigarettes and the result was unexpected amazing. I could buy 8 of each hand sets to have better work outs with the kids, because now they could all work with the same set at a time. From the rest of the donations we also organized an excursion to the SESC Tijuca so that the girls could experience a real professional work out with the coach Adriana and her advanced gymnastic girls at the club. It was a great evening and although the training was really hard for our girls, they did it very well and brave.
The hand sets are now stored at the BST and unfortunately as long as there is no volunteer with according skills to teach Rhythmic Gymnastics they will remain stored, since there is no point to use them just like toys without a teacher. The kids have to learn and understand how to use them and the experience taught me that you really have to take care how they handle the sets.
So, hopefully there will be another volunteer with Rhythmic Gymnastic skills soon in order to keep this going. Should you have any questions please feel free to contact me by email dolphin1403@gmail.com - I would be happy to know that this goes on...
