It's been over a year since last time I visited Deriugina School (as a photographer). This time we went to the different place, second sport hall rented to lighten main building's load.

Few details has changed. Some girls I've seen last year are gone (for several reasons), there are some new faces, one girl who was a gymnast last year became a coach there. Most of all - my russian has improved, so while last year's visit was really nice, the one this year was - personally - much better. It's really enjoyable to find out, that all those "skinny, flexible, wearing black" girls has names and personalities!

24 files, last one added on Apr 19, 2008

A day after Deriugina Cup, with a huge help of my friend, I was allowed to enter the world most famous rhythmic gymnastics school - Deriugina School. All I knew before was just rumours, stories, legends. And so finally I faced all that...

Instead of military regime and girls' ice-cold glares, I experienced very good, "family" athmosphere, smiles and positive vibrations all around the training hall. Way better I expected and imagined!

36 files, last one added on May 01, 2007

Just before Christmas 06 I have made small visit in RSG club "Dynamo Lviv". More than 30 girls in age 3 - 17 (aprox) spend there couple of hours every day, trained by coach Lena Eresko and Olga Kravchenko. Very few of them has been / will be "captured" by Derugins, most of them will never get this oportunity. However it's not an obstacle for them to truly enjoy what they do.

I was amazed, how overall, poor conditions of the club contrasts with great skills that girls present... great cure for "we've got no conditions to train"-syndrome.

24 files, last one added on Jan 09, 2007

I had difficulties how to name that album, and what you see is the result of my personal brainstorm. What happened is: team from Brasil is having european tournee, from competition to competition. After Deriugina Cup they stayed few days more in Kiev to practice some more before going to Thais, and so they rented sport hall that Deriugins girls are using to train in.

6 gymnasts, 1 coach, 2 photographers. Watching girls working on their routine while it changes, seeing the project of new costumes, and trying to stay invisible, or at least - not to disturb... call it strange, but I enjoyed it.

24 files, last one added on Apr 21, 2008