Special characteristics of indoor gymanastics in its evolutionary process in Brazil

Abstract

The aim of this analysis was to describe critically the evolution of indoor gymnastics as from the beginning of aerobic dance in the United States of American, in the 1970’s . This research was based on documentary and bibliographical analysis. The resulting data were distributed into there chronological phases called "Aerobic gymnastics generations". The aerobic dance, winch proceded aerobic gymnastics, was brought into practice in the USA by a ballerina called Jacki Sorensen, as an alternative form for cardiovascular conditioning. This activity associated leaping and side moving with choreographic elements through music and rhythm. Afterwards, teachers of Physical Education and artists, such as Jane Fonda, gradually replaced those moviments by callisthemic exercise changing consequently aerobic dance into aerobic gymnastics (AG). Besides the thecnical characteristics which permeated the evolution of aerobic gymnastics, this analysis also to look into account its individual and social implications because of is close connection, with the reproduction of consumption values in a capitalist society. Consumptivism, body cult, individualism, narcissism may be mentioned as some of the contradictory consequences that mark the evolution of aerobic gymnastics in Brazil an elsewhere.