The ribbon is an apparatus used in the sport of rhythmic gymnastics. It is one of the five apparatuses utilized in this discipline, alongside the ball, clubs, hoop, and rope.
The ribbon was popularized by dancer Asaf Messerer, who was inspired by seeing Chinese acrobats dance with silk ribbons. In the 1940s, he began incorporating a ribbon into his choreography. The ribbon became a rhythmic gymnastics apparatus in 1971.[1] From 2001-2012, each apparatus had a compulsory body group of movements that had to predominate in the exercise; for ribbon, this was pivots (turns).[2]
The official specifications for the ribbon are as follows:[3]
The handle can be of any color and may be made of wood, bamboo, metal, or a synthetic material, such as fiberglass. It has a maximum diameter of 1 cm (2/5") at its widest, a cylindrical or conical shape, and may have an anti-slip grip with a maximum length of 10 cm (4"). The ribbon itself is made of satin or another similar cloth, and can be of any color. It may be multicolored and have designs on it, and it is doubled over for a length of 1m and sewn down along both edges at the end that attaches to the handle. A thread or ring swivel attaches the ribbon to the handle.[4]
Rhythmic gymnastics routines require the ribbon to constantly be in motion and create defined shapes. The ribbon is generally held by the handle with the thumb and pointer finger extended.[5] Because of the ribbon's length, the gymnast can easily become tangled in it or cause knots to form; juniors and beginner gymnasts may use shorter ribbons.[6] The length also makes it sensitive to currents in the air, so air conditioning is typically turned off while the ribbon is being competed; temperatures in the arena at the 2023 World Championships reached 35C during the qualification round that included ribbon.[7] Penalties are taken for continuing to perform after a knot has formed without undoing the knot or for allowing the end of the ribbon to lie static on the floor.[8]
Gymnasts perform a variety of elements with the ribbon, including throwing the ribbon high in the air, throwing the ribbon stick and then pulling it back by the end of the ribbon fabric, and creating different patterns with the movement of the ribbon. During the exercise, the gymnast should perform primarily perform elements that are specific to the ribbon. The elements that are considered to be particular to the ribbon are: