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Provincial Stream Training Camp

October 24, 2026

 

The RG Technical Committee is pleased to invite Provincial Stream athletes and their coaches to the 2026 Provincial Training Camp.

This year’s camp will place a special emphasis on artistry and artistic expression, while connecting choreography with the technical components of rhythmic gymnastics.

Through specialized sessions in artistry, dance, Body Difficulty (DB), Apparatus Difficulty (DA), and injury prevention, athletes will explore how movement, music, body and apparatus can work together to create a complete performance.

CAMP FOCUS

ARTISTRY & ARTISTIC EXPRESSION

Antton Laine — World-Renowned Choreographer, Gymnastics Coach & Dancer

Athletes will explore artistic expression through dance and movement, with a focus on:
  • Musicality, emotion and expression
  • Movement quality and dynamics
  • Body waves and expressive use of the whole body
  • Contemporary dance and movement techniques
  • Developing confidence, individuality and stage presence

The session will encourage athletes to move beyond simply performing elements and develop a stronger connection between music, movement and emotion.

DANCE, APPARATUS & CONNECTIONS

Kira Protasov — Choreographer and Coach

Athletes will explore different dance genres and movement styles, learning how dance can be incorporated naturally into rhythmic gymnastics choreography.

The session will focus on:

  • Exploring 2–3 different dance genres
  • Adapting dance movement to different apparatus
  • Connecting Dance Steps, Body Difficulties (DB) and Apparatus Difficulties (DA)
  • Creating fluid transitions between technical elements
  • Integrating dance throughout a routine rather than treating it as a separate component

BODY DIFFICULTY & CONNECTIONS

Polina Tzankova — Brevet Judge

Athletes will have the opportunity to work on Body Difficulties from both an athlete and judging perspective.

The session will focus on:

  • Body Difficulty technique and execution
  • Connections into and out of difficulties
  • Combining DB with other choreographic elements
  • Understanding what judges look for when evaluating difficulties

Athletes may also be challenged to create their own combinations and analyze them together, developing a better understanding of how technical choices, execution and connections affect the final result.

APPARATUS DIFFICULTY

Yulia Shlykova — National Team Coach

Athletes will work on developing creative, precise and confident apparatus handling, with a focus on:

  • Apparatus Difficulties (DA)
  • Apparatus technique and handling
  • Coordination between body and apparatus
  • Connections into and out of DA
  • Developing creative apparatus combinations

INJURY PREVENTION & ATHLETE WELL-BEING

Cristina Piticco — Certified Sport Physiotherapist, RG Team Canada Physiotherapist

The camp will conclude with a dedicated injury prevention session focused on helping athletes develop safe and sustainable training habits.

The session will focus on:

  • Understanding common injury risks in rhythmic gymnastics
  • Understanding the difference between normal training discomfort and signs that may indicate an injury
  • Recognizing the importance of proper movement patterns and technique
  • Strategies to help reduce the risk of overuse injuries
  • Recovery and injury prevention practices
  • Building body awareness and recognizing early signs of overload
  • Practical exercises and strategies athletes can incorporate into their regular training

Athletes will develop greater body awareness and an understanding of when to speak up and seek support, while gaining practical tools to help them train safely, recover effectively, and support long-term athletic development.

CAMP FORMAT

The camp will begin with a warm-up led by National Team Coach Yulia Shlykova.

Following the warm-up, athletes will be divided into 4 training groups and rotate through 4 specialized training sessions:

Artistry & Artistic Expression — Antton Laine
Dance, Apparatus & Connections — Kira Protasov
Body Difficulty & Connections — Polina Tzankova
Apparatus Difficulty — Yulia Shlykova

Each group will work directly with every guest specialist throughout the day.

Following the technical sessions, all athletes will come together for a final Injury Prevention Session led by an Cristina Piticco.

EVENT INFORMATION 

Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Lunch: 1:00 – 1:30 p.m.

Location: Glimmer Athletics Club
                 1510 Birchmount Rd, Unit 222 Scarborough, ON M1P 2G6
 

Registration Fee: $110 + HST

Registration Deadline: October 15, 2026

Late Registration Fee: $125 + HST

SCHEDULE (tentative)

9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Group Warm-Up

10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Specialized Training Rotations

1:00 – 1:30 p.m.
Lunch Break

1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Specialized Training Rotations

2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Injury Prevention Session

Detailed group rotation schedules will be provided at the camp.

Notes:
  1. All coaches will be actively involved in the training camp and will be responsible for providing supervision, both in and out of the gym, as well as transportation, for every athlete they register.
  2. Please make sure your athletes bring their own apparatus (rope, hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon), ankle weights, elastic/rubber, water bottle clearly marked with their name and club, and a lunch/snack.
  3. Administrator will be asked to enter all coaches that will be attending the event at a checkout / invoice

Meet the Experts 

Antton Laine

Antton Laine is an internationally accomplished dancer and choreographer with an extensive career spanning dance, theatre and competitive sport. As a competitive show dancer, he earned one World Championship gold medal and three World Championship silver medals.

Antton is particularly renowned for his work in gymnastics, having consulted and created choreography for athletes and teams across Europe, North America and Asia, including Finland, Canada, Spain, Denmark, Bulgaria, the United States and Japan, among others. He is a long-time choreographer and coach of Finland’s Minetit, with his choreography contributing to nine senior World Championship medals, including four World Championship titles.

Known for his distinctive approach to movement, musicality and artistic expression, Antton brings extensive international experience in creating award-winning choreography and developing the artistic quality of high-performance athletes
.
 

Cristina Piticco

Cristina Piticco is a Certified Sport Physiotherapist with a Master’s degree in Physiotherapy from McGill University and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from York University. Since 2018, she has served as a Team Therapist for Canada’s National Rhythmic Gymnastics Team.

Cristina has extensive national and international experience working with athletes across a variety of sports, with a special interest in gymnastics and the performing arts. Her experience includes treating performers from leading Montreal-based circus companies, including Cirque du Soleil, The 7 Fingers and Cirque Éloize, as well as athletes in gymnastics, rugby, judo, jiu-jitsu, soccer and other sports.

Cristina is passionate about helping athletes better understand their bodies, prevent injuries and develop healthy, sustainable approaches to training and recovery.

 

Kira Protasova

 

Kira Protasov is a Master of Sport in Rhythmic Gymnastics, national-level coach and judge in Canada, and founder of Comet Rhythmic Gymnastics Club in Toronto. She holds a degree in Physical Education and Sport, graduating with honours.

A former high-level rhythmic gymnast, Kira competed successfully at national and international competitions throughout her athletic career, including earning a silver medal at the World Gymnaestrada in Switzerland.

As a choreographer, Kira has extensive international experience creating routines for individual athletes and groups. She has worked with national team gymnasts from Canada, Korea, India, Sri Lanka and other countries, bringing together dance, movement, apparatus and technical elements to create dynamic and cohesive choreography.

 

 

 

 Yulia Shlykova

Yulia Shlykova is an accomplished rhythmic gymnastics coach and former high-level athlete who earned the prestigious Master of Sport in Rhythmic Gymnastics designation. A graduate of the National University of Physical Culture and Sport in Kyiv, Ukraine, Yulia has been coaching since 1998 and has developed numerous provincial- and national-level champions and medalists in both individual and group rhythmic gymnastics.

A Fully Certified NCCP Coach, Yulia is committed to continued professional development and regularly collaborates with international experts to incorporate current training methods and best practices into athlete development.

 

Polina Tzankova

Polina Tzankova is an experienced rhythmic gymnastics judge, educator and former coach. She coached from 1990 to 1998 and has been judging rhythmic gymnastics since 1996. She currently serves on the Brevet Judge Council and as Gymnastics Ontario National Judge Chair.

Throughout her judging career, Polina has officiated at major international events, including the Commonwealth Games, Pan American Games, World Cups and World Championships, as well as numerous other FIG international competitions. Domestically, she has judged extensively at provincial and national competitions and has served as Head Judge at numerous events.

 

 

 

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