FUN & FIT, located on Valley Center Drive near Soledad, is living up to its name by introducing “Rhythmic Gymnastics” to the Santa Clarita Valley.

Not only is this form new to our valley, but owner Jeff Lulla feels privileged to have a Russian mother-daughter team as the course instructors.

“Rhythmic gymnastics has been huge in many eastern block countries for years and is a popular Olympic event,” Lulla says. “It is a great way for kids to develop grace, dance, acrobatic and tumbling skills. And we are fortunate to have instructors with this experience and training now in Santa Clarita. There are few rhythmic experts here in America, and we are fortunate to have these ladies now living and teaching in Canyon Country. I’m glad they chose Fun & Fit to host their program and look forward to helping them build it.”

The teachers are Yelena Gerasimova and her daughter, Mariya Gryunshpan. “In Russia, Rhythmic Gymnastics is one of the most famous sports,” Gerasimova explains. “Every girl wants to compete in this sport to the point where coaches go to schools to choose which girls they would like in their class; and not all girls are chosen.”

Gerasimova was chosen, and became a member of the combined teams of the city and region, becoming a champion of the Vladimir region. She was a prizewinner at different World Championships of the all-round events from 1972-1978. She also received a Master of Sports rating in the USSR. Gerasimova has been teaching Rhythmic Gymnastics since graduating from Moscow University in 1983.

Gerasimova’s daughter, Mariya Gryunshpan, also trained at the National Olympic School for Gymnasts in Vladimir, Russia from the age of four. Gryunshpan was in the competitive rhythmic program, and was able to train with the same instructor who had trained her mother.

Gryunshpan is a graduate of California State University, Northridge. Together the two women opened “Hollywood Gymnastics Club” in West Hollywood. “We enjoyed living and working in West Hollywood, but frequently visited our friends in Canyon Country,” she explains. “When it came time to decide where to buy a home, we knew we wanted to live here. It was worth it to give up our studio to live and work in Canyon Country.”

After researching all of the studios in Canyon Country, they chose Fun & Fit because they had a shared philosophy. “We wanted to work in a studio that encouraged enjoyment of this sport, and not competition,” explains Yelena. “For years I would see young girls try so hard to compete, and get so discouraged because they didn’t feel good enough. It is our delight to see girls learn things that they never thought they could do, and gain confidence in their own progress. After the first class, they will have learned something that they can go home and show the family.”

RYTHMIC GYMNASTICS combines elements of ballet, gymnastics, rhythmic dance, flexibility, artistic effects, and apparatus handling, such as ribbon, ball, hoop, clubs and rope, all set to beautiful music. The girls have fun while learning a sport that will build a foundation for future involvement in any sport, by using different muscles than you would in acrobatic gymnastics. There is also less risk of injuring themselves.

This Olympic event also improves posture and flexibility using beautiful and graceful movements to help in coordination while listening and understanding music. Students learn control, jumping, landing and dancing, creating an overall workout instead of building only their upper bodies.

Girls can start as early as age three and usually continue on with this sport until they are about 13 or 14. They are in the process of putting together a schedule at Fun & Fit; including a class that Mom can take while her daughter is in class. Their desire is to create a schedule that would meet the requests of anyone interested.

Fun & Fit is located at 26620 Valley Center Drive, Canyon Country. Contact the studio at (661) 255-7244 or at www.funandfit.com.