I love to see a leap performed boldly and with finesse. The flying type of leap that defies gravity. Toe point and line come into it, but amplitude is what a leap is really all about; every muscle stretched to its optimum, grace balanced with energy and power, an invisible process of weightlessness propelled not only by the legs but also by the abdomen and, it sometimes seems, the sheer spirit of the gymnast. Ballet understands the forces of gravity and how strength is converted to elegance; a leap is not a bounce, something we all too often see in today's power gymnastics. A leap hovers mid air. Landing seems implausible. The gymnast is flighty, airborne.
A leap seems simple but is actually incredibly complex, drawing on countless hours of practice and body preparation. Its execution is a matter of huge skill and courage. Only the best can make such leaps of faith with artistry. Coming down to land on the narrow beam, the gymnast often launches herself once more into inconceivable flight.
Compare the pictures below to those of some legends of the sport : Mostepanova, Ilienko. You won't be disappointed. Bondareva, and especially Melnikova, are true to the Russian classical tradition. Mustafina and Tutkhalyan embrace a more athletic genre; Tutkhalyan is a new style of gymnast for the Russians, at once strong and balletic; I see echoes of Mukhamedov as she explodes off the beam; in Mustafina's dynamic, supple and almighty work are shadows of the great Tourischeva. In more ways than one.
Maria Bondareva, classic lines, but she was beam spotting at the moment this shot was taken
Angelina Melnikova's trajectory in this leap gives an impression of flight, power and speed
Daria Skrypnik
The powerful Seda Tutkhalyan
Maria Kharenkova
My favourite leap from Mustafina - power, agility, classical line and amplitude. A photographers dream.
Ludmilla Tourischeva - amplitude, in the Russian tradition