The World Gymnaestrada is the largest general gymnastics

Gymnastics

Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...

 exhibition. It is held every four years much like the Olympics. But the focus of this event is not on winning medals. The Gymnaestrada is about Group Performances – some with hundreds or even thousands of participants. Adults and children of every age and description perform. Countries from around the world come together to showcase their talent and the culture of their various countries. The choreography is designed both to challenge the participants and to delight audiences. Routines are performed at various venues within the host country. Large group routines are known as “Mass Routines” which involve hundreds of gymnasts. The Mass Routines are often performed in large stadiums where spectators can take in routines performed by gymnasts from all over the world.
The name Gymnaestrada is formed from the words Gymnastik – Estrada – Strada. It is believed to have been invented by J H Sommer, Chairman of the Royal Dutch Gymnastics Federation.

Host cities

Edition	Date	City	Country	Participating federation	Gymnasts
I	1953	Rotterdam Rotterdam Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...		14	5'000
II	1957	Zagreb Zagreb Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...	Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia	16	6'000
III	26–30 July 1961	Stuttgart Stuttgart Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....	West Germany	16	10'000
IV	20–24 July 1965	Vienna Vienna Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...	Austria	28	15'600
V	2–6 July 1969	Bâle Bale - Places :* Bale , a small town in Croatia* Bale, California, in Napa County* Bale, Norfolk in England* Bale, Poland* Balé Province, Burkina Faso* Basel, the Swiss city, for which the French name is Bâle-Ethiopia:* Bale Mountains...	Switzerland	29	9'600
VI	1–5 July 1975	Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...	German Democratic Republic	23	10'500
VII	13–17 July 1982	Zurich Zürich Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...	Switzerland	23	14'200
VIII	7–11 July 1987	Herning Herning Herning Municipality is a municipality in Region Midtjylland on the Jutland peninsula in western Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 1,336 km² and a total population of 84,208...	Denmark	25	17'300
IX	15–20 July 1991	Amsterdam Amsterdam Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...	Netherlands	28	19'500
X	9–15 July 1995	Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...	Germany	34	19'300
XI	2–10 July 1999	Göteborg	Sweden	39	23'500
XII	20–26 July 2003	Lisbon Lisbon Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...	Portugal	57	25'000
XIII	8–14 July 2007	Dornbirn Dornbirn Dornbirn is a city in Vorarlberg, Austria. It is the administrative center of the district Dornbirn, which also includes the city of Hohenems, and the market town Lustenau....	Austria	56	21'000
XIV	10–16 July 2011	Lausanne Lausanne Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...	Switzerland	55	19'100
XV	2015	Helsinki Helsinki Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...	Finland

World Gymnaestrada 2011

The World Gymnaestrada Lausanne 2011 will be held in Lausanne

Lausanne

Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...

, Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

, from 10 to 16 July.

The World Gymnaestrada Lausanne 2011 in brief:

• 7 days of events
• 55 nations
• 19’100 participants coming from 5 continents
• Average age 30
• Over 600 hours of demonstrations and shows
• More than 1’800 productions
• 4’300 volunteers a day

The World Gymnaestrada Lausanne 2011?
A city, a canton, a country of gymnasts that we want united behind a single project symbolized by a slogan: WG-2011 or… Meet the Magic !

The World Gymnaestrada is based on two central elements:

• the meeting and the sharing because the World Gymnaestrada is a great first communion between people of all backgrounds. This wealth, we want to protect and appreciate as our predecessors.
• the magic of colors, movement, music, and gymnastics. Because our common goal is to awaken in each participant a look of child in wonder and admiration in front of breathtaking gymnastics performances from all over the world.

The WG-2011 is also a great opportunity...

• for athletes from all over the world to show their talents, traditions and to discover our country
• for Lausanne and the Canton de Vaud to increase the reputation of Lausanne as a hospitable, open-minded and living city for sport and gymnastics. We are counting on the whole population!

...for all, beginners or experts, to discover rich, varied and high quality gymnastics productions and to live a magic week.

External links

• World Gymnaestrada 2007 Official site
• World Gymnaestrada Lausanne 2011 Official website
• http://wg-2015.com/ World Gymnaestrada 2015 Helsinki Official Website]