What are rhythmic gymnastics judges looking for in artistry?
I · Intermediate · The individual exercise · 3 of 5Whether the exercise is built around its music. The artistry judges deduct for movement that ignores the rhythm, for a blank face, for a lack of character and contrast and for not ending with the music. Two dance step combinations of at least eight seconds each are required.
How it works
- The standard: the judges evaluate "the composition and the artistic performance from the standard of aesthetic perfection".
- Music first: "The music must not be seen as a background for body and apparatus elements."
- Dance steps: two combinations are required. Each needs "A minimum duration of 8 seconds with the apparatus in motion".
- With character: each must have a defined style, in rhythm, with at least two different types of step.
- Rhythm: movement apart from the accents or tempo of the music costs 0.10 each time, up to 2.00.
- The ending: "The end of the exercise should correlate precisely with the end of the music."
- Contrast: two changes of pace or effects with the music are required.
- Expression: moments with a blank or concentrated face are counted against the gymnast.
- An interruption: a break in the exercise of four seconds or more, as after a lost apparatus, costs 0.60 once.
- Unsuitable music: 0.30 for explicit words or unethical topics, and for sounds such as sirens or engines.
- A long introduction: four seconds or more of music before the first movement costs 0.30.
- From 10: the artistry deduction is subtracted from 10.00.
The glossary has the rhythmic artistry entry, the artistry entry, the D, A and E scores entry, the exercise and the judges.
Tricky cases
Can the music have words?
Yes, as far as the code read goes: it penalises explicit or unethical words, and spoken words with no melody behind them, not singing as such.
A gymnast walks in time to the music for eight seconds while circling the hoop. Is that a dance step combination?
No. Walking has no defined character of movement, and the combination must show a style with at least two different types of step.
She finishes her final pose a beat after the music stops. Is that penalised?
Yes. The artistry judges deduct for a lack of harmony between music and movement at the end. The amount is in a table the text copy does not show.
She drops the ribbon and takes five seconds to recover. Do the artistry judges deduct as well?
Yes. An interruption of four seconds or more costs 0.60 in artistry, once in the exercise, on top of the execution penalty for the drop.
Why the rule exists
Without an artistry score the surest way to win would be to pack in difficulty and treat the music as a timer. The dance step requirement sets aside two stretches of the exercise for nothing but movement to the music. The ending rule is the simplest test of whether the exercise was built on its music.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | Two dance step combinations | FIG RG Part 1, C 5; C 11 |
| Group | Artistry also covers formations and collective work | FIG RG Part 2, C 7; C 10 |
| Artistic women's floor | Music without words | ../artistic/ set |
| Rhythm faults | 0.10 each, up to 2.00 | FIG RG Part 1, C 8.2.1 |
From the rule book
Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique, Code of Points 2025-2028, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Part 1, section C, articles 1, 2, 5, 8, 10 and 11. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: 2025-2028 Code of Points, Rhythmic Gymnastics (PDF).