Daughter, mother bringing love of rhythmic gymnastics to St. John Parish

Published 12:13 am Saturday, June 4, 2016

LAPLACE — Martha Graff and her daughter were disheartened to find out there were no available rhythmic gymnastic classes when they moved to LaPlace in January.

Fast forward five months, and the mother-daughter duo has already developed a following as a teaching team.

A former dancer herself, Martha wanted to get her daughter, Taela Graff, involved in dance. They tried ballet but it wasn’t a fit. Instead, Taela became interested in rhythmic gymnastics. From the start, the mother-daughter team loved the sport.

“Rhythmic gymnastics is a Olympic sport,” Martha said. “It is similar to artistic gymnastics, but it’s based on a lot of flexibility. Rhythmic gymnasts have apparatus like balls, ribbons, rope, hoops and clubs. They have to do a full routine, a minute thirty, with the apparatus and flexibility with some sort of flipping or cartwheel.”

Ballet is the basis of rhythmic gymnastics, Martha said, and after Taela got back into ballet, her skills have improved greatly.

“She started rhythmic in 2011 and her first year she did pretty well, but after ballet, she won everything,” Martha said. “In 2013 she won the state, regional and national competition and all of the invitationals, and she did the same in 2014. She was picked for the U.S. Elite team three times. They select 13 girls twice a year to go to the Olympic training center to train with some of the best Russian coaches. ”

After seeing her daughter blossom in the sport she loved, Martha decided, besides making all of her costumes, to become a rhythmic gymnastics coach. She wanted to coach her daughter.

Taela, 12, now practices approximately four times a week with her mother.

“Sometimes practices can be difficult, but I try to push through it,” Taela said. “I like the fact my mom makes my costumes. It’s pretty cool. I like watching her make them and seeing the outcome. It also saves money. One leotard is like $600, but when you make it, it’s probably only a few hundred dollars.”

Taela said she loves rhythmic gymnastics because it challenges her.

“Now that I’m older, I like ballet a lot more,” Taela said. “I incorporate ballet in my dance steps, and it also helps give the routines grace so they don’t look so robotic.”

Taela said she dreams of making the national team and one day going to the Olympics.

After practicing with Taela at the Regala Gym in Reserve recently, Martha was asked by the staff to host classes for local girls.

“I wanted to have an open night to introduce girls to the sport,” she said.

“The first Monday in May we had like 70 kids. Now we have around 30. The girls really love it. I was afraid they wouldn’t like it. They try so hard.”

The open class is for girls ages 5 through 14 and run from 6 to 7 p.m. Mondays at Regala Gym.

Without an official program locally, Taela said having classes is a great way to introduce local girls to rhythmic gymnastics.

“I go to the practices on Mondays with my mom,” she said.

“My mom makes me demonstrate different things. I like to help out. The girls definitely love it. I want the community to know that rhythmic gymnastics is awesome and they should try it.”

Monday nights have become so popular that Martha working a summer camp through the St. John recreation department. The camp will run 9 a.m. until 3:30 Monday through Thursday. Classes began June 6 and end July 24 at Regala Gym. Those interested are encouraged to call 985-652-9569.