WAG How important is that smile?

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My DD is very serious and NEVER smiles during meets. The professional pics I have gotten always look like she is impaling herself on something sharp. It appears the girls that have equal routines and smile seem to get a little extra. But I know there is a ton that goes into scoring and maybe I am missing something but in any other place in life we are encouraged to win people with our smiles. I am just curious as it won't change her seriousness about the meet anyway.
 
I think the smile might add a tenth or two. The difference to the judges is "this girl does gymnastics and works hard" and "this girl does gymnastics, works hard and loves the sport". They like to see something a little different. The smile shows the judge, hey, I do want to be here.
 
That's my point, she LOVES it. It is all she ever wants to do and she LOVES competing. But during the entire meet she always looks like someone's pointing a gun at her. I can not remember even a podium smile. She becomes so serious....
 
Maybe in lower levels it helps, but I don't think it matters much in optionals - I'd much rather my kid have strong skills than have the ability to smile at the judges ;).
 
My daughter never smiles during her routines. Only at the salute in the beginning and end. She's serious and a hard worker.

That being said, she has placed first many times, including on floor where I think many girls smile throughout.

So, I guess the smile doesn't always matter!
 
My daughter never smiles during her routines. Only at the salute in the beginning and end. She's serious and a hard worker.

That being said, she has placed first many times, including on floor where I think many girls smile throughout.

So, I guess the smile doesn't always matter!

Mine, too. In fact, I don't think she really 'smiles' so much at the salutes as much as just begrudgingly shows her teeth momentarily (lol).

I feel like my DD has the 'empress' persona while competing - no smiling - just death stares looking down on you, judging you. haha. The cute little smiling adorable 'princess' persona, she will never be on a competition floor!

I try to go with it.
 
Maybe in lower levels it helps, but I don't think it matters much in optionals - I'd much rather my kid have strong skills than have the ability to smile at the judges ;).

I agree with this. A girl at our gym just committed to a scholarship and she never smiles and is very intense when competing/performing. It perhaps appears that the routine/skill is easier if you are smiling while doing things correctly but I'm not sure that is reflected in scoring. Smiling won't cover up bent legs, low height, incomplete turns, etc.. If it's natural I love it. When it appears staged and the routine isn't smile worthy I'm not such a fan.

However, if the judge is smiling while the gymnast is performing that is a good indicator of a high score coming her way!
 
Dd has competed against a girl who has the biggest,cheesiest, most fake smile on floor and beam and always scores really high, yes her skills are good, but the judges just love that smile
 
I have one gymnast that is also a dancer and has huge presentation and a huge smile. This weekend she had her best score 9.35 and honestly it was probably the sloppiest routine I have seen her do. I always tell
My girls that if they do, a judge is much more
Likely to watch their face. If they are watching their face they the might not notice as much of the execution stuff. It never hurts for sure.
 
Maybe in lower levels it helps, but I don't think it matters much in optionals - I'd much rather my kid have strong skills than have the ability to smile at the judges ;).

We've heard the opposite of this. Assuming two optional routines are executed technically the same, the smile, the performing, "showing it off" as my DD calls it, will give that girl a boost for artistry.
 
We've heard the opposite of this. Assuming two optional routines are executed technically the same, the smile, the performing, "showing it off" as my DD calls it, will give that girl a boost for artistry.
ive been the told this as well. i also recall either reading or being told somewhere that its even more true at level 8 and up...the possible related deductions are even greater in those upper optionals than in levels 6 or 7.
 
My daughter smiles when she presents to the judges.. During routines she is very serious and all business She scores well and places well.

Her floor music is serious to suit her personality.
 
The are no artistry points in the lower compulsory JO levels.
 
My dd used to have a big smile during her beam and floor routines especially her first season. Can't say if it actually helped or not, as she was scoring pretty low at that time due to form issues. It could have got her a couple tenths here and there.

Last year she left off the smiles during the routine usually but gave a big smile when saluting before and after. Scores were great for the most part, but that was due to improved forma and skills lol.

This season I never know what she is going to do lol. There was one meet where the judges were judging really harsh on beam (beam scores were running about a half point lower than usual for everyone, placements were about the same though.) She was determined to warm up those judges lol, she did probably her best beam routine of the season all while smiling like a Chesire cat at the judges and it did her absolutely no good at all lol. Most of the time she has the tip of her tongue stuck out of her mouth during her beam routines this year. Also, she got an upbeat floor song this year, and she is so sassy in it, it's hilarious to watch. Some judges seem to love the personality, some do not seem amused at all. Now as of the last meet she is incorporating some of that sass on the beam as well, super dramatic moves and facial expressions, she had everyone in our seating section (right next to the beam) rolling. The judges loved it and she got her best beam score of the year. Obviously that won't always work to her advantage though. I've come to learn that she is just going to add her own "flair" to her routines, whether the judges like it or not is up to them lol. I'm just glad she is having fun!
 
That's not true. It's up to 0.30 for artistry on beam and floor.
Yep...the up to 0.3 for artistry applies to optional, compulsories and Xcel. Plus the up to 0.15 for quality of expression(projection,emotion,focus) and up to 0.15 for quality of gymnast's movement to reflect style/musicality of the choreography in compulsories.
 
I'm a major head-case gymnast, so to distract myself from overthinking my routine, I make it my mission to make the judges smile at me during my routines lol. I make eye contact and smile at them multiple times. Whether the smiling itself actually helps my scores, I have no idea. However, it does help me mentally.
I have noticed a correlation between the ease of getting the judge to smile and the generosity of the score, but that is likely coincidental. :)
 

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