COMPETITORS whirled, batons twirled and one of Royal South Street's signature disciplines - the calisthenics - built to a dazzling climax with Senior Championship Weekend.
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Hundreds of girls performed in front of a full and enthusiastic audience at Her Majesty's Theatre.
The Senior Championship Weekend kicked off on Friday night with the Graceful Solo competition.
It was followed Saturday with the first of two days of team competition, beginning with the figure marching, club swinging and free exercise. Aesthetic Exercises, Song and Dance, Rhythmic Dance, and Calisthenic Revue followed.
Nine teams, each made up of scores of individuals, competed in the senior championship team events.
"The level of competition is extremely high. It is considered to be the best of the best, with the best teams competing in an event steeped in so much tradition," organiser Emma Sbardella said.
"Often the girls are competing on the same stage their mothers or even grandmothers competed on."
Calisthenics is regarded more as sport than performance.
The word itself is derived from the ancient Greek kallos, which means beauty, and sthénos meaning strength. Performances are judged by three adjudicators.
Robinmore Calisthenics enjoyed a particularly promising start, winning the figure marching with 24 points and the free exercises with 36 points.Ceres, from Ashwood, claimed the club swinging title with 30 points.
The calisthenics returns on Sunday with Championship Reserve and six clubs competing, including Ballarat-based Jayde Calisthenics.
