Ziert Alert: Olympic Gymnastics Gala

The show is now starting!!!!!

"Under the Blue Starry Sky" was flashed on the screen — Not sure if that's the name of the show or the song playing.

They have a Chinese woman and a French man doing the hosting. Ironically the Chinese woman is doing the translation into English.

The arena is packed!

Six Chinese aerobic athletes opened the first number; they then gave way to a Chinese female solo, then a Chinese male solo. Then to a trio.

Straddle planches and some flairs but mostly cheerleading types of movement. High energy with a very fast music.

Finally, to a mixed pairs number... OOPS another male soloist.

Now the group of six are back. They finished with a pyramid-type pose. The cast took a bow — all nine of them

Yang Wei was just introduced. He jumped on the horse with his warm-up on and started beating on the horse.

Now his warm-up top comes off and his act starts. The warm-up pants now come off. He's petting the horse... Now he starts. He did about 30 flairs, one handstand in the middle and one on the end.

Dismounted and then bows and off. The crowd is not quite sure what to do, but just a polite applause.

Rhythmic gymnast Yevgenia Kanayeva next... She has a native costume with two ribbons. This number might work better in Europe.

The Asian audience doesn't seem to be getting into this. A very nice round of applause for her.

Gervasio Deferr is next on floor. Double layout, six punch fronts

Back shoulder roll to straddle split, dive roll---playing with the crowd which they love. Dismounts with a double layout. Tried the Nemov one arm out of the leotard top but didn't get the Alexei response...

He Wenna, the Olympic gold medalist Monday, on tramp next. All single saltos but ended with a brani out. That was her warm up. Then just a couple of barani outs and rudi outs. Not much but they love her here anyway.

National Sports Aerobic Group next — they are really sports acro. Female trio and very good. A very nice presentation. Exotic music and very well choreographed

Beth Tweddle is next. Beth did her double release, overshoot to lower bar, up to high and dismount. Unfortunately bars is so short in exhibition that it seems not worth doing.

Jordan Jovtchev didn't perform; he was listed but they skipped over him.

Xiao Qin came out in warm ups and autographed the horse then mounted on the end and did a very abrevated routine and jumped off — the crowd gave him a very weak response.

Now Anna Bessanova. She was wrapped in a red shawl now on the floor looking breathtakingly beautiful.... The Ukrainian group backing her up — really nice. They finish with a pose holding the Ukrainian flag. In your face Irina Viner.

Men's tramp next — Lu Chunlong. OH NO he only did single saltos — What a weak way to present yourself to your country after winning the gold!

Oksana Chusovitina is next on floor. Full-out mount. Scissor kick back to punch front. Tuck double dismount. Very nice — her gift to the audience and they really appreciate it with a very warm response.

Chen Yibing on rings next. He did much of his routine but only a fly away for the dismount. Someone needs to require a higher standard here in this gala.

He Kexin on bars next. Probably not goint to do much, no coach up there. She did her layout Jaeger and a nice dismount.

The crowd really doesn't know how to react to these "modified routines."

A dance group now with a big sea shell on the floor and a cello.

I was expecting Esther Williams, but when the shell opened a young woman was playing an interesting instrument on her lap. The cello has neon lighting which is very interesting.

Bizarre but more entertaining than most of the gymnastics routines.

Now syncro tramp. Canadian women with a rather full routine.

Now the Japanese men. These guys started with a brani out triple front then one of them missed. Here they go again.... They did quite well on the second try. At least they did some difficulty.

Rhythmic group is next.... Italy. Surprise surprise. Good work Bruno.

Well done and a very nice response from the audience. Two balls, three hoops and two cloth pieces for apparatus.

Aerobic group from one of the universities. Twenty-four girls performing to Bon Jovi's "It's My Life."

They are changing over the equipment while the number is going on. Switched to Joan Jett's "I Hate Myself for Lovin You."

Rings and horse out — beam in. Unevens out — high bar. Tramps out — p-bars in.

The last number of the first act is "The Spirit of China" by Heaven Creation. Martial arts number lots of guys on the floor, all with shaved heads.

Wow that was very interesting. The center part had 13 guys dancing with fans — Wait til you see that. The real message was "The Legend of Kung Fu."

There was suppose to be a break but that didn't happen. Now an acappella number with the Beijing Holiday Chorus.

Huang Xu on parallel bars is next. He did the meat of the routine he wishes he had hit in finals last night.

Zou Kai on floor now. He is so amazing — double-double second pass. A great tribute to the audience except he skidded and put his hands down on the dismount of double full.

Shawn Johnson next on balance beam. She at least did a few tricks with a perfect tuck double dismount

Now Aliya Garayeva, rhythmic from Azerbaijan. A very exotic routine with amazing flexibility.

Fabian Hambüchen on high bar next. WOW! What a wonderful routine for the audience. A very high Kovacs and then a series of four or five Tkatchevs and a double-double dismount.

I ran into Fabian today. He said this was a very difficult week for him. I told him I undersood, but that we really saw his heart this week. We know what his gymnastics is, but here in such hard times he still maintained his personality and dealt with the adversities with real class.

He'll be back with a vengeance I'm sure!

Now four Chinese male acro.... Throwing the little guy for quads and the likes. Very well done — With typical Chinese perfection.

Nastia Liukin on beam next. She's doing her number from the Skating and gymnastics show, with real choreography.

Really nice — She did aerial walkover to ff layout and aerial walkover to scale and danced beautifully.

The next act was like Bond — four female musicians and one vocalist. The "band" was traditional Chinese instruments. Very nicely done.

Li Xiaopeng up now. Five healys in a row then sits on the bars to rest. They love him. Afterall, he's been Olympic parallel bars champion for less than 18 hours

Now Olga Karpranova, Russian rhythmic gymnast, is up. With hair down and in RED with a red ball. Using her hair as well as the ball. A beautiful presentation.

Horton up now — I'm sure he will win over this crowd. This is what he does.

He did his three release moves and a triple-double — What more could you ask for?

Sandra Izbasa on floor exercise now. She is wonderful. She did so much tumbling, what a credit to her and the Romanian program...... She seems very proud to be the Olympic Champion on floor.

The Chinese tumbling team is next — five guys and one girl. WOW!!! That was really great

Russian rhythmic group - Interesting routine with a large square of plastic..... Weird!

The show is ending with a number from the Dance team from China.... The chorus is joining in!!!

That's it from the gala! Hopefully you will be able to catch a broadcast or highlights somewhere.