Hello,

My name is Kris Merlo Robinson.  Better known in the gymnastics world as “The Posture Lady.”  I have been a physical therapist since 1987.  I have also choreographed over 1150 floor routines and 100’s of beam routines since 1986.  I was a collegiate coach / choreographer for 16 years and moved down here to Orlando in 2002.  I am enjoying this beautiful weather!

I used to travel gym to gym all over the USA, but decided to have girls come to me instead, since Orlando is a vacation city!  I have choreographed levels 7 through Elite and have watched many of the girls go from level 7 to elite as I made up each routine.  Several girls have won State, Regional, and Nationals.  Many years ago a gymnast from Missouri and a gymnast from Nebraska won Level 10 Nationals on floor exercise.  In ~2004, two girls that I choreographed for (one young gymnast from Illinois and one 10th grader from Pennsylvania) won the Level 10 Nationals on floor and beam!  More recently a gymnast from Tennessee placed in the top three at Nationals on floor and beam.  Many have won Regionals.  I need to count up all the gymnasts that I have choreographed for who have won championship competitions.  Many go on to compete in college, like current NCAA top 20 competitors Emily Parsons (Nebraska), Amanda Castillo (Florida) and Adrianne Perry (Missouri)  and some go onto compete in international elite competitions (like Shayla Worley).  What is really great is to see the gymnasts that I choreograph for succeed in the classroom too!  It’s hard to name all of the academic conference champs that I’ve choreographed for, but currently I am super impressed with MAC Gymnast of the Year and Academic All-MAC senior Jolene Worley (Eastern Michigan University).

UPDATE: New Level 7 Mississippi 2006 State All-Around Champ!  New Level 10 2006 Minnesota State Beam Champ!  New Level 10 2006 Regionals Floor Champ!  Three current top 10 NCAA Champions on Floor Exercise and Balance Beam!

2007 and 2008 UPDATES coming soon!!

I am not attached to any local club, but presently choreograph at a gym approximately 2 miles from Universal Studios Orlando.  Someday, I would like to have my own choreography center where the girls stay in a dorm-like place!  My husband and I have seven kids total!  Two teenagers each from former marriages (ages 18, 15, 14, 13), a 3 year-old honeymoon surprise boy and twin 10 month-old boys .  When they are all at home it is very busy!  

My husband, Jeff Robinson, plays “Indiana Jones” at Disney Hollywood Studios, is an entertainer at “Lights Motors Actions Extreme Stunt Show, and works for USAG as Men’s Junior Olympic Program Coordinator.  He and I are co-founders of Gymnastics University, LLC.

So…I am choreographing around each individual gymnast’s needs this summer.  I take up to three girls in a day, depending on their needs. In the summer of 2004, I was pregnant with CJ and I stayed in Orlando to choreograph.  I worked with four great girls at my first “Posture Lady’s Choreography Camp.”  In the summer of 2005, I choreographed for 42 girls from ten states including Minnesota, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Alabama, South Carolina, Iowa and, of course, Florida.  In 2006, I worked with 58 girls from all over the country, including North Carolina, New Jersey and California.  In 2007, I had the twins, but I still choreographed for 73 girls including girls from Missouri and Virginia.  I’m very excited to add that a gymnast from Oregon is coming to my choreography camp this summer!  Here in Orlando, I can choreograph around family vacations!!

So…here are some details:  I would be happy to choreograph your floor and beam routines! I also work on posture training.  It takes 2 sessions (an hour and 1/2 to two hours) on two different days to complete the floor routine.  We will make a video of the gymnast and me going through the routines slowly and also with the music on floor.  

I don’t worry about what tumbling the gymnast does, but I teach her to dance out of a lunge facing forwards or backwards so that the coaches can give her any tumbling pass that she needs to do.  I do like to know what dance moves her coaches prefer.  I used to judge Level 10 and below.  I do not judge anymore, but I stay up on the new code.  Beam routines take about an hour to an hour and 1/2 to choreograph.  I absolutely love to work on beam and it shows! I strongly believe it is important to have a planned, well-choreographed professional balance beam routine.   No difficult acrobatic skills are performed on balance beam or floor exercise at “The Posture Lady’s” Camp.  It is strictly for dance choreography only! 

Floor Exercise Choreography for Girls (3.5 hours)

All floor routines are tailored for the individual girl according to her personality and body type. Each girl will receive one-on-one attention for 1.5 hours on the first day and two hours on the second day.  Kris will assist the parent or coaching staff in creating a video demonstration tape at the completion of the routine. Routines are usually kept for two years, at the discretion of the club coach.  (Cost includes rental of the floor and secondary insurance for the gymnast.)

 

  • Level 7 floor routine     $375
  • Level 8 floor routine     $400
  • Level 9 floor routine     $425
  • Level 10 floor routine   $450
  • Elite level floor routine $500

 

Balance Beam Choreography for Girls (1.5 hours)

Beam routines stand out when they are artistic AND the girl stays on. Creative choreography and personality is a must. The gymnast will receive drills and detail work towards staying on the beam! A beam routine will be created in an hour and a half.  (Cost includes rental of the beam and secondary insurance for the gymnast.)

 

  • Level 7 beam routine     $125
  • Level 8 beam routine     $140
  • Level 9 beam routine     $150
  • Level 10 beam routine   $175
  • Elite level beam routine $200

 

Posture assessments will be provided as needed and free of charge during the sessions.  Individualized posture evaluations and complete exercise programs by Kris Merlo Robinson (BHS PT ‘87 Missouri) will be offered at $100/hour by appt.

Music…I will guide you through the music selection process.  Many times the level 7 and 8 gymnasts use demo CDs and they have me listen to 3 to 5 selections and I help them choose the best.  I have some demo CD companies to suggest to you.  Sometimes the parents send a video of the gymnast and  I evaluate the gymnast for style and bodytype and then we decide on the music.  I have choreographed without ever hearing the music several times, but it is nice to have it ahead of time. Sometimes I help gymnasts create custom music, especially the level 9, 10, and elites.  Let me know what you think and PLEASE STAY IN TOUCH WITH YOUR COACHES about choreography and music.

Well, I hope this information is a start. I run small camps right now, but they are very fun!

FYI: Check out my new choreography DVDs at http://gymsmarts.com

Keep in touch and I hope to hear from you soon,

 

Kris