Okanagan Rhythmics Club History
The Okanagan Rhythmic Gymnastics Club, also known as Okanagan Rhythmics, was founded by Canadian Olympian Camille Martens in fall of 1997.
It was/is the first club in the
Since it’s inception Okanagan Rhythmics has had the opportunity of working with an elite international coaching staff. 1996 Olympian Birgit Schielin of Austria provided exciting demonstrative example, Svetlana Rasseko from the Republic of Belarus shared extensive expertise in technique and program structure, Vlodya Makarov from the Ukraine provided the ballet and character base that is essential to good results, Linda Wei from China brought more international flare and specialized in classical ballet, Rachel Martens added dramatic flare and correct posture and alignment and Head Coach/Club Owner Camille Martens has inspired, encouraged, coached, choreographed and directed.
We have also been blessed to have had injury prevention and recovery work done by a variety of sports physiotherapists, doctors, masseurs, personal trainers and other health experts.
Together with this incredible support team, through hard work, perseverance, and dedication our athletes have achieved tremendous results in competition, in community development/contributions, in shows and in personal growth.
Here are some of our event and result highlights:
1997
- Okanagan Rhythmics opens
1998
- hosted training camp with visiting team and Brevet Judges
- started doing ballet and character dance work Ukrainian
dance master Vlodya Makarov
- participated in Yule Cup International Invitational (
- Hosted the 1st ever Queen of Hearts competition
(
- won the most medals of any team at the Provincial Stream
Provincials in
- 3 athletes take part in the Western Canadian Championships
- Summer training camp – a huge success
1999
- brought in Olympian Birgit Schielin from
coach
- our large team brought home over 50 medals from the
PS Provincials
- 10 medals at the Western Canadian Championships
(most of any team)
- 2 finalists at the Canadian Championships, 1 medal
(Sunstrum, Krushen)
- over 400 spectators watched our Year-End Show
- brought over international expert coach Svetlana Rasseko
of th Republic of
(coach of several Olympic, Grand Prix and World Medallists)
2000
- 3 BC Provincial titles in the highest National levels
(Heal, Krushen, Sunstrum)
- 30 medals in the PS Provincials
- sent our first athlete to Elite Canada (Sunstrum)
- Bronze Medallists and Nationals finalists at the
2000 Group Nationals
- 2 event finalists at the Canadian Championships -5 medals
(Krushen, Reid)
- Novice All Around Champion at Canadian Nationals (Krushen)
- team member represents
international competition:
Gity Cup in
- presented “Christmas Wonder” starring Lauren Adolph, our
first full-length production, to a sold-out crowd at the
Vernon Recreation Centre Auditorium
2001
- Yule Cup (early season international invitational competition in
overall title (Krushen) and the Terry Bruce Dance Award
(Dodge)
- sent 3 athletes to Elite Canada (Sunstrum, Reid, Krushen)
- had our first member ever make the Canadian National Team
(Krushen)
- 2 event finalists at the Canadian Championships
(Shaw, Krushen)
- ORGC sent the largest qualified team in
Nationals (Shaw, MacPherson, Shatzko, Eng, Dodge, Butula,
Reid, Krushen, Sunstrum, Adolph)
- brought over Linda Wei, expert coach from
- presented “COLORS,” starring Rylee Haubrich and our Elite
team in our second full length production, to a sold-out crowd at
the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre
2002
- 25 individual medals at the BC Provincial Stream Provincials
- team member represents
Olympic Hopes –
- 2 event finalists at the Canadian Championships
- sent 3 athletes to Elite Canada (Krushen, Shaw, Shatzko)
- ORGC sent the largest qualified team in
Nationals (10)
- Okanagan Rhythmics was honored to receive the:
- presented “The Snow Queen” starring Simone Lovsin and
Gillian Pool to several consecutive sold-out crowds at the
- members performed in “Merry Moore Christmas Show”
(Reid, Adolph)
- Silver medal at the Junior Pan Ams in
- sent member to represent
International Tounament of Nemesia in
(Shaw)
2003
- presented “The Snow Queen” starring Simone Lovsin and
Gillian Pool to several consecutive sold-out crowds and to
schools at the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre
- sent 3 athletes to Elite Canada (Shaw, Krushen, Reid)
- sent team to LA Lights International Invitational
- member competed at Western
won 4 medals (Reid)
- member won medals at Canada Winter Games (Krushen)
- Junior Canadian Champion at the Canadian Nationals
(Krushen)
- performed with
Peter Pan (Bouchard and Haubrich were Tinker-bells)
- team members represents
international competition: Eurogym International in
- members performed in “Merry Moore Christmas Show”
2004
- sent team to San Francisco International Invitational
- sent large team to BC Summer Games
(medals won by Anderson/Bernier/Pool/K.Krushen)
- member makes Senior National Team (J. Krushen)
- member makes Junior National Team (Bernier)
- Svetlana Rasseko started rhythmic program in
- ORGC closed temporarily due lack of a suitable facility and for Camille to take a personal sabbatical
2005
- Okanagan Rhythmic Gymnastics RE-OPENS!!!
- launch new Rhythmic Quest program
- re-establish competitive program in new facility
2006
- 10 medals at the Western Canadian Championships
- member competed at Nationals (Kemper)
- members performed at the Canadian Nationals, the Sunshine Festival, the Old Timers Ball and other events
- Rachel Martens joined the coaching team to focus on alignement, posture, conditionning, personal development and drama
- presented “The Journey” starring Victoria Podollan and Alexandria Kennedy together with all team members, coaches and many team alumni at the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre
- sent large team to BC Summer Games (Kennedy, Podollan, S. Kerr, Kemper, Herault) Group Gold Medalists and Individual medals won
- successful summer camp in
- presented “The Stone” starring Julianna Scrivener, Podollan and Kennedy together with all team members, coaches and many team alumni at the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre
2007
- members won medals and titles at several invitational events: Yule Cup (
- hosted Queen of Hearts Championships
- 14 medals and 30 top 8 placements at the Western Canadian Championships
- members competed at Nationals (Haubrich, Anderson, Podollan)
- all club members presented “Metamorphosis” at the Performing Arts Centre together with Rachel Martens