AGGUSA National Team Coaches

Elena Tokareva Baltovick
AGGUSA President

ELENA TOKAREVA BALTOVICK (Kiev, Ukraine) began her classical ballet studies at the age of nine at the National Choreographic Ballet School of Ukraine. She went on to dance with the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet. Ms. Baltovick came to the United States in 1992 and furthered her study of the Vaganova Method at the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts in Connecticut, graduating with honors in 1994. In 1998, Ms. Baltovick graduated cum laude from the University of Hartford’s Hartt School of Music and Ballet Pedagogy. During her college years, she danced with the company at the School of the Hartford Ballet. Her main coach was world-famous Prima Ballerina, Ms. Alla Osipenko.

After two decades of ballet education and instruction, Ms. Baltovick began to coach Aesthetic Group Gymnastics (AGG) in 2017. Under the direction of Ms. Baltovick, the AGG Team of Emerald City Rhythmic Gymnastics has won Gold Medals in three Chicago-based competitions (United Cup, Four Continents Cup, and finalists at the World Cup) during their first competitive season. In 2018, team Emerald began competing internationally and ranked 9th in the World, and 1st on the American Continent. Their accolades that season was in Helsinki, Finland (World Cup finalists), Montreal, Canada (Koop Cup Bronze medalists), Budapest, Hungary (World Championships finalists), Paris, France (World Cup III finalists), and Santos, Brazil (Pan American Champions and World Cup IV finalists).

In their third competitive season, Team AGG advanced to rank 7th in the World, and 1st in the American Continent. The team continued to excel in the international Aesthetic Gymnastics circuit in Singapore, Singapore (Singapore Cup Bronze medalists, World Cup finalists), Murcia, Spain (World Championships finalists), Albany, New York (Aurora Games Gold medalists), and Tallinn, Estonia (Tallinn Trophy Bronze medalists, World Cup IV finalists).

In 2020, Elena Baltovick was elected president of AGG USA Federation and currently serves in that leadership role. Ms. Baltovick works tirelessly to bring more awareness to the beautiful sport of Aesthetic Gymnastics and is working on establishing more teams throughout the United States.

COACHES :

B.B. Ignnatova
AGG National Team Coach

B.B. Ignatova was born and brought up as a gymnast in Bulgaria. By 16, she had participated in numerous international competitions and received the title “Sports Master.” She graduated from the Sports Academy of Sofia, Bulgaria, with honors and was selected to participate in the 1981 session of the International Olympic Academy in Olympia, Greece. Later, she co-founded the Bulgarian Olympic Academy. In 2000, B.B. completed her Masters degree in Coaching Science at the University of British Columbia, Canada. In the same year, she was awarded the Olympic Torch Scholarship from the Canadian Olympic Association towards her studies and elected as Chairperson of the Canadian National Team Advisory Committee.

B.B.’s coaching achievements include: producing top national athletes in Bulgaria, Canada, and the USA; winning Team and All-Around gold medals at the Southeast Asian Games in coaching national team athletes from Australia, Taiwan, Thailand and New Zealand. In 1993, B.B. was presented an award by Her Majesty, the Princess of Thailand, for her volunteer work in fundraising for the “Children’s Cardiac Society” in Bangkok, Thailand. Then, in 1995, she received the “Coach of the Year” award from Thairat, the largest newspaper in Thailand. Also, in the same year, she received a special Reward from the Gymnastics Association of Thailand for her contributions to the development of the sport in Thailand.

B.B. was certified as a Brevet Judge in 1989, and currently holds a Brevet II category. She has given judges courses in Thailand, Taiwan, Australia and Canada, as well as numerous workshops for coaches and athletes. She has also been invited several times as a guest speaker at the University of British Columbia. In 2008, B.B. judged in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Currently, she serves as a National Team Advisor for Gymnastics Canada.

In 2004, B.B. co-founded EuroGymnastics, along with her long-time friend and colleague, Ivanka Kirov, and presently co-heads the gym’s Competitive Program.

Svetlana Arshinova (Savenkova)
AGG Team Sky Coach

Svetlana coached National United States Champions in Rhythmic Gymnastics for the past 7 years in the United States. Her gymnasts maintained the titles through every level of their gymnastics career. Svetlana can be described not just as a coach but as a mentor to all of her students. She goes above and beyond to ensure her gymnasts succeed on and off the floor. Her ability to access her gymnast's needs, health, and happiness is her philosophy and is one of the reasons why so many gymnasts around the world hold Svetlana to the highest pedigree. Svetlana is a world renowned athlete who knows what it takes to become a champion, as she was a champion in her own right.

Svetlana is a responsible coach who will sacrifice her own needs or interests for her gymnast's success. Her love for the sport shows with the amount of passion she puts into her students on and off the floor. Svetlana will always have her gymnast's best interests at heart and will forever stay true to her morals and values as a coach.

Honored Master of Sports
8 times World Champion
7 times Europe Champion
2 times Champion of the World Cup Stages
8 years National Team Member
25+ years of coaching experience
7 years in the United States

Yelyzaveta (Liza) Bulavina

AGG Team Emerald Coach

Yelyzaveta (Liza) Bulavina began training as a rhythmic gymnast at a young age and immediately fell in love with the sport. In 2011, Yelyzaveta became the champion of the Kharkiv City Cup. She continued to grow as a gymnast, and after 11 years of her career, she received the title Master of Sports of Ukraine for her success in rhythmic gymnastics. After retiring from rhythmic gymnastics, Yelyzaveta was invited to become a member of the Ukrainian aesthetic group gymnastics team. She is still currently active in her AGG career, continuing to pursue her passions as an athlete and a coach.

She has been a member of Team Alcor Mizar for two years and is now a Candidate for Master of Sports for AGG, alongside her recognition of Master of Sports for rhythmic gymnastics. Yelyzaveta’s mastery of both aesthetic and rhythmic gymnastics allows her to train young athletes.

Yelyzaveta came to the United States in 2022, where she began to coach AGG. In her first year in the USA, she started to coach ages 6-8yo in AGG, and in the summer of 2023 was promoted to coach team Emerald. She was very successful and has been competing internationally for three years. Team Emerald also became National Champions in their age category at the 1st AUGUSTA National Championships in 2023.

Olga Bogdan

AGG Team Grace Coach

For the first time, the USA was represented in the Children’s Division at the World Cup of Aesthetic Group Gymnastics in October in Tallinn, Estonia. This select group of girls from Cary, NC, competed at the highest level internationally at the Tallinn Trophy Competition on
Oct 16th-19th. The North Carolina group, which is comprised of gymnasts ranging from ages eight through ten, is led by Russian native Olga Bogdan who founded the Grace Gymnastics Academy in Cary. These young athletes trained for two years, and placed 2nd in their first AGG competition as well as their first international start.

AGG or Aesthetic Group Gymnastics is a relatively new sport to the United States, however is quickly gaining popularity notably in Canada and Eastern Europe. As a native Russian, Coach Bogdan took her first gymnastics class at five and represented Russia in the National AGG Championships, and competed internationally. "The girls have exceeded anyone’s expectations and we were thrilled to have been invited to represent the USA for the first time ever,” said Bogdan.

In 2016 Coach Bogdan formed the first AGG/Aesthetic Group Gymnastics group in North Carolina. Bogdan and her specialized Grace Gymnastics Academy have quickly made a name for themselves.

Sofia Krupienina

AGG Team Crystal Coach

Sofia got into the rhythmic gymnastics at very early age in Moscow, Russia. She started when she was only 4 years old. Her mother, a former rhythmic gymnast and master of sport of former Soviet Union in rhythmic gymnastics has played a big role in Sofia's development as a professional rhythmic gymnast.

Since then Sofia has been training under supervision of very professional coaches in rhythmic gymnastics and has achieved incredible results in this sport.

Sofia has participated in international championships around the world and holds many champion titles, she was awarded title Master of Sport, Ukraine.

Sofia holds USA titles:

U.S. Regional 1 Champion
Level 10 Elite
U.S. All Around National Champion

Natalia Shcherbak

AGG Team Nova Luna Coach

Natalia Shcherbak has successfully led gymnastic teams in Kharkiv, Kremechuk, and Dubai, and now in San Diego. Natalia began her training in rhythmic gymnastics at a young age and went on to earn Bronze as a Champion of Europe, and multiple championships of Ukraine.

She earned her Master of Sports in Rhythmic Gymnastics, and graduated from Kharkiv State University of Physical Education, in major of Sport Olympic and Professional Sport.
Ms. Shcherbak has made numerous European and Ukrainian Champions.

Iryna Gutnik

AGG Head Judge

Originally from Kharkov, Ukraine, Master Coach Iryna Gutnik brings 40+ years of coaching experience and expertise to our program. She began her coaching career at age 17, after placing silver and bronze at the Ukrainian championships in group rhythmic gymnastics.

In 1999, Coach Gutnik was the primary coach for the Children and Youth Sports School of Rhythmic Gymnastics of Kharkov, Ukraine. She has been instrumental in the growth of Aesthetic Gymnastics in Ukraine, organizing several cups and championships in Kharkov and Kiev.

She has been the head coach for the National Team of Ukraine since 2006. Under her direction, the teams have been named Champions of Ukraine eleven times and won the Cup of Ukraine twelve times. Coach Gutnik also coaches gymnasts internationally in Estonia and Spain.

Since 2003, coach Gutnik has furthered her education and instructed rhythmic and aesthetic gymnastics courses. She coaches every year at international programs, most recently in Graz (Austria), Chicago (USA), Padua (Italy), and Sagunto (Spain).

While coaching aspiring gymnasts in the “Zenith” team, she earned a Master of Sports in Rhythmic Gymnastics and studied Physical Education at H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University. In addition to working with youth gymnasts, she has also served as the instructor for medical and physical culture, coach for physical education at and coach for the Kharkov State Academy of Physical

Culture. Over her remarkable career, she has prepared 63 athletes who received the title Master of Sports of Ukraine.

Master of Sports in Rhythmic Gymnastics
Silver and bronze medalist of the Ukrainian championship in the group exercises
Head coach of the National team of Ukraine
11-time Champions of Ukraine and 12-time holders of the Cup of Ukraine
In 2004 organized and held the First Ukrainian Championship in aesthetic
gymnastics and European Championship
In 2005 organized the first Cup of Ukraine
In 2009 organized and conducted an annual open tournament in Kharkov
In 2013 managed World Championship in Kiev

Fernanda Gutierrez
AGG Judge

Fernanda Gutierrez started her rhythmic career at Emerald City when she was 10 years old. Her rhythmic journey was successful; however, after level 8, Fernanda decided to join an Aesthetic Group Gymnastics (AGG) team at Emerald City Rhythmics.

The team (Team Grace) was very new to the United States and to Emerald City Rhythmics. After a very successful year and lots of hard work under coach Elena Baltovick, at the end of the 2018 season, Team Grace became the USA National Team of Aesthetic Group Gymnastics. This was the very first National Team in America of AGG. Fernanda was always a gymnast with leadership skills and for two years she was Team Captain.

AGG has brought her many opportunities, including intensive training and competitions, traveling around the world, meeting new people, learning about different cultures, and building strong friendships with her teammates. Fernanda has a wide understanding and love for this sport. In 2020, Fernanda was invited by the National Team Head Coach to coach AGG at Emerald City. Ms. Gutierez would like to be able to educate girls and boys about this truly beautiful sport so that it will grow and prosper in the United States. AGG does not have a huge following right now, and Fernanda would like to continue building this sport in the USA. Aesthetic Group Gymnastics also brings a wonderful experience of competing in international arenas in a professional sports setting. AGG gives gymnasts an opportunity to learn about other countries and cultures.

Gold medal United Cup 2017, Chicago, USA
Gold medal Four Continents Cup 2017 Chicago, USA
World Cup IV 2017, made finals, Chicago, USA
World Cup I 2018, made finals, Helsinki, Finland
Koop Cup, bronze medal, Montreal, Canada, 2018
World Championships 2018, made finals, Budapesht, Hungary
Louvre Cup, Bronze Medal, Paris, France 2018
Wold Cup III, made finals, 2018 Paris, France
PanAmerican Champions 2018 Santos, Brazil
World Cup IV 2018, made finals, Santos, Brazil
Ranked #9 Team in the World (2018)
Ranked #1 Team on American Continent 2018
Singapore Cup, bronze medalist, 2019 Singapore, Singapore
World Cup I, made finals, 2019, Singapore, Singapore
World Championships, Made finals, 2019 Murcia, Spain
Gold Medal First Inaugural Aurora Games 2019 in Albany, USA
Bronze Medal Tallinn Trophy 2019 Tallinn, Estonia
World Cup IV 2019, made finals, Tallinn, Estonia
Ranked #7 Team in the World (2019)
Ranked #1 Team on American Continent 2019

Elena Tokareva Baltovick AGGUSA President

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