Local Gymnasts Perform in Slovakia

Paulette Harrison, Lani DeMello, and Karen Davis, along with teacher Cindy Bickman, fly to Slovakia to celebrate the 10th anniversary celebration of the gymnastics club Arabeska.

Bickman, the owner of Chattooga Gymnastics & Dance, choreographed a routine to the song "Deck the Rooftops" for the performance in Nitra. 

Bickman has known Emilia Billikova, the coach of the Slovakian team, since the 2003 Special Olympics World Games in Ireland. Billikova's daughter, Gizela, is the number one Special Olympics Rhythmis Gymnast in the world.

In 2008 Billikova and her two daughters visited Chattooga for two weeks in which they attended two competitions and a coaching course. Bickman has been training Billikova's other daughter, Maria, to be a special olympics rhythmic gymnastics judge.

Last year Chattooga traveled to Slovakia to compete in a Special Olympics competition hosted by Arabeska. 

As for this trip, Bickman said, "They invited us to perform at their 10th Anniversary Celebration and we accepted because we think of Arabeska as part of our Chattooga family."