Beulah Gundling

Last updated
Beulah Gundling
Gundling Beulah - Vivo - 23rd IAAA Festival 05 1977 at Glenbrook North High School - Illinois - Photo Cathy Goodwin.jpg
Gundling in 1977
Born
Beulah Detwiler

(1916-02-13)February 13, 1916
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States
DiedOctober 1, 2003(2003-10-01) (aged 87)
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States
Occupation(s)Synchronised swimmer,
aquatic artist, choreographer, author
Years active1940-2000
SpouseHenry Gundling
Website www.aquatic-art.org
Beulah Gundling
Medal record
Synchronised swimming
Representing the Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1949 Canadian Synchronized Swimming ChampionshipsSolo
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1950 U.S. National AAU Synchronized Swimming ChampionshipsSolo outdoor
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1951 U.S. National AAU Synchronized Swimming ChampionshipsSolo outdoor
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1952 U.S. National AAU Synchronized Swimming ChampionshipsSolo outdoor
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1953 U.S. National AAU Synchronized Swimming ChampionshipsSolo outdoor
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1954 U.S. National AAU Synchronized Swimming ChampionshipsSolo outdoor
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1955 Pan American Games Solo

Beulah Detwiler Gundling (Feb 13 1916 - Oct 1 2003) was an American synchronized swimmer, aquatic artist, choreographer and author.

Contents

Early life and sportive career

In her childhood Beulah Gundling was mainly interested in music and ballet. At the age of 14 she started to take swimming lessons after being encouraged by her parents to learn how to swim and dive. However, the first experiences with swimming were very negative for her, because she continuously sank in the water. [1] She started to read instructional books on swimming, decided to teach herself how to float and successfully continued this autodidactic learning in the following years. She attended several competitions and even won an Iowa AAU gold medal for the backstroke. [2] In 1938, she finished her education at Coe College and started to work as a secretary for the Chamber of Commerce in Cedar Rapids. To that time she began to find swimming laps boring and to develop her idea of combining swimming with music and dance. After studying a book about rhythmic swimming she created a routine of swimming strokes which were set to music. On the suggestion of her husband, coach and manager Henry Gundling, Beulah took part at the duet competition in synchronized swimming at the Outdoor Nationals in Des Moines in 1948 together with Noreen Fenner and placed 10th. [3] In the following years, Beulah increased her interest in performing solo routines, for which she designed her own costumes. She won several important competitions in North America, inter alia she took first place at the 1949 Canadian Synchronized Swimming Championships with a routine entitled The Swan after music by Camille Saint-Saëns. Moreover, she won the Outdoor solo title at the U.S. National AAU Synchronized Swimming Championships from 1950 to 1954. Gundling introduced solo synchronized swimming on an exhibition basis at the 1951 Pan American Games as well as the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, where she presented her program Thunderbird to music from the opera Natoma by Victor Herbert. [4] After winning the gold medal of the solo event at the 1955 Pan American Games Beulah Gundling finished her sports career.

1955-2000: Aquatic Artist, choreographer and author

After winning the gold medal of the solo event at the 1955 Pan American Games Beulah Gundling finished her swimming career presenting compositions at many festivals held by the International Academy of Aquatic Art until she retired in 1991, having been awarded only First Class Honors of the IAAA for all of her works. [5] In addition, she wrote nine books on swimming and gave numerous lectures all over the world.

In 1965 Beulah Gundling was the first synchronized swimmer to be inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. In 2000 she had her final aquatic appearance in the documentary The Mermaid's Club: A History of Synchronized Swimming by Paul Carvalho. [6]

Choreographies (selection)

Here is an incomplete list of Beulah Gundling's own choreographies of solo routines which she presented herself:

Beulah Gundling: Claire de Lune (1981) Gundling Beulah - Claire de Lune - 04 1981 - Midwest Aquatic Art Symposium at Riverside-Brookfield High School - Illinois - photo Cathy Goodwin.jpg
Beulah Gundling: Claire de Lune (1981)
Beulah Gundling: Concerto (1977) Gundling Beulah - Concerto - IAAA Mini Festival 04 1977 at Proviso West High School - Illinois - photo Cathy Goodwin.jpg
Beulah Gundling: Concerto (1977)
Beulah Gundling and her husband Henry Gundling (left) in 1980 Gundling Beulah right - Henry Gundling left - 05 1980 - 26th IAAA Festival at Samford University in Birmingham - Alabama - photo Cathy Goodwin.jpg
Beulah Gundling and her husband Henry Gundling (left) in 1980

Bibliography (complete)

Further reading

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Synchronized swimming</span> Hybrid form of swimming, dance and gymnastics

Synchronized swimming or artistic swimming is a sport where swimmers perform a synchronized choreographed routine, accompanied by music. The sport is governed internationally by World Aquatics. It has traditionally been a women's sport, although FINA introduced a new mixed gender duet competition that included one male swimmer in each duet at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships and LEN introduced men's individual events at the 2022 European Aquatics Championships. From 2024, men will be able to compete in the team event at the olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Swimming Hall of Fame</span> Hall of fame in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum (ISHOF) is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests and serving as the central point for the study of the history of swimming in the United States and around the world. Exhibits include ancient art and both reproductions and original art depicting famous moments in swimming history, swimwear, and civil rights, as well as memorabilia and artifacts belonging to persons who have promoted or excelled in aquatics. It is recognized by FINA as the official hall for the aquatics sports.

Helen Vanderburg is a former Canadian synchronized swimmer and world champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandra Bezic</span> Canadian pair skater, figure skating choreographer and television commentator

Sandra Marie Bezic is a Canadian pair skater, figure skating choreographer, and television commentator. With her brother Val Bezic, she won the Canadian Figure Skating Championships from 1970 to 1974 and placed ninth at the 1972 Winter Olympics. Skate Canada announced on July 14, 2010, that she will be inducted into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame in the professional category

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tracie Ruiz</span> American synchronized swimmer

Tracie Lehuanani Ruiz-Conforto is a three-time Olympic medalist from the United States in synchronised swimming.

Jane Katz is an educator, author, and world-class former Olympic competitive and long-distance swimmer. She has been awarded the Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur Certificate of Merit (2000) and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the US President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition (2014), and inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame (2011) and the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (2014).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Svetlana Romashina</span> Russian synchronized swimmer

Svetlana Alekseyevna Romashina is a Russian synchronized swimmer who has received 41 total gold medals from competing in four Olympic Games, seven world championships and six European championships. She has never placed lower than first at any of these events, and by adding two more golds in the 2020 Summer Olympics she broke all medal-count ties to become the most decorated athlete ever in her sport.

Olga Genrikhovna Sedakova is a former Russian synchronized swimmer who competed at two Olympic Games, won three gold medals in the World Championships, and nine golds at the European Championships. In 2019, she was inducted to the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

<i>Carmen on Ice</i> 1990 dance film

Carmen on Ice is a 1990 dance film with a choreography for figure skaters made in Germany. The music is based on the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet in an orchestral version arranged especially for this film. In contrast to figure skating movies of former times, Carmen on Ice is a film without spoken dialogue, which is an innovation in the history of figure skating.

The International Academy of Aquatic Art is a nonprofit organization for the development of swimming as a performing art. It is based in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bert Hubbard</span> American synchronized swimmer

Albert Hubbard is an American synchronized swimmer, choreographer and coach. He is also an aquatic artist as well as historian of the International Academy of Aquatic Art.

Lila Meesseman-Bakir is a French synchronized swimmer who competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Teresa "Terry" Andersen is a retired American synchronized swimmer who won all three gold medals at the 1973 World Aquatics Championships, in the solo, duet and team routines. This feat was repeated only in 1986 by Carolyn Waldo. Also in 1986, Andersen was inducted to the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iet van Feggelen</span> Dutch swimmer

Irène "Iet" Maria Jo Arnoldina van Feggelen was a Dutch backstroke swimmer. Her first name is sometimes misspelled as Let, and her last name is often given as Koster–van Feggelen or Koster due to her marriage to the Dutch water polo player Ko Koster in 1943. Her career was hampered by World War II, yet she won two medals at the 1938 and 1947 European Aquatics Championships and set eleven world records between 1938 and 1947. After retirement, she became a national coach in conventional and synchronized swimming. In 2009, she was inducted to the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pamela Fischer (synchronized swimmer)</span> Swiss synchronized swimmer

Pamela Fischer is a Swiss competitor in synchronized swimming who competed in the 2004 European Championships, 2005 World Aquatics Championships, 2006 European Aquatics Championships, 2007 World Aquatics Championships, 2008 European Aquatics Championships, 2009 World Aquatics Championships, 2010 European Aquatics Championships, 2011 World Aquatics Championships, 2012 European Aquatics Championships, 2013 World Aquatics Championships, and 2012 Summer Olympics.

Mizuho Katayama is a synchronized swimming coach in Japan. Born to a Korean family in Japan, she participated in Japanese domestic synchronized swimming competitions under the name Mizuho Kōchi, and represented South Korea in international competitions under the name Kim Mijinsu, most notably in the women's solo and women's duet competitions at the 1988 Summer Olympics. After her retirement from the South Korean national team, she married and began using her current name.

Sue Baross Nesbitt, is an American synchronized swimming champion and international coach. She is currently the head coach with the Riverside Aquettes in Riverside, California.

Deborah Muir is a Canadian former synchronized swimmer and coach. She began her career with the Calgary Aquabelles club in 1965 and won silver medals in the synchronized swimming team competitions at both the 1971 Pan American Games and the 1973 World Aquatics Championships. At age 20, Muir retired from competition and began a career in coaching. She coached swimmers of the Calgary Aquabelles to 22 national titles over a decade. She also helped athletes clinch medals in the World Aquatics Championships, the FINA Cup, the Commonwealth Games, the Pan American Games and the Summer Olympic Games. Muir has won various awards for her coaching career, and is an inductee of the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Sylvie Fortier is a Canadian former synchronized swimmer. She won medals in Canadian provincial and national competitions, at the World Aquatics Championships, the Pan American Games and the Pan Pacific Games. Fortier was named the 1976 world champion in synchronized swimming for her achievements that year and was a torch bearer for the opening ceremony of the Montreal Summer Olympics. She retired in 1977 aged just 18. Fortier is an inductee of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and the Aquatics Hall of Fame.

References

  1. Beulah Detwiler Gundling. Biography of B. Gundling on the website of Coe College, Cedar Rapids (Iowa, USA, 2006).
  2. Michael Heim, Exploring Iowa Highways, Wabasha 2006, page 88. Information about the book on Google website.
  3. Biography of Beulah Gundling on the website of Coe College, Cedar Rapids (Iowa, USA, 2006).
  4. Video of B. Gundling's program Thunderbird at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki Archived May 12, 2014, at the Wayback Machine on the official ISHOF website.
  5. History on the official website of the International Academy of Aquatic Art. USA, 2012.
  6. Filmography Archived December 10, 2014, at the Wayback Machine at the official website of Paul Carvalho, 2002.
  7. Aquatic Art - A textbook for swimmers and instructors in Aquatic Art. Information about the book by Gundling and Seller on Biblio website, 2012.
  8. Exploring Aquatic Art. Information on Google website.
  9. The Aquatic Art book of figures. Information on Google website.
  10. The Aquatic Art book of water shows. Information on Google website.
  11. Fun with Aquatic figure variations. Information on Google website.
  12. Aquatic Enchaînements and Petite Compositions. Information on Google website.
  13. Dancing in the Water. Information on Google website, contains information about the IAAA.
  14. Creative Synchronized Swimming. Information about the book by Gundling and White on Google website, contains information about the IAAA.
  15. To Henry with Love. Information about the book by Gundling on GetCited website, 2002.
  16. 2009 Buck Dawson Authors Award Archived 2010-11-24 at the Wayback Machine . Information about the book by R.E. Kerper on the official website of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, 2009.
  17. Synchronized swimming - An American history. E-Book on Google website, contains information about Beulah Gundling, page 62.
  18. Article about the PhD thesis Archived 2012-01-12 at the Wayback Machine by Johanna Beisteiner in the catalogue of the Austrian Library Network. 2005. (German and English)