Frequently asked questions

The minimum age to enrol at BPA is 4 years old (within the year of turning 4). At this age, children's brain and motor development is at an optimal stage for foundational gymnastics training. We also accept older beginners; if your daughter is 7 or above with no prior experience, she will be placed appropriately following her trial class assessment, usually in the National Pathway.

It is one of the best. Rhythmic gymnastics rewards patience, musicality and coordination more than raw power or speed. Many of our students had never played a sport before they came to us, and they thrived because this sport values artistry and consistency over natural athleticism. She does not have to be sporty. She has to be willing to try, and to come back next week.

Yes, and gladly. Everyone begins at the beginning. Your daughter does not need flexibility, a dance background or any gymnastics at all. Beginners join our Foundation Programme, where we teach rhythmic gymnastics from the ground up. She does not need to arrive able to do anything. She needs to arrive willing to try.

Almost certainly. Ballet and rhythmic gymnastics share musicality, body awareness and graceful movement, and many BPA students train in both. Rhythmic gymnastics adds apparatus work, acrobatic elements and a different physical challenge that sits well alongside ballet.

Not at all, if the love is there. For enjoyment and physical development, it is never too late. For the elite pathway, earlier is better, but girls who started at 6 or 7 with no background have gone on to compete nationally. Book a trial, and let her show us her passion.

We regularly welcome gymnasts who have relocated to Singapore from other countries, and your daughter does not have to lose her momentum. Tell us about her current training background when you contact us, and after her trial class assessment we will place her appropriately.

BPA was founded by Bianka Panova, an Olympian and nine-time World Champion, who coaches at the academy personally. Training here develops the whole gymnast, beyond apparatus work alone.

That depends on what she wants, and what you want for her. Rhythmic gymnastics rewards long-term, consistent training. At the National and Elite levels it is a serious sporting commitment, and her family becomes part of it. Progress in this sport is never a straight line. There will be weeks she wants to stop and weeks she cannot wait to get back. What carries her through is not talent, it is turning up. Tell us at the trial what you hope for, and we will tell you plainly what it will take.

Thank you for asking, and for trusting us with something so close to your heart. Our classes are group classes with a mixed age range, and our coaches do not have the training to give the one-to-one support some children need. Please write to us or call, tell us about your daughter, and we will tell you candidly whether BPA is the right fit for her at this time.

You cannot tell by watching her at home, neither can we until we see her move. That is what the trial is for. Our coaches are trained to see what neither parents nor children can yet see. Book a trial, and we will give you an honest assessment of where she is and where she could go.

Our group classes typically have up to 15 gymnasts across a mixed age range. Usually, our classes have girls that are within 2-3 year gap.

High standards are how a child discovers what she can do. Our coaches ask for effort, consistency and respect, and they give the same back. BPA has zero tolerance for physical or verbal aggression of any kind. Our coaches do use physical correction to teach technique, and they never push a gymnast's flexibility beyond what she can recover from. If anything ever worries you, tell our customer service team and they will take it straight to the coaches.

It is the first question I would ask too. Rhythmic gymnastics is not a contact sport, but it is demanding, and I will not pretend otherwise. Muscle soreness and discomfort during flexibility work are normal, especially in the first months. If your daughter ever tells you something hurts more than it should, tell us, and we will adjust her training.

Nourishment comes first. We recommend a well-balanced diet rich in vitamins, fibre and healthy minerals, so she has the energy to train and grow. BPA does not promote restrictive eating, and we encourage gymnasts and families to put energy and overall health ahead of everything else. We partner with nutritionists to offer workshops. If you have specific nutritional questions, our team can point you to appropriate resources.

Our coaching team is led by Bianka Panova; a 9-time world champion, Olympian and a Guinness World Record Holder in rhythmic gymnastics. All BPA coaches are certified by Singapore Gymnastics and have experience developing gymnasts from beginner level through to elite competition. You can read each coach's profile at https://www.biankapanova.com/team.

Bianka Panova is the founder and head coach of BPA. She is an Olympian, a nine-time World Champion and a Guinness World Record holder in rhythmic gymnastics. Singapore Gymnastics has named her Coach of the Year in High Performance in Rhythmic Gymnastics, and she is an official Learning Facilitator and Coach Developer, training Singapore's next generation of coaches. She developed the Bianka Panova System that all BPA coaches follow when training our gymnasts.

All BPA coaches hold Standard First Aid certification with CPR and AED accreditation (SRFAC-certified). If your daughter is hurt in class, parents are told on the day itself. Parents are responsible for their daughter's health and accident insurance, we do not provide insurance coverage for your daughter.

How does BPA protect my daughter's personal information and photos? We collect only the information needed for enrollment, billing, administration and communication about classes. We do not sell, trade or rent personal information. Student information is managed through parent or guardian accounts. Parents give permission for studio photographs and videos to be used in our marketing, and you can withdraw that permission at any time by writing to customer-service@biankapanova.com. Full details are in our Privacy Policy at https://www.biankapanova.com/privacy.

Your daughter's written assessment report is emailed to you within one week of her trial class. Feel free to reach out to our customer service team if you have any questions in the meantime.

We have training sessions available daily across the week. Contact our customer service team at customer-service@biankapanova.com for the current timetable, as schedules are updated each term.

Feeling nervous is completely normal, for children and for parents. The Assessment Trial lasts 60 minutes. Our coaches look at her flexibility, coordination, apparatus handling and how she follows instruction. Some children find the flexibility part uncomfortable at first. That is normal, and it says nothing about her future. Afterwards, you receive a written assessment report.

We generally recommend gymnasts commit to one primary training environment. Different coaching models can conflict, which slows development rather than accelerating it. We are happy to discuss your daughter's current training background during the trial class.

Book the first 60 minute assessment class with us for $60 (before GST) $65.40 after GST.

For the trial, please bring a fitted plain T-shirt and shorts with socks, and a personal water bottle. Once she enrols, a fitted leotard and neatly tied-back hair are required. Our customer service team will advise on specifics.

We generally encourage gymnasts to focus on one primary training environment to avoid the difficulty of adapting between different coaching models. That said, we understand that participation in Rhythmic Gymnastics is a recognised pathway for Direct School Admission (DSA) to secondary schools (5 schools as of 2026). We are happy to discuss how BPA's programme can support your daughter's DSA goals. Please speak to our customer service team for more information.

You will receive updates via our customer service team. Training photographs are shared via our social media, exclusive WhatsApp Community and BPA parent newsletter.

Training fees vary by programme level. For new gymnasts joining the Competitive pathway, fees start from approximately S$700 per month for two sessions per week. Please attend a trial class — our team will provide a full fee breakdown at your post-trial meeting.

Classes that fall on Singapore public holidays are forfeited and will not be rescheduled or credited. Please plan accordingly when booking your training schedule. We have classes everyday that can be used for make up lessons.

At Competitive Foundation level, training is a minimum of twice a week, with each session running 1.5 hours. Training session duration increases to 2hrs-4hrs depending on age and level. Our Recreational Programme has no set attendance requirement, though once a week is recommended. Elite gymnasts training for international competition typically train 4–6 sessions per week.

BPA runs Holiday Camps during the school holiday periods, in June (usually last 2 weeks of June) and in December (before Christmas). They are open to both current students and new participants. Contact customer-service@biankapanova.com for more details or visit our social media platforms; Instagram or Facebook for more insights.

Yes. Eligibility for competition is determined by our coaches based on your daughter's age and technical readiness. We do not enter gymnasts into competition before they are prepared as competing too early can be counterproductive. When the time is right, our students compete in Singapore Gymnastics-sanctioned events at national and, for advanced gymnasts, international level. For beginners, there are events such as Singapore Gym Challenge hosted by Singapore Gymnastics that is organised twice annually. Internally, we host the BPA cup annually for our own gymnasts.

Yes. BPA welcomes international gymnasts for intensive training camps with Bianka and our coaching team. If you are based outside Singapore or planning a visit, please contact us directly to discuss scheduling and availability.

We are located at 2 Bukit Merah Central, #02-03, Singapore 159835. There is currently one main campus. The nearest MRT station is Redhill (EW18) on the East-West Line.

Parents are welcome to wait in our designated waiting area during sessions. To maintain focus in the gym, parents do not enter the studio during class. During the Assessment Trial, we provide a viewing link so you can watch remotely. We also hold in-house performances and at least two Open Classes annually where parents can observe training directly.

Rhythmic gymnastics develops flexibility, coordination, posture, musicality, and physical strength. Beyond the physical, BPA places equal emphasis on mental resilience, sportsmanship, and social skills. Children learn to manage performance pressure, work within a team, taking charge in leading her group, and take direction (and more) qualities that transfer directly into academic and personal life. Our goal is to equip our gymnasts with skills that will help them in the future.

Rhythmic Gymnastics (RG) is performed exclusively by girls and uses hand apparatus — rope, hoop, ball, clubs, and ribbon. It combines dance, acrobatics, and musicality. Artistic Gymnastics (AG) uses fixed apparatus such as the beam, vault, and bars. The two disciplines have different scoring systems, training demands, and long-term physical development pathways. If your daughter is considering both, we strongly recommend choosing one discipline early to avoid disruption to her technical development.

Ensure she attends training consistently, encourage her after difficult sessions rather than focusing on mistakes, and show genuine interest in what she is learning. The gymnasts who progress fastest are not always the most naturally talented; they are the ones whose parents show up, stay positive, and stay the course.

BPA stocks competition-grade apparatus from Sasaki and Chacott, internationally recognised brands used at the highest levels of the sport. You can order these apparatus directly from BPA. We also have training equipment, half shoes and gymnast bags specially created by BPA for our students. If you prefer to purchase from another source, please consult your daughter's coach first so they can ensure the apparatus meets training requirements.

Consistent attendance is the single most important thing a parent can do. Beyond that: please encourage your daughter without creating pressure, maintain open communication with the BPA team, and honour the long-term nature of the sport. Parents who treat training as a priority and not an optional activity, raise gymnasts who develop faster and enjoy the process more.

BPA takes a holistic approach to gymnast development. Our programme includes Ballet, Contemporary Dance, Latin Dance, Art, and Strength & Conditioning (and more), all structured as building blocks toward excellence in Rhythmic Gymnastics. Gymnasts are developed as complete athletes, not just technically proficient performers.

BPA has a dedicated customer service team who serve as the primary point of contact for parents. They relay feedback to and from the coaching staff, handle scheduling, and ensure any concerns are addressed promptly. This structure allows coaches to remain focused on training while parents have a clear, reliable channel for communication.

Observation is a structured part of our onboarding process, particularly for new gymnasts. Watching more advanced students in training is one of the fastest ways to build context, understand expectations, and develop aspiration. It is not a sign that your daughter is behind, it is an intentional learning tool we use with all new students.

BPA has produced over 100 champions to date. Our gymnasts have competed at national championships and represented Singapore at international competitions.

Both develop flexibility, but rhythmic gymnastics approaches it differently, through active flexibility training integrated with sport-specific movement, apparatus handling, and strength conditioning. Many coaches and physiotherapists consider the full-body approach of rhythmic gymnastics more comprehensive for overall physical development.

Yes. BPA is affiliated with Singapore Gymnastics, and our students compete in Singapore Gymnastics-sanctioned national competitions. Our coaches are certified under Singapore Gymnastics standards, and Bianka Panova serves as an official Learning Facilitator and Technical Member for Singapore Gymnastics.

Traditional enrichment classes focus on academic or creative skill-building. Rhythmic gymnastics at BPA develops the whole child such as physical fitness, coordination, discipline, resilience, musical awareness, and social confidence, making it one of the most comprehensive extracurricular activities available. It is sport, art, and character development in a single programme.