One-by-one, Dominique Dawes straightened the young gymnasts as they struck a pose on the balance beam.
"Stomach in. Hips are squared. The body is lean and tight," she told 9-year-old Christina Riggins, who was striking a graceful pose on the balance beam with her arms outstretched and forming a V.
Christina quickly adjusted her position, her face tensed with concentration. Once the girls struck their positions on the 4-inch wide beam, Dawes pushed them.
Christina teetered for a moment, then slipped off the beam.
"Do you guys know how I know when you're tight or not?" asked Dawes, a three-time Olympic medalist. "If you fall right off the beam when I tap you, more than likely you're not tight enough."
Christina's face flushed. Dominique Dawes had just pushed her off the balance beam.
For the girls who train with ACPR Gymnastics at the Churchville Recreation Center, it was a rare opportunity to work with an Olympian.
Many of the girls weren't even born when Dawes won the gold medal with the United States women's gymnastics team, known as the Magnificent Seven, at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
But Christina learned -- thanks to the Internet -- that Dawes is the first black female gymnast to win an individual medal and the only American gymnast to compete in three modern Olympics.
"Christina didn't eat because she was so excited about Dominique Dawes," said her mother, Chong Riggins. "After school she kept telling me, `Mom, I'm OK. Take me to practice quickly.'"
After Christina fell off the balance beam, Dawes told her gently, "You were a little bit tight, but not enough. I should be able to walk by and push you, and you should still be able to fight to stay on the beam."
Christina listened intently, smiled and then jumped back on the beam.
About 20 girls dressed in fluorescent leotards showed their best moves and tricks as Dawes gave them tips about improving their form and routines in a recent session.
"When I was younger, and judges or other Olympians would come in, I wanted to show off, too," Dawes said after practice. "It's great to see these young girls work through fear factors and mental blocks to push themselves."
The girls, who range in age from 8 to 17, come from Harford and Cecil counties. For hours, Dawes watched as they performed the basics: cartwheels across the floor, backflips and pirouettes.
