B.B. Ignatova was born and brought up as a gymnast in Bulgaria. By the age of 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.

BACK TO TOP

Ivanka Kirov

Ivanka was born and raised in Bulgaria.  She started rhythmic gymnastics at the age of 7, and competed in national and international events until the age of 20.  Ivanka won a number of medals and prestigious awards, including the title “Sports Master” in 1974, prior to graduating from the Elite German Language High School.  In 1975, she earned her coaching degree from the Sports Academy in Sofia, Bulgaria.

From 1983 to 1991, Ivanka coached the junior and senior National Team athletes of Bulgaria, and was the personal coach of the Junior National Team Champion.   Certified as a Brevet Judge, she judged a number of international events in the late 80s.

In 1992, Ivanka made her debut in the US gymnastics world and, in 2 short years, became the coach of Kate Jeffris, who ranked 2nd in the nation.  Between 1994 and 1996, she coached at the prestigious United Nations International School in New York.  In 1997, she moved to California and founded the rhythmic gymnastics program in SCATS at Huntington Beach, producing National Team members for 8 years. Ivanka was elected Program Director for Southern California and Coach Representative in the Junior Olympics Program Committee in 2003.  She sat on the USA Gymnastics Board of Directors from 2004 up to 2009, serving for the betterment of the sport in the nation.   In 2004, Ivanka co-founded EuroGymnastics, along with her long-time friend and colleague, B.B. Ignatova, and currently co-heads the gym’s Competitive Program.

BACK TO TOP

Ludmil Boubbov

Born in Sofia, Bulgaria, Ludmil Boubbov has 28 years of professional teaching experience. He earned his professional teaching certificate from the Vaganova Academic Choreographic School (LAHU) in Ste. Petersburg (Leningrad) in Russia, where he studied under Valentina Vaselievna Rumianceva, student of the famous A.J Vaganova. He graduated from the National Choreographic School in Sofia, and perfected his technique, studying with Mr. A.I Pushkin, the most famous teacher of the Kirov Ballet, and other world-renowned ballet masters, Rudolf Nureyev, and Mikhail Baryshnikov.

Ludmil was a participant in the first Moscow International Ballet Competition, along with Baryshnikov. He won bronze medal at the International Ballet Competition in Varna, one of the most famous competitions at that time. A professional dancer and choreographer, Ludmil was a soloist with the Deutsche Opera and West Berlin, as well as Rehearsal Director with Theatre Des Western, where he danced in West Side Story, Oklahaoma, Show Boat, and many other musicals. He performed for 10 years as a soloist with the National Opera House in Sofia, Bulgaria. He also worked under such greats as George Blanchine, Oleg Vinogradov, Alicia Alonso, Leonard Bernstein, Oscar Hammerstein, Maia Pliseckaja, and Natalia Makarova, to name a few.

Ludmil’s involvement with rhythmic gymnastics began way back many years ago in Bulgaria, where he worked together with B.B. Ignatova at the Rhythmic Gymnastic Club Akademic for 2 seasons. There, both Ludmil and B.B. produced National Team members who were known for decades as World and Olympiad Champions. Later, in his travels as a professional dancer, Ludmil did 2-1/2 years of teaching stint at the Rhythmic Gymnastic Club of Nelva Estevez in Tenerife, Spain, where he also produced national and international award-winning ballet students in the likes of Claudia Perez, Adassa Ramos, Hiurma Ramos, and Tania Pacheco, to name a few.

In September of 2008, B.B. found Ludmil in California and, once again, decided to rebuild their teamship in producing world champions in the field of rhythmic gymnastics.

BACK TO TOP

Nastia Afonicheva

Nastia joined EuroGymnastics in 2008 as a USAG Professional Member, and is the youngest in the gym’s coaching team which handles the competitive program. She started gymnastics at the age of 4, and trained on both the East and West Coasts. 

She says, “I was fortunate enough to be taught by several coaches throughout my gymnastics career, and I attribute to them everything that I know and able to coach today.”Nastia has 12 years of competitive experience in rhythmic gymnastics, 4 of which as an Elite Level competitor. When asked how she got into the sport, here’s what she had to say:  “As far as I know, after my family migrated here from Russia, my parents needed some place to ‘store’ me, while they were at work.” 

Looking back, that seemed like one great move after all! Nastia is currently finishing her second year at Santa Monica College, and plans to transfer to UC Irvine to major in Psychology and minor in Biomedical Engineering. She is CPR and First-Aid certified.

BACK TO TOP

Born in Romania in 1989, Corina Veres started artistic gymnastics at SCATS Gymnastics in Huntington Beach, California at the age of 8. Ivanka, who, at that time, headed the gym’s rhythmic gymnastics program, saw Corina’s potential, and immediately pulled her to move to the rhythmic program, putting her straight to Level 6. After merely 2 months of training, Corina started to compete. Her amazing showing in Level 6 prompted her immediate promotion to Level 9 the following season, as well as a SCATS scholarship.

Two years later, Corina made it to the US Junior National Team, ranking 4th place All-Around. Corina was promoted to Level 10 and moved with Ivanka as she formed EuroGymnastics with B.B. In 2006, shortly after 2 years in Level 10 and ranking 10th in the nation, Corina decided to retire and commit herself to schooling. At present, Corina heads the Recreational Program at EuroGymnastics. She says coaching is her second love, next to competing. She just loves kids, and professes that she has a special connection with each of her students. Corina plans to go into the fashion industry after she completes her Business Administration degree at Vanguard University, however not leaving the rhythmic gymnastics world completely.
 
“I know that what I learned as a gymnast is something that I could never have learned anywhere else. Ivanka is a great coach and mentor. She really brought out the best in me. My passion for the sport was developed more because of her, and I intend to share this to the world using my college degree in the future,” concludes Corina.

BACK TO TOP

Leslie Kester

Leslie Kester began rhythmic gymnastics at the age of 7 under Ivanka Kirov’s tutelage.  In her 5 years as a high-level competitive gymnast, she placed 14th in the Junior Olympics as a Level 8, and qualified for Level 10, placing 15th at the National Championships. A born dancer, Leslie attended the dance conservatory at the Orange County High School of the Arts, and participated in a 6-week dance program with the American Ballet Theatre in New York. Currently, Leslie continues to dance with the Festival Ballet Theatre and coaches on an on-call basis at EuroGymnastics.

BACK TO TOP