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French ‘Voluntary Gymnastics’ and the Quest for its identity (1954–2018)

ABSTRACT In 1954, the founders of the Federation for Voluntary Gymnastics (VG) set the latter the goal of encouraging body maintenance for good health through physical exercise that was accessible to all. Although this rather original identity positioning that defined its institutional features and contributed to the construction of its social image appeared to be fairly clear on the surface, it has nonetheless continued to generate numerous questions, internal debates and realignments to this day. The Federation’s history may therefore be examined through its permanent construction of identity, expressing both a desire to place specific methods of practice at centre stage and question the relationship with the body, which should be affirmed and specified vis-à-vis other federations. One issue resurging regularly in the discussions and debates of federation leaders was the question ‘What is the VG spirit’? In other words, what united members of the Association, leaders, trainers and practitioners alike? How was the unity of this movement created and, more specifically, what made a ‘VG session’ unique? Three time periods can be identified, characterising three lines of positioning which may be linked to changing social, cultural and scientific contexts.