Meet The Team! – MG Rhythmic Academy

Level 9

Name: Liza Odikadze

Year Born: 2006

Joined MG: 2017 (Since Opening)

Goals for '21-'22 Season: Qualify for Level 10, Elite, & National Team

Fun Fact: Though she may seem intimidating, Liza is quite the jokester!

Favorite Quote: "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard"

Awards: AA 3rd Place National Champion, 1st Place Clubs National Champion

Name: Isabella (Bella) Lee

Year Born: 2007

Joined MG: 2017 (Since Opening)

Goal for '21-'22 Season: Qualify for Level 10

Fun Fact: Bella is an avid anime-watcher!

Favorite Quote: "I'll leave tomorrow's problems to tomorrow's me"

Awards: AA 5th Place State Championship

Name: Yelyzaveta (Liza) Trutayeva

Year Born: 2007

Joined MG: 2017 (Since Opening)

Goals for '21-'22 Season: Qualify for Level 10, Elite, & National Team

Fun Fact: Before she was born, Liza's dad was convinced that she would never do Rhythmic Gymnastics - look at Liza now!

Favorite Quote: "You were not born a winner and you were not born a loser. You are what you make yourself to be"

Awards: 2021 Nationals Qualifier, AA 7th Place Level 9 Classic & 4th Place Hoop Level 9 Classic

Name: Ally Chen

Year Born: 2007

Joined MG: 2017 (Since Opening)

Goals for '21-'22 Season: Qualify for Level 10 & Place in the Top 5 at all Competitions

Fun Fact: Ally played piano for 5 years, which contributes to her musicality in routines!

Favorite Quote: "Stop waiting for things to happen. Go out and make them happen."

Awards: AA 1st Place Regional Champion, AA 2nd Place State Champion & AA 7th Place National Champion

Name: Laura Feng

Year Born: 2008

Joined MG: 2017 (Since Opening)

Goals for '21-'22 Season: Qualify for Level 10

Fun Fact: Laura has been playing violin for eight years and counting!

Favorite Quote: "Stars can't shine without darkness"

Awards: AA 1st Place at Open Championships & AA 3rd Place State Champion

Name: Nyla Sharif

Year Born: 2006

Joined MG: 2020

Goal for '21-'22 Season: Overcome health issues and perform to her own standards

Fun Fact: Proving that RG requires physical talent and intelligence, Nyla enjoys learning about neuroscience and thanatology!

Favorite Quote: "You get what you need, even if it is not always what you want"

Awards: AA 6th Place State Champion

Name: Lana Ryabin

Year Born: 2007

Joined MG: 2017 (Since Opening)

Goals for '21-'22 Season: Qualify for Nationals & Level 10

Fun Fact: In addition to RG, Lana loves to dance (catch Lana on our MG TikTok page)!

Favorite Quote: "Your mistakes are the steps to your success"

Awards: AA 2nd Place Rhythmic Empire Cup, 1st Place Hoop Rhythmic Empire Cup & 2nd Place Hoop KSIS Cup

Level 8

Name: Natalie Raskin

Year Born: 2008

Joined MG: 2020

Goals for '21-'22 Season: Qualify for Nationals & Improve

Fun Fact: Natalie was born in Israel and lived there for 7 years!

Favorite Quote: "My brain is like an app: when I use it, it does great things"

Awards: AA 1st Place State Champion & AA 1st Place Regional Champion

Name: Alyssa Xia

Year Born: 2008

Joined MG: 2017 (Since Opening)

Goal for '21-'22 Season: Qualify for Nationals

Fun Fact: Alyssa considers herself a "music nerd" which is evidenced by her exceptional musicality!

Favorite Quote: "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard"

Awards: AA 1st Place National Champion & AA 1st Place State Champion

Level 6

Name: Marina Podgoretsky

Year Born: 2010

Joined MG: 2017 (Since Opening)

Goal for '21-'22 Season: to have clean routines

Fun Fact: Marina plays the flute!

Favorite Quote: "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard"

Awards: AA 3rd Place Open Championships

Name: Sofia Kartashova

Year Born: 2011

Joined MG: 2019

Goals for '21-'22 Season: to learn how to handle ribbon well

Fun Fact: While RG certainly requires flexibility, Sofia has exceptional back flexibility and strength!

Favorite Quote: "If you are at the top of the staircase, the only way to stay on top is by taking more steps"

Awards: AA 1st Place Open Championships

Name: Simone (Sima) Gilbert

Year Born: 2011

Joined MG: 2019

Goals for '21-'22 Season: to work hard and learn all of her routines quickly so that she can clean them

Fun Fact: Though Sima joined MG in '19, she started gymnastics when she was only 3 years old!

Favorite Quote: "Work hard and never give up"

Awards: AA 1st Place National Champion

Level 4

Kayamina Bolotovsky

Sabina Sabitov

Erin Frankel

Level 3

Maria (Masha) Hilitski

Sarah Fu

Preteam 2

Miroslava (Mira) Baklanova

Adela Wu-Sun

Karalina Byk

Lilia Wu-Sun

Preteam 1

Olivia Lee

Elizabeth Mikhailov

Olesia Prokopenko

Emeline Serbarinova

Varya