All-Star Equivalents?

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I see that many commenting on this thread are from larger/mega gyms and I guess it's possible that these programs have the ability to pick and choose their routine placement based on symmetry. Most programs don't have that option.
I'm really trying to recall Mini, Little and Sacha's placements in routines here (brown boy, brown girl with a bob and 6-foot tall black girl) and all I can really come back to is that they were placed where they should be, based on skills. Or the skill of their flyer. Little has been point flyer and back right corner base, Sacha has back spotted the entire floor, they've tumbled with everyone (from short, white girls to each other) and all three stay in the back for jumps...not their strong skill.
Not saying athlete placement based on visuals doesn't happen, it does and probably should, but i can't think of when it was done without highlighting the skills of the athlete FIRST.
 
I have a small program and we do our best to match heights but I've never ever considered placement in formations around anything but equal/similar sizes and talent. Sometime we have to choose choreography over talent. Ethnicity is never a factor.


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I have a small program and we do our best to match heights but I've never ever considered placement in formations around anything but equal/similar sizes and talent. Sometime we have to choose choreography over talent. Ethnicity is never a factor.


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It's not ethnicity but similar skin tones. Some white people tan as dark as some African Americans.


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It's not ethnicity but similar skin tones. Some white people tan as dark as some African Americans.
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Funny what you learn on FB. A mother offered to take my child, who is extremely pale, to a friend who has a spray booth. The coach walked by and overheard the conversation and yelled, "PLEASE let her take your pastey child to get sprayed!" I'm not a fan of chemicals, however, he obviously isn't a fan of glowing children.
 
I should clarify before anyone starts taking something wrong and running with it (because I can already see the 'she didn't get to be in the front because she is Asian even though she is the best jumper' thoughts bubbling up) that choreographers try to balance all routines with (practically speaking) characteristics that people are born with and cannot change. I know someone on here said smaller gyms cannot do this, but I have seen quite a few smaller gyms that put their one boy in the middle or their two boys as opposites. Gender, hair color, skin color, hair style, and if you happen to resemble someone on the team are taken into consideration when making formations. If something reasonably could be done to arrange these without sacrificing skill level OR transitions then I don't see why people wouldn't take advantage of it.

BTW terrible transitions are the biggest culprit to skilled individuals not being placed near the front. Really easy example: if your best base is under your worst fly to make it hit and sits in the far back left stunt but also happens to be your 2nd best jumper there is a strong chance they are going to be a lot farther back in the jumps because there is no way to get them to the front without sacrificing transitions (which are a category on the scoresheet).
 
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