UCLA’s Nia Dennis is gaining recognition for her now-viral gymnastics routine, and we can see why.
Over the weekend, the 21-year-old gymnast took the floor for the team’s season opener against Arizona State. Although Dennis delivered a flawless performance, fans can’t stop talking about the soundtrack, which featured a variety of songs by Black musicians. (This includes Kendrick Lamar, Tupac Shakur, Beyoncé, Missy Elliott, Megan Thee Stallion, and Soulja Boy.)
In the video, Dennis assumes her position on the floor and immediately grabs the audience’s attention with her upbeat moves set to catchy tunes. At one point, the athlete prepares for a tumbling pass right as the music transitions to “Crank That (Soulja Boy).” (If that beat doesn’t pump you up, nothing will.)
Dennis scored an impressive 9.95 on her routine, which (according to UCLA Gymnastics) helped the team walk away with a “W” over Arizona State.
Shortly after the viral performance, Dennis spoked with the Los Angeles Daily News about her routine and revealed that she enjoyed it just as much as we did. “This routine definitely reflects everything that I am today as a woman, and of course I had to incorporate a lot of parts of my culture,” she said. “I wanted to have a dance party because that’s my personality, and of course, I had to shout out L.A. because we out here, UCLA.”
This isn’t the first time Dennis has caught the attention of social media. Back in February 2020, the athlete made headlines for her Beyonce-themed floor routine, which scored a 9.975.
Keep ’em coming, Nia.
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