Getting ready to speak to former Olympic gymnast Dominique Moceanu was difficult. In my head, I had 100 questions for her — but I knew our time together would be relatively short. For many children growing up in the '90s, Dominique was more or less a hero. Most notably, she was part of Team USA back in the 1996 Olympics and helped them earn the gold medal.
Dominique was special for many reasons. For one, she was the youngest gymnast on the team. At the time, she was just 14 — and she was so talented back then that she didn't even have to compete in the Olympic trials. A stress fracture in her tibia would have made it impossible, but she was able to secure her spot in the "Magnificent Seven," as they were known, regardless.
The 1996 Olympics in Atlanta marked the only time that Dominique would be part of the universally loved Games, but she left such a mark that she's still remembered today. Being able to connect with her was something that, back in 1996, I could only dream of.
Of course, one of the first things I mentioned was the fact that she made such a big impact on me and many other people in my generation. It was something Dominique has likely heard plenty of times before — but getting that out there was important. When friends knew I'd be talking to her, they mentioned many of the same feelings I had — that they'd always think of her whenever they heard the song "Devil Went Down to Georgia," based on her impeccable floor routine.
Some admitted that Dominique was their first crush. Others echoed my own thoughts, of how Dominique was proof that you can do great things regardless of your age and size. While we didn't have the extensive training or demanding schedule that she did, many young women like myself felt as if she represented us.
Dominique still has an impressive life.
She may no longer be competing as a gymnast, but the sport still holds a special place in her heart. And, like many of us, she's also been watching the Tokyo 2020 Olympics this year. But things are much different from back in the day. For one, Dominique is now married and has two children, Carmen and Vincent, with husband Michael Canales, who also has a background in gymnastics.
"I think I'm always going to get sentimental when the Olympics come around," she said. "My husband and I would joke that we have Olympic hangover, because we're staying up way too late and watching everything we love to watch." She admitted that watching often leads to lack of sleep. But it's all worth it.
While Dominique still practices her gymnastics, it's obvious that her newest true love is yoga — which might not be recognized in the Olympics just yet, but you never know in the future.
There are two components of the studio she runs. DMGC, which stands for Dominique Moceanu Gymnastics Center, and Carmen's Yoga Studio, which was named after her daughter.
"Our daughter does gymnastics too," Dominique shared. "She plays in the gym recreationally, she likes yoga, so I named my yoga studio upstairs after Carmen," whom she later referred to as both her "Christmas baby" and "Christmas miracle." Carmen, who was born Carmen Noel, was born on Christmas Day in 2007.
But it's son Vincent whom you might see on television.
Dominique admitted that the person who's involved with gymnastics the most these days is her son, Vincent, who's hoping to compete as a male gymnast in the 2024 Olympics. That said, she hasn't required either of her children to sit down and watch her classic routines.
"I don't force it upon them," she said, thinking hard about the question. "I should probably show them more … but I don't want him to be like, 'OK, mom,' you know." While the footage is incredible, it's understandable that her kids don't view her in the same way that the public does. After all, she is their mom.
"If he wants to find it on his own, he can search for it," she said with a laugh. "But you know, male gymnasts want to watch male gymnastics." One of Vincent's coaches happens to be his dad, so he's already well aware that he comes from a talented family.
Like many other business owners, Dominique had to manage her studio during a difficult time in 2020. And like many other moms, she was able to connect with her kids even more while staying home.
As far as the studio goes, she mentioned that it was hard knowing what the future held — especially since the studio is somewhat new. The studio, located in Medina, Ohio, just opened in 2018.
"I had to teach our kids through Zoom and try to keep the gym alive," she admitted, noting it was harder since the gym itself was so young. "I know so many businesses that had to shut down, who had 20 and 30 years of business industry experience, and it broke my heart to see yoga studios shut down," she added. "It was hard to survive." Luckily, having her name behind it helped — and Dominique did everything she could to follow regulations and make sure people could exercise in the safest way possible.
Through stressful times, Dominique focused even more on healthy habits.
The athlete admitted that she was more stressed than ever before, especially since plenty of her gym students had to be taught through screens — which they were also having to do for school. Dominique knew that the extra screen time couldn't have been good, but she acknowledged that it was the best way to communicate with the kids during such a scary time. Dominique especially knows the importance of yoga in young children. Learning how to breathe can alleviate stress and, according to Dominique, help them cope with larger issues.
"To be exposed to yoga at such a young age, what a tremendous thing!" she said. "I can create this curriculum, I can make that be a part of their lives … that organic way to focus on your breath, and somebody to teach you how to breathe. Sometimes just learning some tools to help you deal with anxieties and stresses and things … I want to give the kids organic ways to deal with their lives."
Adding healthier foods to her diet was likely a good way to de-stress, which is what led her to her latest partnership with superfoods brand Purely Inspired.
She just started working on the brand's "Do What Makes You Feel Good" campaign, and as she stated, the opportunity came at one of the best times.
"I was looking up probiotics, and what can I do to fuel my body better," she said. "I'm burning so much energy, and burning it at both ends some days. Any mom can relate. You're trying to manage so many things. How can I make myself a better person to be able to handle those things, and make sure my body is getting the nutrition that it needs in the best possible way? Superfoods brands and products are so beneficial to me." The Purely Inspired line includes plenty of protein powders and superfood blends that Dominique quickly fell in love with. It was a match made in heaven. And fueling herself up with the right foods is also a good way to handle her latest quest: successfully parenting teenagers.
The athlete has thought a lot about what makes a good parent.
Being in the spotlight often means that your private life isn't so private. Fans of Dominique might remember that years ago, her rocky relationship with parents Dimitry and Camelia Moceanu became headline news. They initially enrolled Dominique in gymnastics at the age of 3, which she knew was a struggle on their part. The couple initially came to the United States from Romania in the 1980s, and had to make plenty of sacrifices.
Based on her own experiences, she's done her best to make sure that Carmen and Vincent always know they're loved — no matter what.
"It's a matter of, what can we do to bond, what can we do to have a time together where it's special for you and me," she said when asked about her best parenting advice. Even when things may get dicey, Dominique knows exactly what she wants her kids to know — and it's pretty simple. "I'm loving you no matter what, and I love you and I care about you, and I want you to feel that even if I have a busy lifestyle."
That kind of verbal affirmation is something she admits she didn't get when she was younger.
"I think your kids need to know you're always there for them and that you love them unconditionally," she said. "My dad came from a very old school, brutal upbringing, and I think it was his only way to parent. I didn't hear 'I love you' until my 21st birthday from my father, and I was breaking down in the car because it was so emotional. And I think that that just taught me and reminded me, 'I need to tell my kids more,' because they need to know."
But she's since made peace with her parents, realizing that things were different. "My parents were just worried about getting food on the table," she said. "They were poor and they didn't have much, and they tried to put me through gymnastics and I commend them and admire them. I don't fault my dad for those bad things that happened. I forgave him, but I think he did what he knew, and his dad never showed him love. It's all about breaking cycles of bad patterns in our lives, and making sure that our kids have as healthy a home as possible."
When it comes to parenting, it seems like Dominique has it figured out — even though she's still in the beginning of the teenage years with her children. "I hear there's moodiness and different behaviors that happen during this time period," she said with a smile. "I think I can tell you more, maybe, in a few years, but I think the most important thing is to have open lines of communication."
Just like with gymnastics, it sounds like Dominique was born a pro when it comes to parenting.
