Floor routines used to all pretty much look the same. But in the past few years, we've seen young athletes push the boundaries of competitive performances in terms of song choice, style, and overall sass! Some gymnasts have really begun to embrace their own unique vision while performing, bringing a whole new energy to the sport. Now one Beyoncé-inspired floor routine is going viral for all the right reasons.
The latest superstar athlete to show off her moves and inspire us all is UCLA gymnast Nia Dennis, who had everyone on their feet as she flipped across the mat on December 14, 2019, to Beyoncé's song "Crazy in Love." That performance is going viral because the internet is "Crazy in Love" with it … and with Nia!
Nia, who is a junior at UCLA, performed the floor exercise routine during the UCLA Gymnastics Meet the Bruins intra-squad event at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles. Her performance hit the internet last week, though, and that's when the floor routine really took off. It was shared and shared some more, and currently the original tweet from UCLA has over 182,000 likes! Nia's performance earned her an almost-perfect score, too, with a 9.975 from the judges.
While there was a tiny deduction, everyone else seemed to think the routine was utterly perfect. The crowd freaked out, and Nia's teammates all rushed to the floor to celebrate her Beyoncé-esque performance when it was over. Even Nia herself seemed pretty excited. At the end of the video, she's flat-out lying on the ground, overwhelmed with emotion.
There's no doubt why it's such a huge hit with internet-goers. Nia simply has so much presence on the floor. While we often see gymnasts perform their routines using a very straightforward, super-structured approach, Nia's struts give this routine so much personality — it's hard to watch it and not have fun!
It doesn't hurt that she hit every move, too, from her crazy-high jumps to her landings to her perfectly timed dancing. In gymnastics, it's hard to balance bringing so much personality into a routine with performing the required skills because everything has to be precise. But Nia astounded the crowd by finding that balance and then some.
The routine earned her tons of praise at the event. But the real fame came later. Her routine was shared on UCLA's Twitter page, and soon it started circulating. The video went far and wide. Even some celebrities saw it, reshared it, and sent some love out to Nia herself.
Nia had to be thrilled that Alicia Keys congratulated the gymnast. She retweeted the routine, saying, "look at this unstoppable power and confidence!! Was just talking about how nothing gives you more power then being yourself! Shine @DennisNia, I’m inspired!"
But Alicia wasn't the only one.
Senator Kamala Harris also sent Nia some love. She pointed out that the routine was being shared during Black History Month, which makes it extra meaningful. "@DennisNia is ending #BlackHistoryMonth the right way―by showcasing her Black excellence. Beyoncé herself would be proud," she wrote.
Other celebrities, like Steve Harvey, shared the routine, too. But so did young girls, athletes, and parents, saying that it had affected their kids or that their daughters now had a new role model. It's so important for young girls to see people who look like them succeeding in every sport and occupation. Representation matters, and Nia is doing an incredible job of that.
At the end of her routine, she puts an imaginary crown on her head, simply owning her power.
So many comments were quick to point out how important it is that we see black girls owning their power like that. And it really is inspiring. Not only do we love watching her nail the routine, seeing her feeling so confident about herself is icing on the cake. She's truly an incredible role model.
Nia hopped online to say "thank you" to everyone who had shown her love and support. She's clearly been blown away with the internet fame, even though it's definitely well-deserved. She said, "I am overwhelmed with happiness and joy, thank you everyone for such positive messages, it means the world to me to have your support. this is so surreal i can’t even believe it! much love always.. -xx nations."
We're definitely going to be seeing more from this rising star. Nia is such a talented young woman, and judging by this routine, she's totally fearless. We can't wait to see what she does next. Whether it's on or off the gymnastics floor, we'll be rooting for her.
