UCLA Gymnast Nia Dennis Is Back With More Beyoncé in a New Floor Routine
UCLA’s star gymnast Nia Dennis caught our eyes last year, when she performed a viral floor routine inspired by Beyoncé’s Homecoming. Now a senior, she’s back with another nod to Black culture in a new floor routine that once again went viral over the weekend. Dennis competed at a University of California, Los Angeles, meet against Arizona State, incorporating music by Kendrick Lamar, Missy Elliott, 2Pac, Megan Thee Stallion, and of course, Beyoncé, into her routine. The performance featured Dennis stepping (a tribute to her father, who was involved with Greek life, she said afterward) and raising her fist as a Black Power salute, along with otherwise just stunning the audience. We thought it was flawless, and the judges nearly agreed, awarding Dennis a 9.95 score that led to UCLA’s win. At the post-win press conference, Dennis called the routine a “dance party.” We’ll just continue to wait for that Beyoncé collaboration.
