{"id":19230,"date":"2021-02-18T04:04:55","date_gmt":"2021-02-18T10:04:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=19230"},"modified":"2021-02-18T04:04:55","modified_gmt":"2021-02-18T10:04:55","slug":"meet-ucla-gymnast-nia-dennis-who-went-viral-after-black-excellence-floor-routine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=19230","title":{"rendered":"Meet UCLA gymnast Nia Dennis, who went viral after ‘Black excellence’ floor routine"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u2018Got back to my roots\u2019: Nia Dennis and the groundbreaking genius of #BlackExcellence<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n
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\"UCLA's<\/p>\n
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UCLA\u2019s Nia Dennis competes in a floor exercise routine inspired by the Black Lives Matter protests that unfolded last summer during a meet against Brigham Young on Wednesday.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Nia Dennis<\/a> placed her hands on her hips as she sashayed onto the floor. Her shoulders were relaxed. Her chin was held high above a glamorously decorated blue leotard with jewels covering her collarbone like layers of diamond necklaces.<\/strong><\/p>\n

After weeks of planning and practicing, the UCLA<\/a> senior gymnast was finally ready to unveil her latest floor creation. She was nervous and excited. But with a medley of songs from influential Black artists ready to blare over the speakers, she was also proud.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Years ago, there were moments when Dennis, then a promising Olympic hopeful, wished she wasn\u2019t Black. She wished her hair didn\u2019t stick up. She wished the white chalk she used at practice didn\u2019t show up on her skin as much. She wished she fit in.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Standing on the floor with her hand over her heart waiting for the music to begin, Dennis was ready to stand out more than ever.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI got back to my roots,\u201d Dennis said. \u201cI know who I am as a woman and a Black woman at that.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

That woman celebrated Black culture in a 90-second floor routine that took over social media with more than 10 million views in the first weekend. Her score of 9.95 clinched UCLA\u2019s season-opening win on Jan. 23<\/a> against Arizona State as she whipped her black ponytail through sassy dance breaks then refocused for effortless full-twisting front flips and soaring double backflips. Her teammates and coaches served as the ideal, socially distant backup dancers.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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