When Nia Dennis graduated from UCLA final spring, she knew she nonetheless had some gymnastics alternatives forward of her, particularly the Gold Over America Tour with a rockstar roster of world-class gymnasts, a lot of whom she grew up competing in opposition to. There was additionally an electrical, flip-filled look on the 2021 Met Gala steps (no massive deal). However in the end, she’s trying to department out and uncover what it means to be “NiaNation” past her sport.
Whereas she says a profession within the gymnastics realm is all the time an amazing plan to fall again on — she nonetheless coaches summer season camps — Dennis informed POPSUGAR in early January, “I undoubtedly need to see what else I can convey to the desk, and I feel that this 12 months is a 12 months for me to discover.” She has a level in sociology, which she will not put to make use of simply but. For now, she’s pursuing alternatives within the leisure house, like modeling, dancing, and stunt doubling. A handful of UCLA gymnasts who got here earlier than her are stunt doubles (Sadiqua Bynum, Natalie Padilla, and Kiralee Hayashi, for example), and she or he notes she’d like to do stunts for a franchise such because the Marvel superhero movies.
Dennis tumbled in a Dick’s Sporting Goods commercial post graduation, and most just lately partnered with Pressed and Nair. She could not reveal specifics about upcoming alternatives, although she did word that one deal she has within the works goes alongside along with her mission of authenticity and empowering younger girls and ladies.
Dennis says she was inspired to search out her genuine self throughout her 4 years at UCLA (2018-2021) because of former Bruins head coach Valorie Kondos Discipline (“Miss Val”). Dennis discovered to like herself and her sport once more after she missed the Rio Olympics — a dream of hers she strived towards for 17 years — on account of a torn achilles. It was one of many darkest factors of her profession, and Miss Val helped her reclaim the joy she as soon as had within the sport.
“Rising up, I struggled with id and wanting to alter the colour of my pores and skin and wanting to slot in with my surroundings and wanting to slot in with individuals round me,” Dennis says, recalling instances when her childhood teammates would make enjoyable of her hair texture or the truth that the chalk they’d use on bars and different occasions would present up “brighter” on her pores and skin. Kondos Discipline, she says, would have a good time the athletes’ variations “versus what I used to be used to, which was criticizing our variations and bullying and making enjoyable of individuals’s variations.”
Kondos Discipline retired in 2019, and Chris Waller was promoted from affiliate head coach to fill her function. Waller and UCLA management are at the moment coming underneath hearth on account of reported failure to address racist incidents within the team. A freshman allegedly used racial slurs and made inappropriate feedback in entrance of teammates, which some members of the group felt coaches, Waller included, didn’t deal with appropriately. The gymnast has since transferred to LSU.
Dennis mentioned in a followup name when information started surfacing on-line that she does not really feel comfy talking on the matter. Nevertheless, the sense of self she garnered as a collegiate gymnast — the unrivaled character and delight she displayed in her wildly viral floor performances — continues to drive her ahead. “As soon as you might be authentically you, it is actually arduous to return,” she says.
Dennis was amongst a category of athletes eligible for an additional 12 months on account of COVID-19, however she had already deliberate to shut that NCAA chapter. Whereas it was a troublesome resolution to make, she had her thoughts set. “I undoubtedly do really feel like it’s time to transfer on and discover my different passions and discover what else is fulfilling to me,” she says.
Having just lately moved to a brand new condo, Dennis is getting settled into the “actual world.” She notes, “My entire life has been a routine, and it has been spelled out for me.” Now, she’ll forge a distinct path all her personal.
