Sophina DeJesus from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) gave an epic gymnastics floor routine during a competition against a rival university on Saturday night.
The 21-year-old undergraduate performed a modern routine combining hip-hop moves, back flips, rolls and air-splits that has gone viral on YouTube, attracting millions of views.
The BBC reports:
The UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles, undergraduate told Pac-12 Sports Report she had “no clue” it would get such a big reaction.
“I wanted to think of something to end my senior year with a bang,” she said.
NastiaFan101take12 YouTube video:
Sophina was awarded 9.925 for her routine, despite the crowds cheering for the judges to give her a perfect 10.
Her university, UCLA, went on to beat rivals Utah in the competition.
“I love dancing and I love performing. That was the main goal – to go out and hit a good one for my team,” Sophina explained.
She worked it! @sophina_dejesus #SophinaDeJesus#Gymnastics #BlackGirlMagic #BlackGirlsSlay pic.twitter.com/LIrxFt7xyj
— Sisters Who Succeed (@SistersSucceed) February 9, 2016
Sophina got the idea to use hip-hop moves last summer. “I went to this one dance studio in San Diego and [choreographer] Chris Urteaga was doing a dance class. So I watched it and I asked him, ‘Can I put some of these moves in a floor routine?’ and he was like, ‘Yeah, for sure.‘”
Watch her tumble. Watch her whip, Watch her nae nae. https://t.co/Z2hhekLmfD pic.twitter.com/GZQ8ouNDg8 — The New York Times (@nytimes) February 9, 2016
Over the Christmas break Sophina got her sister to help her with the routine.
“My sister is an amazing dancer so I was showing her some of the dance moves that I thought I should incorporate.”
“She helped me come up with more choreography and blended it in, and it was amazing and I was so thankful for her.”
Halftime should’ve been Beyonce and @sophina_dejesus#SB50
— Angel (@peregrin33) February 8, 2016
