Nia Dennis Performed a Gymnastics Routine at the Met Gala

(Image credit: Theo Wargo / Getty Images)

published 13 September 2021

Nia Dennis, an incredible gymnast known for her floor routine—you may know her after she went viral for her routine that celebrated Black culture—was joined by a literal marching band, specifically the Brooklyn United Marching Band, at the 2021 Met Gala. It's basically the coolest thing you've ever seen: She's wearing a blue Stella McCartney x Adidas bodysuit, according to E! News, and she literally performed a routine, complete with flips and splits, on the steps of the entryway. Best way to start the event? I think so!!

She danced to an instrumental version of "New York" by Alicia Keys. She posted a sparkly Boomerang to her Stories in her outfit with the caption, "all the rumors are true yea." Fans were delighted: "Nia Dennis shows Jason Derulo what he should have done when he fell down the #MetGala steps," wrote Jarett Wieselman. "Nia Dennis has actually fallen down the stairs of the Met Gala (on purpose)," wrote Alex Zalben.

Here are images of the epic performance:

Nia Dennis The 2021 Met Gala Celebrating In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion - Arrivals

And The Shade Room even has video from the performance:

Gymnast Nia Dennis was eating the girls up 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿 pic.twitter.com/t8ubqmmM4PSeptember 13, 2021

And here it is from another angle:

We are live from the 2021 #MetGala with @BKunitedMB. Don't miss a single minute from the red carpet. Here's how to watch, now: https://t.co/IDE1MRB1yF pic.twitter.com/JcywpOb21vSeptember 13, 2021

That. Is. Epic.

Dennis later walked the red carpet in Ana Khouri jewelry, Jennifer Behr's Gigi bobby pins and a sheer sparkly floor-length overlay:

So there's even a high-fashion version of her athletic outfit. Amazing.

The Most Jaw-Dropping Fashion From the Met Gala

Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.