Gymnast Nia Dennis Cartwheeled Into the Met Gala With a Marching Band

She performed a full routine—in Stella McCartney x Adidas, no less!

Nia Dennis
(Image credit: Theo Wargo / Getty Images)

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 (opens in new tab)—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 (opens in new tab) 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 (opens in new tab). "Nia Dennis has actually fallen down the stairs of the Met Gala (on purpose)," wrote Alex Zalben (opens in new tab).

Here are images of the epic performance:

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

(Image credit: John Shearer / Getty Images)

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

(Image credit: Theo Wargo / Getty Images)

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

(Image credit: Mike Coppola / Getty Images)

And The Shade Room even has video from the performance:

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And here it is from another angle:

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That. Is. Epic.

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

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

(Image credit: Mike Coppola / Getty Images)

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

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(Image credit: Getty Images)
Katherine J. Igoe
Contributor

Katherine’s a Boston-based contributor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle—from “Clueless” to Everlane to news about Lizzo. She’s been a freelancer for 11 years and has had roles with Cosmopolitan and Bustle, with bylines in Parents, Seventeen, and elsewhere. It’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.