Why U.S. Olympic Gymnast Laurie Hernandez Is Giving Us Life On The Floor

August 10, 2016

Tonight, U.S. Olympic gymnasts Aly Raisman and Simone Biles—two of the buzziest names surrounding this year’s Rio Olympic Games—will represent Team USA in the all-around finals.

And don’t get us wrong, we are all about these two superstars. Biles, at her first-ever Olympic Games, has quickly become America’s Sweetheart, with all the energy, power and strength of a true athlete and fierce competitor. And Raisman, the eldest of the Final Five, has the maturity, grace and effortless demeanor young gymnasts dream of.

But we as dancers are here to represent Team Laurie Hernandez.

Hernandez is an absolute gem, and her floor routine was perfection. (The fact that it started off with a smirk and a wink sealed the deal before the music even began.) She moves with an infectious joy that gets the world to smile, and her tumbling passes are seemingly unreal. (Seriously, girl, how?) What we love best about her, though?

The girl can dance!

Hernandez, a high school sophomore from New Jersey, doesn’t look like the other gymnasts on the floor, who throw a few awkward, jerky “dance moves” between tumbling passes and call it dancing. There’s none of that here. Hernandez moves with serious style, and her moves are fluid and fun. She seems to genuinely love performing, and isn’t just in this for the flips and tricks (which, TBH, are beyond incredible). She’s vibrant, she’s on top of her music, and she’s got visible confidence.

See?


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