OFF THE MAT | NIA DENNIS

We have been a fan of National Championship Nia Dennis' gymnastic routines for a while, but then it was her iconic routine set to Beyoncé that went viral and this UCLA athlete alum popped up on everyone's radar! We've seen her at the Met Gala in 2021 and on the Gold Over America Tour alongside Olympians Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, Laurie Hernandez to name a few.

We chatted with Nia to talk about her sport, how she got into it, recovering from her injury, giving us that Black Girl Magic moment and her partnership with Pressed. In this issue, you'll also hear about her 63MIX ROUTIN3S and NEW YEAR, N3W YOU.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What drew you to gymnastics?

NIA DENNIS: When I was younger, I honestly tried a couple of other things, such as ballet, and piano lessons but I cried at every lesson! My parents told me that I used to flip around on the playground as a young child kind of unsafely lol so they decided to put me in gymnastics lessons & I didn’t cry for once!! Haha. And ever since I could remember, I’ve absolutely loved gymnastics, the feeling of flying and being free had me hooked.

AM: You tore your Achilles 3 months before the 2016 Olympics. What did you learn and how have you approached the sport since?

ND: During that time I was feeling really depressed about my injury & honestly wanted to quit the sport. I no longer found gymnastics enjoyable. Through digging deep and understanding there were other goals in the sport that I wanted to accomplish, such as, competing for team UCLA and getting an education, I discovered how resilient I was. Once entering UCLA I was able redefine my identity as a gymnast, and also rediscover the joy I used to feel for the sport. I began to approach gymnastics as I used to when I was a child, when it was fun and freeing.

AM: I remember seeing your Beyoncé themed floor routine and being blown away by the energy, skill, and confidence that you exuded. How did you come up with this routine and I know when I watched it, I loved seeing this Black Girl Magic moment and it made me proud and excited – how has it impacted you?

ND: Thank you so much!! This routine was inspired by my annual Thanksgiving trips to New Orleans. Every year we would go to battle of the bands because a lot of my family down there went to the big school that battles in the event, Grambling. I loved the majorette dancers and loved the energy they brought to performing. Ironically enough, while I was beginning to come up with my theme for my routine, Beyoncé dropped her Homecoming album that was just perfect for what I wanted to do. I wanted to bring some of Black culture to the sport of gymnastics and it was so personal to me because a lot of my family went there. The response my routine has received truly has blown me away. I feel overwhelmed with love and light. Ya know I used to be that young girl who looked up to Gabby and Dominique Dawes & representation is so important, so I feel honored to be in this position for the next generation of young girls.

AM: As an athlete, you’re always focused on optimizing your body and mind and you recently partnered with Pressed – why did you want to work with them and what are you doing together?

ND: This year it’s not about making big resolutions but taking small steps to make big changes and my first step is getting more fruits and veggies into my day. To do that, I’m so excited to announce my new partnership with Pressed and share my new Limited-Edition Nia Dennis Routine featuring my three favorite Pressed juices and three Pressed well-being shots which is available in store and on pressed.com.

IG @niaadennis

PHOTOS COURTESY | Pressed

Read the JAN ISSUE #74 of Athleisure Mag and see Off the Mat | Nia Dennis in mag.

IN STEP WITH BREA STINSON

We're about putting our best foot forward no matter what we're doing or going to. So when we had the chance to talk with Celebrity Celebrity Costume Designer, Brea Stinson whose work has been on Beyonce, TLC, Rita Ora, Willow Smith, Justin Beiber, Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes and more. 

In addition to having a great eye, she has recently partnered with The Tampax and Always Radiant Collection and the HBCU Dance Corporation during Homecoming season to host the #RadiantDanceOff, a national online dance competition that officially launched earlier this month, and is exclusively open to majorette teams at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The winning HBCU dance team will receive custom uniforms designed by Brea as well as a donation of $25,000 to cover team expenses.

We took some time to find out about how she got into the business, the importance of confidence for women in the entertainment business and why she has partnered with Tampax and Always Radiant Collection during Homecoming season at HBCUs.

ATHLEISURE MAG: How did you get into designing and tell us who some of your celeb clients have been as well as what is the memory of the first piece that you created for a celebrity?

BREA STINSON: I've been designing as long as I can remember. From drawing cartoon characters and bubble letters on jeans in the 6th grade for $5-25 dollars a pop, to designing prom dresses for my high school friends.....I've been putting in work for some time now!

I've had the honor of working with Will Smith, Usher, Beyonce, Zayn, Missy Elliott, Justin Bieber, Rita Ora and more. 

The first celebrity piece that stands out for me is the jacket I conceptualized for Jay-Z for his "Fade to Black" ("retirement") concert at Madison Square Garden. I had been a fan of his for so long by that point. I felt like I knew all his lyrics and certain principles that were valuable to him. I was working as an assistant stylist at the time and I suggested that we use vintage tattoo art to convey a message on a cashmere blazer that we pulled for him. I selected the dagger going through the heart and it read, "death before dishonor". The look on his face when my boss revealed the jacket was priceless. He loved it! It was at that moment, I realized there was something special in these little ideas of mine. To have him embrace my concept at such a huge moment in his career was an overwhelming feeling. I'm forever grateful for that moment. 

AM: You have dressed the world's most stunning and confident women, how impactful is that on you to be around such bold women who represent the entertainment industry?

BS: It's insane!!! It fuels me. I've been blessed to work with the most talented female creative directors, dancers, producers and artists!!! Having such women of influence choose me, wear my designs and support my dream, is more than flattering. It's inspiring to be in the presence of such power and positivity. I just try to soak up all the knowledge and good energy I can. I only hope to leave them with as much as they give. 

AM: Why did you decide to partner with Tampax and Always Radiant Collection in their initiative with HBCUs? 

BS: Tampax and Always have always been my brands of choice. I come from a family of female go getters and to be honest, Tampax was the only brand I recall seeing as a child. Our relationship goes all the way back to when I was a dancer in my younger years and from then until now, Tampax has never failed me. Comfort and leak-free protection equals confidence and those qualities are things the Tampax and Always Radiant Collection embody. Also I know from personal experience and from working with my clients that it's important to feel your best in order to perform at the highest level. All these things are the reason this partnership and initiative geared towards HBCUs really spoke to me, especially given that I graduated from an HBCU, Clark Atlanta University, myself. I'd like to think, this is indeed a way to give back.

AM:  You went to Clark Atlanta University, a HBCU - how meaningful is this partnership as the competition with Tampax highlights these elite schools?

BS: Yes, I did! Our school motto is, "find a way or make one". This has stuck with me through my education and career. HBCU's have produced some of this nation’s most RADIANT achievers. So it's not only meaningful, it’s a perfect fit! 

While we won't be able to visit all the schools during this campaign, the great thing is that everyone can participate in the competition in some way. Each qualifying HBCU majorette team can enter for a chance to win $25,000 and costumes designed by me!! And, the general public can participate by casting their vote November 2 -November 15th on who they think the winning team should be. 

AM: Beyond your involvement with this contest, how important is it to bring the awareness of this study to the African American community?

BS: It's crucial. Studies have shown 4 out of 5 women avoid wearing certain clothing and or doing certain activities during that time of the month, that could be up to a week when they don’t feel like their best selves!

Tampax and Always have been steadfast in creating products with premium protection over the years. It's time to let the girls know, that they can live their best lives any day of the month and completely show up for the task at hand, feeling comfortable and confident. There's so much to be unsure about these days, so this is one less thing to stress about. This Radiant campaign celebrates that personal freedom and fearlessness. 
 
AM: How excited are you for the Radiant Tailgate taking place at Howard University? 

BS: I'm totally excited! Howard University was one of my top 3 choices. Although, I chose CAU....I've always had a love for this school. Being a part of this campaign allows me participate in the Howard University festivities and deliver a message of style and confidence that is very dear to me. 

Read more from the Oct Issue and see In Step with Brea Stinson in mag.

BINGELY STREAMING

MARVEL THE DEFENDERS
Netflix Original Series

Netflix Originals has been the go to destination for a number of your favorite Marvel characters
and with a number of series in this category coming out, we're excited to see this world come to life with individual series as well as when they mix within their stories.

Marvel The Defenders is a limited series based on the Marvel Comics characters Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist, who form this superhero team in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

HOMECOMING
Gimlet Media

Sometimes you have things to do and when you can't think of music you want to hear on your Spotify account, it's time to put a podcast into your rotation. We're always listening to a number of great shows and earlier this year we stumbled upon Homecoming.

We listen to a number of well produced podcasts, but the special aspect of this one is the fact that it takes place within snippets of conversation whether it's happening in realtime, a flashback, a recording, etc. Although the second season is currently being released, even the very first episode throws you into a world that you're not sure what's going on. It doesn't help that a number of the characters are also confused as many have memory loss!

The story surrounds the military, its soldiers
and those that were hired to extract information from these soldiers! You take
a journey with those that are hired to learn about the soldiers and realize that everyone is receiving partial information and what the morality is for those that are trying to help the soldiers versus those that will do anything at any cost to move up the ladder. This season, there is a book that can be read online that follows the journey of one of the main soldiers so that you can understand more backstory on what is taking place.

This psychological thriller is voiced by David Schwimmer, Catherine Keener, Michael Cera and Oscar Isaac.

DIFFICULT PEOPLE
Hulu Original

Welcome to the third season of Hulu Originals' Difficult People. If you haven't caught up, it's a good time to do so as the 3rd season continues to look at the world of Julie and Billy, aspiring comedians who are 30-somethings living in NYC. While they wait to be the versions of themselves that they believe they should be, they have their day jobs while thinking bitterly of their friends who are living their best lives.

This duo performs at local comedy clubs together and live a life where everything is viewed from their vantage point like an ongoing selfie. By day, Julie is a TV blogger and her friend is a waiter. This season, as always, has a number of celebrities that flow through this 30 minute series, and this season, you can expect a number of jokes about the current political climate from their vantage point of course.

Read more from the Aug Issue and see Bingely Streaming in mag.