Jordan Chiles’ Beyoncé-Inspired Floor Routine at the Olympics
Jordan Chiles, a gymnast representing the United States, is adding a touch of fun to her second Olympic appearance by performing her floor routine to the music of Beyoncé.
Chiles’ captivating floor routine at the Paris Summer Olympics features a mix of Beyoncé’s hit songs, including “My House,” “Energy,” and even “Lose My Breath” by Destiny’s Child. This isn’t the first time the 23-year-old Olympian has incorporated popular music into her routines. Previously, Chiles gained attention for a hip-hop inspired floor performance that included songs like DJ Kool’s “Let Me Clear My Throat,” and Salt-N-Pepa’s “Push It.”
That performance occurred during a collegiate match, which differs from international competitions where judges may be less receptive to popular music routines. Gymnastics regulations stipulate that floor routine music must be free of lyrics, which is why many athletes opt for classical music in their routines.
But Chiles is determined to leave her mark. “She’s there to make an impact and she’s there to empower other gymnasts to just be themselves,” UCLA assistant coach BJ Das, the choreographer behind Chiles’ floor routine, told the .
Das also incorporated Beyoncé’s influence into the signature Renaissance pose Chiles performs after her second tumbling pass, a “Run the World” shoulder shake, and at the end of her routine with the same pose Beyoncé does at the end of her “Everybody Mad” at Coachella.
Chiles has openly acknowledged Beyoncé’s influence, previously stating in a video for the Olympics Gymnastics that her motto is “I’m that girl” another Beyoncé record. “I feel like I’ve proved enough to this world,” she says. “I don’t have to, you know, change anything, and I can just be authentic to who I want to be.” The gymnast has even commissioned a custom leotard that matched one of Beyoncé’s tour outfits for the U.S. Gymnastics Championships, .
Chiles had the leading into the women’s floor final. Her biggest competitors: fellow teammate Simone Biles and Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade, the latter of which edged her out by just 0.034 points. (Andrade also did a floor routine to a Beyoncé song: “End of Time.”)
The routine appears to have received the Beyoncé stamp of approval, with the 32-time Grammy Award winner sending Chiles a signed copy of her latest album, Cowboy Carter. Chiles shared the gift , which included a note of congratulations. “I always watch you with pride and admiration! Thank you for repping us,” Beyoncé wrote.
The final floor showdown, where viewers can watch Chiles’ rock her floor routine once again, will take place on Monday, Aug. 5.