We’re Amazed At UCLA Gymnast Who’s Earned A 10-Point Score For Her Haunting Floor Routine

Jul 12, 2021

Gymnastics routines have been getting a lot of love in the last few years and with good reason. Some of the routines that gymnasts are turning out these days show more than just technical skill — they are also an absolute joy to watch, incorporating elements of dance and other performance aspects. 

Overwhelmingly, the UCLA gymnastics team seems to be dominating the sport at the college level, with gymnasts such as Nia Dennis and Katelyn Ohashi performing near-perfect routines that have gone on to become viral sensations too. 

Now, fellow UCLA gymnast Gracie Kramer can join their ranks too, as a floor routine she performed in 2020 earned her an amazing 9.950 score and subsequently went on to viral fame as well.

In her routine, Kramer performs to Billie Eilish's song "Bad Guy," but what makes her performance so enthralling is the acting and mannerisms she incorporates alongside her incredible acrobatic maneuvers. Acting as the literal "bad guy" that's referred to in the song, Kramer becomes an eerie character herself, as if she's the bad guy in a thriller or horror movie.

Although she breaks character a few times in order to smile widely at the crowd — and who can blame her, considering how amazing her performance is — Kramer succeeds in truly being the "bad guy" through her depiction. 

What makes performances like hers so exciting to watch is that it's never clear what she'll do next, and then whenever she perfectly lands those gravity-defying maneuvers, it only adds to the excitement. Let's take a look at her incredible routine. 

Each year promises the showcase of amazing routines from the talented athletes of the UCLA Gymnastics team, and last year was no exception. A then 21-year-old Gracie Kramer, who is a 2018 national champion for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), performed a captivating routine at a meet against Boise State. For her floor routine, Kramer chose the two-time Grammy Award-winning song "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish.

In the video of her routine, Kramer is seen holding an intense gaze at the start, which matches perfectly with the ominous mood of the song. One of the commentators described her routine as a “nightmare” to do, and that “she’s the bad guy in everybody’s nightmare.” She means it in a good way, of course. It's safe to say that Kramer's routine isn't like other floor routines, as she adds a level of acting and performance that audiences don't get to see too often.

But from the moment she lands her first major maneuver, it's clear that Kramer isn't relying on storytelling and her "bad guy" image — she's just as talented as other gymnasts out there, perhaps even more so, considering the ease she's landing her moves and giving an electrifying out-of-character performance at the same time!

What makes her routine so enjoyable is that after landing maneuvers, Kramer smiles widely at the judges and crowd, showing that she's not really the "bad guy" after all, but rather an incredibly talented young gymnast. But one second later, she puts her game face back on and the "nightmare" character is back. Her performance is so thrilling as there are layers to it, it's not just her doing gimmicky tricks. 

Kramer executes the rest of her routine with incredible flips, splits, and strides across the floor, all while channeling some serious "bad guy" energy. Her routine was aptly awarded a score of 9.950. From the second she finishes her final pose, Kramer's face broke into a wide smile, as it must have been clear how perfectly she nailed her routine. And not only did she tell a story with it, but she also appeared to have a lot of fun doing it.

In January of this year, fellow UCLA gymnast Nia Dennis wowed the crowd at the season opener between UCLA and Arizona State, when she performed a floor routine that was not only technically brilliant but that showed off her dance moves in an incredibly delightful way. The near-perfect routine had the entire crowd buzzing as she performed to a mashup of songs from the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé, Missy Elliott, Soulja Boy, and Megan Thee Stallion, before finally ending on Tupac Shakur's iconic Golden State anthem, "California Love." Her routine also scored a near-perfect 9.950 and clinched the win for the Bruins.

There is clearly something in the water over at the UCLA gymnastics department! Whatever they're doing, they're doing it very right. By now the university gym team has earned an esteemed reputation for how many incredible routines it continues to put forth into the world. It's clear that the gymnasts performing the routines are absolutely thrilled doing them, while the world gets to appreciate their talent and the genuine positive energy that they bring — everyone wins. We can't wait to see what UCLA has in store for us in the future, because if it's anything like Kramer or Dennis' performances, we're sure in for a treat. 

You need to watch this video for yourself to see just how talented Gracie Kramer is, and then show it to your friends and family! What was your favorite moment of her routine?