In January 2019, UCLA gymnast Katelyn Ohashi went viral for her floor routine, garnering more than 10 million views across social media platforms. Her routine, choreographed to a medley of Michael Jackson hits, was punctuated by dynamic tumbling and trademark dance moves like the Moonwalk. The internet went wild.
Ohashi was one of the first gymnasts to get a taste of fame thanks to her charismatic floor routine, but she certainly wasn’t the last. Almost every season a new NCAA gymnast breaks into the mainstream with a viral floor routine. Though each routine is different, what they all have in common is the way the music connects with the audience. How do coaches, athletes, and choreographers work together to choose a piece of music that not only fits the athlete but can resonate with the target audience?
Music has immense power over our mental psyche and can evoke memories of a person, a memory, or a feeling. That’s why selecting music individualized to each person’s taste and performance quality is so important in helping gymnasts create a routine that is meaningful to them.
Thomas Parrot, the owner of Sunrise Music Productions and the mastermind behind the music for gymnasts on Denver’s team, emphasizes that the process is very nuanced for each team…
