Jordan Chiles is already setting the tone for the new year.
On Sunday, Jan. 4, the 24-year-old Olympic gold medalist unveiled her latest floor routine at UCLA’s NCAA season opener, the Best of the West quad competition hosted by the University of Washington. Set to a high-energy, feel-good medley featuring hits from Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, and more, the new presentation landed her a 9.925 in the category.
In a video uploaded to X by UCLA Gymnastics, the “Dancing With the Stars,” finalist delivers a crowd-pleasing routine that opens with prancing steps and tumbling passes to Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” before transitioning into Janet Jackson’s “What Have You Done For Me Lately.” From there, the gymnast leans fully into her vibrant, signature style—pairing personality-packed dance moments with the sleek precision of her gymnastics. Spin leaps slice through the air, floor-skimming choreography hits the mat, and playful air-guitar accents punctuate the routine before she launches into a quadruple back flip, finishing with an adorable shuffle kick as Tina Turner’s “River Deep – Mountain High” brings it all home. The crowd erupts as her teammates dance and cheer her on from the sidelines.
“Jordan Chiles’ new floor routine for 2026 will absolutely remind you that she is still 100% THAT GIRL,” UCLA Gymnastics wrote in the caption.
The celebratory routine arrives just a week before UCLA fans can see it live on Saturday, Jan. 17, when UCLA hosts Nebraska at its home opener. It also comes just weeks after Chiles made it to the finals of “Dancing With the Stars,” where she repeatedly brought the house down—including during a standout moment when Normani surprised viewers by joining her during a routine set to her song.
While the athlete ultimately finished third when the season wrapped in November, her exuberant modern dance style quickly made her a fan favorite. Competing on the show while balancing school and gymnastics, she later reflected on the experience.
“The balance has really been crazy,” she told People magazine at the time. “But I think really having the support system that’s really been there—whether it’s my PR team, management, my agency, my partner on DWTS, my teammates, my coaches—just having people keep reassuring me that it’s okay to have tired days.”
Although “Dancing with the Stars” competition is behind her, the NCAA gymnastics season has just started for the college senior, who placed first on all four events she competed in on Saturday, winning the all-around title and leading UCLA to victory.
