Top hits and perfect 10s Top hits and perfect 10s Top hits and perfect 10s

A video of UCLA Bruins gymnast Chae Campbell begins with the star in a contemplative pose on the mat. “This choreography is brilliant,” says the announcer. In the background, her choreography coach smiles and cheers, sometimes dancing along with Campbell, who scores a perfect 10 in the routine, which went viral on social media.

The choreographer behind UCLA’s fantastic floor routines is former Husky gymnast BJ Das, ’06. Das, now an assistant coach for the Bruins, brings out the fire in performers with her routines, letting their personalities take the spotlight. You might have seen some of her work in UCLA Athletics’ viral videos of gymnasts Nia Dennis, Margzetta Frazier or Jordan Chiles, a Vancouver, Washington-born Olympic gold medalist.

“I want it to feel authentic,” says Das. “I want them to enjoy the process and the creativity. That is part of our sport, just as much as the athleticism.”

BJ Das, center in blue, spreads infectious joy to the UCLA Bruins Gymnastics team. Photo by Jesus Ramirez, UCLA Athletics.

Chances are you’ve seen Das’ work outside gymnastics, too, whether it’s her choreography on the second season of “GLOW,” her performance in Justin Bieber’s and Nicki Minaj’s music video for “Beauty and a Beat,” or at the 2015 Emmys, or onstage with Travis Scott, or one of the many commercials she’s choreographed. She performed with the UW Gymnastics team but retired partway through her college career due to an injury, which led her to dance and choreography.

A psychology major at the UW, Das’ favorite class was on the psychobiology of women, “learning a lot about how women work,” she says. Das considers her ability to navigate athletes’ personalities among her greatest strengths.

Understanding an athlete’s mind is crucial in a sport that can feel like a pressure cooker. Several UCLA Gymnastics alumni have opened up about their struggles with stress, along with a mental performance issue common to gymnasts called the “twisties”—a feeling of being lost in the air. “The way the sport was set up back in the ’90s, it was a very high-pressure sport with a win-at-all-costs mentality,” says Das. “We weren’t really encouraged to talk about mental health. Nowadays, they’re more free to speak on it. Coaches and athletes are more aware of the boundaries of what’s healthy and what’s not, more so than it used to be.”

Gymnastics is a team sport, which is clear as day in any of those viral videos. The camaraderie on the edges of the mat is undeniable. “Everyone wants it for each other so bad,” says Das, “and the more energy and love and support they can give each other, the better they do.”

It’s almost as if dancing along on the sidelines is infectious. “I try to make a floor routine that feels good to them, like they can be themselves, that it’s fun,” says Das. “They do it over and over again in the gym, so I want [them to feel like] they can really own it.”

Chiles certainly owns her routine set to the music of Prince, which already earned her a perfect 10 this season. The video is a must-see, as is pretty much any clip you can find of Chiles or 2021 UCLA grad Nia Dennis, who says she’s inspired by Das. (See if you can spot Das in those videos.)

“Nia wanted to make a statement and an impact and reach people who maybe wouldn’t have initially watched a gymnastics floor routine,” says Das, referring to Dennis’ routine celebrating Black culture and featuring music from Megan Thee Stallion, Missy Elliot, Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar.

Speaking of Beyoncé, she’s a fan of Das’ work. She sent a signed copy of her album “Cowboy Carter” to Chiles, whose Bey-filled Paris Olympics routine was choreographed by Das, with a note that read, “Congrats to you, queen. I always watch you with pride and admiration. Thank you for repping us.”

Despite accolades from Queen B, Das remembers her roots with UW gymnastics and Westlake Dance Center, and she returns this week for a UCLA vs. UW meet on Feb. 7, a celebration of women and girls in sports. Olympians Jordan Chiles and Emma Malabuyo will perform for UCLA, while a stacked Husky lineup including Emily Innes and Lana Navarro (both 2025 Big Ten gymnasts to watch) perform under head coach Jessa Hansen Parker in her first season with the UW.

“We’ve had a lot of hype in the cities we’ve visited this season … we have a stacked team of really big personalities on the floor that are fun to watch,” says Das. “So I’m hoping that Seattle’s gonna rally around that show.”