I coached at Marvateens (Maryland) in the early/mid 90s, and got to witness a couple of things about Dominique Dawes at some smaller meets. Between 92 and 96, she competed some skills never televised ...like a stunning Yang Bo on balance beam!! And she was so accessible and kind to every adoring kid competing. Our team kids who attended school with her always had great things to say about their interactions with her, and still today, I see some of the interactions our now-grown athletes have with her, and the social media exchanges are filled with joy and celebration for what each is accomplishing in life. Just amazing. I remember the first time I saw her bring the house down (1991) on FX with the Barry Manilow "Jump Shout Boogie." A college friend of mine (now a gym mom) was freaking out about how this little girls from the DC burbs was doing everything and more than the kids from the more established powerhouse gyms. I've had the chance to speak with Dominique from time to time through the years, and she fits into that nicely self-contained, self-enforced persona of an ordinary person doing extraordinary things. Can't help but love her. I know through interviews she's going through a lot of self care and recovery from and experience that was far from a fairytale, but I'm still hoping one day she can look back at her career and enjoy the impact she had on the sport and generations of fans of all ages.
I moved to Silver Spring, MD in 1994, but didn’t know about Dominique Dawes until the 96 Olympic Trials… I did kids gymnastics at Fairland Gymnastics in Laurel/Beltsville/Burtonsville from the 1990-1994 and never heard about her. I left Silver Spring, MD in 2011 and to this day, never met Dominique in person. I only saw once in person at the 1996 John Hancock Tour at the then USAir Arena in Lanham, MD. Met her relatives at different times
1:00:57 Dominique Dawes DOMINATED the 1994 US Nationals! Winning EVERY Gold medal there was…All Around AND all four events! (Also won all four events in 1996)
When I watched this year’s tour I also teared up because my interpretation was similar. Gymnastics you were good to me came from a place of healing and understanding that the sport did nothing wrong but rather those involved are to blame. Being able to separate the two is very powerful!
I got to talk with Dominique a little when I worked the training camps. I was not expecting her to be so hilarious. She told me one story about how she competed with her neighbor on who had the best lawn, so she was always out there cutting her grass to make sure hers looked the best. I absolutely adore her for who she is first, gymnast second.
Love you both,big! And thoroughly enjoying this podcast. A bonus would be, as you're referring to skills on beam or bars, would be to show a clip of the said skills. Thanks. Best wishes.
Dawes was one of my favorite Gymnasts to watch compete growing up through her 3 appearances at the Summer Olympics Barcelona 1992 Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 at the last of which is the only modern Olympics where no American Woman Artistic Gymnast won an individual medal though US team won All around Bronze same as they had 8 years prior in Barcelona it was amazing to watch the air she used to get on the Hindorff release on the uneven bars when she won Bronze on Floor in 1996 Olympics it was with a 9.837 the last perfect 10 on the exercise at the Olympics was Lavinia Milosovici of Romania in 1992. where as for example when Simone Biles won 5 medals in Rio in 2016 her average score in the three apparatuses she medaled on was 15.555 granted open ended scoring is different than the perfect 10 era
Thank you Jessica! She described herself as a walking deduction. She busted her ass on her form. I need Simone and Jordan to send her flowers because went rly hard in the paint trying to prove that a blk girl could do this on the highest level, too.
Dawes was taking courses at University of Maryland in 1995 while she trained for the 1996 Olympics and deferred her scholarship to attend Stanford after the 1996 Olympics. I think she couldn’t compete in Collegiate Gymnastics because she turned professional either in 1995 or 1996. By the time she finished the Post Olympic Tour and Broadway in 1996-1997, I heard that she decided not attend Stanford because her credits from University of Maryland and some she earned from NYU while she was on Broadway wasn’t accepted.
I coached at Marvateens (Maryland) in the early/mid 90s, and got to witness a couple of things about Dominique Dawes at some smaller meets. Between 92 and 96, she competed some skills never televised ...like a stunning Yang Bo on balance beam!! And she was so accessible and kind to every adoring kid competing. Our team kids who attended school with her always had great things to say about their interactions with her, and still today, I see some of the interactions our now-grown athletes have with her, and the social media exchanges are filled with joy and celebration for what each is accomplishing in life. Just amazing. I remember the first time I saw her bring the house down (1991) on FX with the Barry Manilow "Jump Shout Boogie." A college friend of mine (now a gym mom) was freaking out about how this little girls from the DC burbs was doing everything and more than the kids from the more established powerhouse gyms. I've had the chance to speak with Dominique from time to time through the years, and she fits into that nicely self-contained, self-enforced persona of an ordinary person doing extraordinary things. Can't help but love her. I know through interviews she's going through a lot of self care and recovery from and experience that was far from a fairytale, but I'm still hoping one day she can look back at her career and enjoy the impact she had on the sport and generations of fans of all ages.
I also feel like I saw her compete ff with 4 LSOs on beam?
I moved to Silver Spring, MD in 1994, but didn’t know about Dominique Dawes until the 96 Olympic Trials… I did kids gymnastics at Fairland Gymnastics in Laurel/Beltsville/Burtonsville from the 1990-1994 and never heard about her. I left Silver Spring, MD in 2011 and to this day, never met Dominique in person. I only saw once in person at the 1996 John Hancock Tour at the then USAir Arena in Lanham, MD. Met her relatives at different times
i think about dominique dawes at least 3 times a week i’m so excited for this episode!
1:00:57 Dominique Dawes DOMINATED the 1994 US Nationals! Winning EVERY Gold medal there was…All Around AND all four events!
(Also won all four events in 1996)
Thank you for the visuals!! 😍
When I watched this year’s tour I also teared up because my interpretation was similar. Gymnastics you were good to me came from a place of healing and understanding that the sport did nothing wrong but rather those involved are to blame. Being able to separate the two is very powerful!
Spencer made me laugh on a horrible day, a true gift. Spite!
I got to talk with Dominique a little when I worked the training camps. I was not expecting her to be so hilarious. She told me one story about how she competed with her neighbor on who had the best lawn, so she was always out there cutting her grass to make sure hers looked the best. I absolutely adore her for who she is first, gymnast second.
My favorite gymnast growing up 😍😍
Love you both,big! And thoroughly enjoying this podcast. A bonus would be, as you're referring to skills on beam or bars, would be to show a clip of the said skills. Thanks. Best wishes.
I love this! She was my favorite gymnast growing up
When I tell you how fast I clicked on this!! She was my things growing up!!
When I first saw Jordan’s leo I thought it was an homage to Dominique’s!
Dominique Dawes CRUSHED it in 1994!
You either had the Dawes insert from Seventeen Magazine ("She's called Awesome Dawesome!") on your bedroom wall, or you didn't.
One of the best to ever do it
The first and only person I saw do back to back tumbling passes on floor
Dawes was one of my favorite Gymnasts to watch compete growing up through her 3 appearances at the Summer Olympics Barcelona 1992 Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 at the last of which is the only modern Olympics where no American Woman Artistic Gymnast won an individual medal though US team won All around Bronze same as they had 8 years prior in Barcelona it was amazing to watch the air she used to get on the Hindorff release on the uneven bars when she won Bronze on Floor in 1996 Olympics it was with a 9.837 the last perfect 10 on the exercise at the Olympics was Lavinia Milosovici of Romania in 1992. where as for example when Simone Biles won 5 medals in Rio in 2016 her average score in the three apparatuses she medaled on was 15.555 granted open ended scoring is different than the perfect 10 era
Thank you Jessica! She described herself as a walking deduction. She busted her ass on her form. I need Simone and Jordan to send her flowers because went rly hard in the paint trying to prove that a blk girl could do this on the highest level, too.
four layout step outs
12:40 it would be Biles & Chiles in Beyoncé’s Cozy, and Jade Carey would do a very brief cameo in the third verse when she says “fluorescent beige”
Dawes was taking courses at University of Maryland in 1995 while she trained for the 1996 Olympics and deferred her scholarship to attend Stanford after the 1996 Olympics. I think she couldn’t compete in Collegiate Gymnastics because she turned professional either in 1995 or 1996. By the time she finished the Post Olympic Tour and Broadway in 1996-1997, I heard that she decided not attend Stanford because her credits from University of Maryland and some she earned from NYU while she was on Broadway wasn’t accepted.
I didn't know Dominique had talked about abuse with Kelly Hill. Are there links to that for those of us who are unfamiliar?
isn't it Grand Rapids Michigan? [not Minnesota]
There is a Grand Rapids in Minnesota too
Dawes and Huilan were by far the most talented gymnasts in the building in 1996. But Lilia and the Romanians hit.
Sooo many lost medals because of her insecurity meeting her anxiety.
Lizzo for spite artist!!