Introduction to the Gold Over America Tour
First came the gold medals, now comes the Gold Over America Tour, the gymnastics mega-show headlined by Simone Biles, currently touring 30 cities around the United States and coming to Houston’s Toyota Center on Saturday, October 19. Joining Biles are fellow Paris Olympic champions Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera, along with bronze medal-winning men’s team members Paul Juda, Brody Malone, Asher Hong, and Fred Richard, plus other gymnastics superstars.
A New Twist: Adding Men to the Tour
Adding men to the G.O.A.T. showcase is a new twist; the 2021 tour, post-Tokyo Olympics, had a cast made up entirely of women. It’s a change that Biles hopes will help elevate men’s gymnastics around the country. Juda, for one, couldn’t be more grateful. The Olympic medalist is still riding the wave of excitement from winning the first USA men’s team medal in 16 years, along with having achieved his own dream of competing in the Olympic individual all-around final.
Behind the Scenes of the G.O.A.T. Show
We recently chatted with Juda, who took us behind the scenes of the G.O.A.T. show, the squad, and life on the tour bus as a college student missing classes to travel the country like a rock star. At the Olympics this summer, the whole vibe of men’s and women’s USA gymnastics seemed happy and supportive of each other. How are you carrying that camaraderie into performing together as a troupe in the Gold Over America Tour? Juda replied, "I think during the whole Olympic experience we just had a lot of joy. We had a lot of fun outside of those two hours of competition. So the competition in and of itself was kind of like a ‘mission critical,’ and we were pretty focused, but we still tried to keep it light."
What to Expect from the Show
The last Gold Over America Tour was all women – and the theme was very much female empowerment, and girls as superheroes. Now that men are included, what can we expect from the show this time? Juda said, "I think it’s awesome (men are included) and I’m not even gonna lie, this tour just got, like, a million times better after making a medal. I’m really excited to get to do the show. It’s going to be a lot of back and forth (between men and women). Yeah, we’re doing some gymnastics; we’re trying to learn a little bit of dancing. We’ve got lights, we’ve got a lot of songs, and we’re bouncing off of each other’s stories. There’s going to be a lot of really fun, fun parts."
The Future of Gymnastics Entertainment
Figure skating has shows like “Stars on Ice” and the old “Ice Capades” that they can join after the Olympics to perform for audiences. Would you like to see something like that for gymnasts, who often don’t get to really “entertain” audiences? Juda replied, "Yeah, (in gymnastics) we use the human body to all of its maximum capability, and (learning) dance moves, I enjoy using a different side of my brain. I’m a guy who would also enjoy a musical or a Broadway show or something like that, just for the element of like, “Wow. Look at the choreography and how they’re able to add the music and the lights and everything in the whole production.”"
Keeping Fans Interested
There’s so much buzz around gymnastics during the Olympics. How do you keep those fans interested the other three years in between, especially men!s gymnastics? Juda said, "I’m hoping this tour does that, and I’m also confident, like anything that we do afterwards on the global stage (like ‘pommel horse guy’ Stephen Nedoroscik competing on Dancing With the Stars), I hope people are like, "Oh yeah, I see them doing that. But I also remember they represent men’s gymnastics.""
Balancing Studies and Athletics
A lot of cast members are in college, including yourself (a graduate student), and you’re also captain of the University of Michigan Men’s Gymnastics team. How will you balance your studies and college athletics commitments while you’re on tour? Juda replied, "(He holds up a notebook with a calendar planner filled in.) This. I’m looking at my schedule today, I’ve got a weekly reflection. I’ve got a case to work on. I’ve got a data analytics assignment, a lecture to watch, and a reading quiz to do, so, it’s a lot for sure."
Upcoming Tour Dates
The reception in Houston – hometown of Simone Biles and adopted hometown of Jordan Chiles – will be nuts, and of course Fort Worth is where the last National Championships was held this past summer. What cities are you most looking forward to? Juda said, "Chicago and Detroit are going to be my two main places. I’ve got a lot of people coming for the Detroit show from University of Michigan, and then Chicago, that’s where I’m from. Every time that I’ve visited Texas, I really enjoy Texas. We’ll have a lot of fun. I’m excited to see the Texans come out and specifically in that Austin area, we’ve got a lot of people there."
Conclusion
The Gold Over America Tour is an exciting event that brings!gether some of the world’s top gymnasts, including Simone Biles and Paul Juda. With a new twist of adding men to the tour, fans can expect an exciting show with a lot of fun and entertaining parts. The tour aims to elevate men’s gymnastics and keep fans interested in the sport beyond the Olympics. With a busy schedule of tour dates and college commitments, the cast members are sure to have a memorable experience. Don’t miss the Gold Over America Tour, presented by Athleta, at the Toyota Center in Houston on October 19. For tickets and more information, visit the website.
