Following an accident Berlin found it hard to get back into gymnastics training and decided to start breakdancing, becoming one of the youngest members of the San Diego breakdance troupe Culture Shock. She started performing at SeaWorld San Diego with the troupe, where she met the UCLA Bruins gymnasticshead coach, Valorie Kondos Field, who had been choreographing the Summer Nightsproduction. Kondos Field was impressed by Berlin's work ethic and respect for the choreographers. After spending time with Valorie Kondos and being surrounded by gymnastics shows at the park, Berlin realized that her love for the sport was still there. Berlin met with Valorie Kondos, told her about her long-time dream to compete for UCLA, how the accident had cut short that dream and how much she wanted to return to the sport. She asked Valorie Kondos if she could walk on to the team if she could regain her gymnastics skills. "Without even any hesitation, simply because of her respect, her work ethic, her ability to blend in and work well with anyone, I was thrilled at the possibility of having her on the team, especially to have someone who understood performance as much as she did," Kondos Field said. "It is often difficult to get gymnasts to perform outside of their event, to really project into the audience and perform, and I thought she could be a great example to the team with that."
Berlin immediately returned to the gym and regained her gymnastics skills. Kondos Field joked with her, saying she should graduate a year early from high school. After hearing this idea, Berlin did exactly that and joined the UCLA Bruins gymnastics team in September 2005, at the age of 17. For the 2005–06 season, she was a walk-on to the team, but she was soon offered a full scholarship for the 2006–07 season. She is a four-time All-American and one of UCLA's most consistent athletes ever. She never missed a meet and persisted through nagging leg pain throughout her first two seasons, due to the rod in her leg from the car accident. Berlin has been one of the most successful gymnasts in UCLA history.
Film work
Berlin was a stunt performer for one episode of Three Rivers in 2009. In 2010, she was a stunt performer in episodes of , Shake It Up!, 90210 and Make It or Break It. She has also been a stunt double in Switched at Birth, The Fosters, Greek and Honey 2. Berlin's story was adapted into a TV movie, Full Out: The Ariana Berlin Movie, featuring actors Jennifer Beals, Ana Golja, Trevor Tordjman and Lamar Johnson. Berlin herself plays an assistant UCLA coach in the movie, and was the stunt performer for her own character, played by Golja. Berlin is now an associate producer at Fox Sports.
