You can edit almost every page by Creating an account. Otherwise, see the FAQ.

Roller Skating' Disciplines

From EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki



ABOUT ROLLER SKATING[edit]

The ‘face’ of roller skating has always started with the skater, where the pleasure/s of roller skating indelibly finds their way into a skater’s DNA; a lifetime of pleasurable memories even if they only skated as a child, maybe for one of their first rights of passage: their birthday party, or one of a friends.

In the United States’ roller skating world--as of 2018--there are at least eleven (11) different disciplines (options) for one’s roller skating needs, desires, and activity-oriented goals.

ROLLER SKATING' DISCIPLINES[edit]

The following are those eleven (11) plus some from Europe… more may be added as Wikipedia Articles are open to anyone for editing.

Street

When it comes to a “rites of passage” roller skating on the street has always ranked with other first times: throwing a ball, learning to read, and a first kiss, although up until the application of polyurethane to roller skating wheels for outdoor roller skates, skating out of doors was as much a dentist’ delight as it was for the skater/s. Thanks to new wheels, and improved inline roller skates--both in the 1970’s--outdoor roller skating has flourished.

In many of the larger cities of the world--those with large community parks--roller skaters work their way through the parks’ streets and paths, sometimes legally and sometimes not so much.

Two cities (of many) that have embraced outdoor roller skating with official roller skating clubs are New York (NY) and San Francisco (CA). Venice Beach, in Southern California have outdoor skaters--many times bikini clad--intermixing with the overflow of Muscle Beach. And, South Beach (FL) is known to block off portions of their city streets on Friday nights.

Street Skating is generally thought of as done on either quad or inline skates, or a skateboard, heading down a street, or path, solely or in a group, not unlike cross country running or snow skiing. The distance and / or time can be short or long, and with or without any specific goal other than simply roller skating and being one with the surroundings, and or one’s own thoughts.

Street Skating can also be viewed in a central location in a park or at beach boardwalks, yet more times than not those skaters--individual or groups--fall into one of the other disciplines: Jam, Slalom or Acrobatic.

Rinking

Even though social media is now mostly a digital play (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.), live interactions are still the most enjoyable social moments and roller rinks still offer an optimum environment for interacting with one’s peers.

At the turn of the 20th-Century, it was common for a roller skating rink to have skaters packed onto the floor, keeping in mind there was no radio or TV and (silent) movies were only beginning. There were ballrooms, and music and dance pavilions, yet roller rinks had “couples” (and other excuses to hold hands or encircle a waist) skates, all to live music. Rinking also had challenges for the beginners and opportunities to practice advanced moves, for one’s self-improvement and or showing off.

There are a number of points of value found in a roller skating rink, including state of the art music systems and clean / un-obstructed skating surfaces.

With the basis of popular music and clear skating surfaces most roller rinks include roller skating games and other special skating numbers. Many roller rink sessions include lessons and a moment or two for practicing skating backwards without a crowd making the skater nervous.

Most of roller skatings disciplines--other than skateboarding--can be found, or enjoyed in a roller rink.

Skateboarding

Without argument, skateboarding is the most important of all of roller skating disciplines when it comes to global recognition. Organizations like Skateistan can be found virtually anywhere around the globe. Maybe that is why skateboarding is now an Olympic sport?

Surfing had been popular in Polynesia for thousands of years and in 1885 it came to the United States, Santa Cruz (CA). In the the late 1940’s, early 1950’s, surfing’s “flat wave” offshoot: Sidewalk Surfing, hit Southern California to evolve into the craze it is today.

Of note: While surfing bread the birth of skateboarding, snowboarding growth is well documented as having linkage to skateboarding as well.

      • WARNING: Many communities have enacted laws governing skateboarding on public, or community owned property, and aggressively deal with skateboarders found on un-authorized private property as exampled in California legislation. Thanks to the work of Tony Hawk, and others--typically skateboarders themselves--more and more skateboard parks have been established--sometimes more than one in a community--resulting in safer streets and fewer accidents, and minimal violation/s of general / city wide laws.

Artistic

Roller skatings artistic options are: dance (with a partner or solo, team, or precision), compulsory (school) figures, and freestyle (singles and pairs). There was a time when “fours” skating was a competitive event yet no longer.

With each of the sub-disciplines in Artistic come music and the magic ‘performing’ to music adds. Artistic roller skating tends to start with a fluid feeling as shared by sailing, surfing and flying, to highlight a few points of commonality. Being one with the music only goes to enforce the very special nature of being lost in the glide.

Within the sub-discipline: freestyle, either singles or pairs, there should be no confusion as to the activity being a sport or an art form… it can, and should, be cataloged as both.

For those interested in amateur competition, either as a competitor or a spectator, USA/RS (United States Amateur Roller Skating) has been governing amateur roller sports since 1937, originally formed as the R.S.R.O.A. (Roller Skating Rink Operators Association). USA/RS governs Figure Skating, Roller Derby, Freestyle, Inline Hockey, Rink Hockey and Speed Skating.

Speed

With all of the ways for both the skater and the spectator to enjoy roller skating speed skating remains the most electrifying. One of the causes for roller skating’ slump in the 1920’s can be traced to gambling on professional roller speed contests. While not good for roller skating the adrenaline rush was only equalled by professional bicycle racing, professional ‘prize’ fighting, dance marathons, and amateur ice and roller hockey.

Hockey

As with roller speed skating, roller hockey is a very exciting sport… NOT an art. However, it is a team sport, where roller speed skating can be individualized or in a team. Roller hockey--originally called roller polo--has been an organized sport since the middle to late 1800’s with recognized teams, and grew into a very stable activity; mostly found in colleges or via community recreation programs where games are commonly found out of doors--maybe using an outdoor basketball court--with some communities building a dedicated, out of door, hockey “rink”.

Hockey has also proven to offer excellent training for those who might want to transfer to one or more of the other roller disciplines. A key factor in any of roller skating’ discipline’ is with edge control/s, yet unlike other roller disciplines, a hockey player is not only constantly changing edges they do so quickly and with a high level of reliance on their shock absorbers; their knees.

Slalom roller skating offers this same, and basic, value yet not quite the same speed and depth of knee action. Roller speed skaters also rely on their knees yet not with the same edge change demands.

Derby

No roller skating discipline has been more explosive in its growth than (women’) roller derby. In the mid 1930’s, Leo Seltzer created roller derby as an alternative to bicycle racing, professional roller speed contests, and dance marathons, with what was in fact roller skating street marathons.

By the 1940’s, and into the 1950’s roller derby followed “professional” wrestling to TV.

Now, while no less tame, (women’) roller derby delivers a release for wives, mothers, female employees, female executives, etc. from what is ordinarily referred to as a normal but stress-full life. Current (2018) roller derby also allows virtually anyone, roller skating experienced or not, to join the fun. In more and more communities, roller derby is also open to men.

Jam or Rythm

Probably the least appreciated is Jam skating as it can be enjoyed by anyone--anytime--anywhere, and without regards to one’s roller skating ability or skating surface size, and solo or with a partner.

Jam skating can be found in a roller rink or out on the street, with direct linkage to disco roller skating of the 1980’s. Deeper linkage to Rexing in Southern California or Piken in the upper midwest--both of the 1940’s and 1950’s--can be seen as the easiest way to visualize Jam skating is to see it as “Jazz” vs. Artistic roller skating’ comparison to ballroom dancing. This is to say, Jam skating is very much a ‘free’ form with moves--while based on basic roller skating fundamentals--are made up or individualized by each Jam skater.

      • To be clear, Artistic skating does have ‘free’ form dance events.

In some regions, Jam skating is termed “Rhythm” skating.

Slalom

Fairly new to organized roller skating, slalom skating is more of an art than sport although skaters do compete against each other.

Slalom is one of the few ways a skater can improve ALL of their roller skating edges and techniques.

Also, as seen in Jam skating, the idea that a skating boot needing to be stiff, or of a hard fabrication, is put to rest: it does not.

Acrobatics

The most common form of acrobatic roller skating has almost always been with two roller skaters, generally a man and a women (not exclusively), where the man, engaged with a two foot spin at an aggressive speed, puts his female (or male) partner through a variety of moves.

Arguably, the most famous Vaudeville team for this was Earl and Inez Van Horn where--in addition to their Vaudeville show--they would take to the top of new skyscrapers for the addition of height to an already dangerous routine. As the Van Horns got older their theatrics could be seen on Broadway followed by the exchange of theatrical skating for the management of a roller rink in Mineola (NY) as roller skating entered its Golden Years.

Coming forward, acrobatic roller skating is still very popular as seen on the America’s got Talent TV show and with talent such as the The Skating Aratas as seen on the Ellen Show.

Theatrical

When it comes to theatrical roller skating, the (arguably) best roller skater of all time was Gene Kelly as confirmed with his roller skating routine in the 1955 movie: It’s Always Fair Weather. Mr. Kelly offered he simply went to the local--Beverly Hills-hardware store and bought a pair of clamp on roller skates off of the shelf. He continued to be clear, he made sure the filming of the roller skating number was such that no one could challenge any special effects or the locking of his wheels. He went on to share how as kids, each summer he and his brother spent plenty of their time playing street games on roller skates.

Another example, was Gloria Nord--the woman who would do more for the promotion of roller skating than anyone else in the 1940’s and 1950’s--as star of the traveling show: Skating Vanities (and the movie: Pin Up Girl). As a trained ballet dancer she was offered the Vanities starring role, taking her throughout the world, followed by a lengthy, non traveling career as the star of an England based ice skating show, replacing the retiring Sonja Henie.

MISCELLANEOUS ROLLER SKATING[edit]

Extreme or Aggressive

Either of the two names above: Extreme or Aggressive, might seem, or be promoted, as roller skating disciplines, yet truly speak to how a skater approaches, or attacks, one or more discipline, most notably quad or inline skating in a skateboarding bowl, or other community apparatus such as rails / railing, benches and almost any fairly stationary spot or item, most commonly used by skateboarders; legally or not.

Aerobics

For many, the word Aerobics equates to a variety of exercise-oriented programs, built within a number of activities, as with bicycling, running, walking and swimming.

Skating--roller or ice--have always been a recommendation by doctors for rehabilitation after surgery or other healing needs. However, skating has also proven to be an excellent activity for aerobic value/s, including stress reduction, via the raising of one’s pulse rate.

To meet “aerobic” guidelines an individual must elevate their heart-pumping from its normal, or rest action, and maintain the elevated level for a period of time, with 20-minutes typically seen as a minimum time period, for maximum results. Activities along the lines of sprinting, where one starts and stops, does not typically meet the true definition of what it takes to enjoy an aerobic value.

When evaluating one or more of roller skatings disciplines, speed training and events, and hockey games lead the rest. Practice sessions for any of the other disciplines typically qualify for aerobic value so long as there are no breaks during the heart pumping elevation period and the (about) 20-minute holding of the elevated pumping action; allocating about 40-minutes from beginning and back to rest should do.

GLOBAL DISCIPLINES[edit]

In France, and likely other parts of Europe, the following are individualized disciplines--as of 2018--although maybe viewed as hybrids of other disciplines, roller skating or not, as with roller soccer and roller basket.

Fitness Skating

Long Distance

Aggressive Skating

Free–ride Skating

Inline Downhill

Roller Soccer

Roller Basket

Towed Roller Skating

Buggy Rollin

Rollerski / Skiroll

Inline Alpine

REFERENCES[edit]

Titans and Heroes of American Roller Skating, by George Pickard*

History of Roller Skating, by James Turner

EXTERNAL LINKS[edit]

http://www.rollerenligne.com

http://www.nationalrollerskatingmuseum.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sports#Skating_sports


This article "Roller Skating' Disciplines" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Roller Skating' Disciplines. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.