“They gave us one night a week, and they called it ‘Soul Night.’”
December 2, 2018 7:02 AM   Subscribe

Despite rink closures, the mostly black skate scene thrives underground. [NYT] “Skating goes deep for us,” said Brandon Young, 27, a custodial worker in the Newark public school system, who skates at Branch Brook most Sundays and who teaches others the form. “It’s a whole culture.” The connection between African-Americans and adult skate nights is deeply linked to the country’s wrenching history of segregation. That relationship, which includes racist policies and the rich culture that rose up in reaction, is the subject of “United Skates,” a documentary that opened this weekend in New York and Los Angeles and will be shown on HBO in February.

‘United Skates’ Review: A Rallying Cry for Black Roller Skating Culture
Most of the film’s subjects have been skating their entire lives, and most have faced racial discrimination in pursuit of their passion. “United Skates” profiles business owners as rising rents and rezoning force their successful rinks out of business; in stunning sequences, the cameras stay rolling to document the police searches and arbitrary rules that greet black patrons who try to skate at unfriendly establishments.
Watch These Brooklyn Skate Club Regulars Dance Their Wheels Off
For the last eight months, the photographer Jessica Lehrman has been documenting the scene at Brooklyn Skate Club — a word-of-mouth oasis that convenes every Wednesday. A meeting ground for skaters of all shapes and sizes, it draws a cast of regulars, many in their 50s and 60s, who know one another from their days haunting the Empire Roller Skating Center, a defunct Brooklyn rink. They get effusive, even tearful, when talking about skating and the tight-knit bonds that it creates.
United Skates [2018, Documentary]
Directed by: Tina Brown, Dyana Winkler
IMDB
Trailer [YT]
HBO Documentary Films has acquired worldwide TV and film rights to UNITED SKATES. Directed and produced by Dyana Winkler and Tina Brown, the film received the Documentary Audience Award at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, and will debut on HBO in 2019. John Legend is an executive producer of the documentary feature, which was produced by Sweet Ninja Films in association with LA Media Fund, Get Lifted Film Co., Secret Sauce Media and Naked Edge Films.
posted by nightrecordings (11 comments total) 32 users marked this as a favorite
 
“They told us, ‘Skating isn’t dead. It’s just gone underground,’” Ms. Brown said. “You need to come with us to a national night skate party.”
This sounds wonderful. I need to see about buying some classic roller-skates.
posted by Fizz at 7:34 AM on December 2, 2018 [3 favorites]


Several years ago walking through Central Park the informal skater rink area was just wild, so many really good skaters zooming and looping around and having just the most fun happy time, really glad to hear that scene continues.

(really wanted to join in but knew I'd be too embarrassed at the layers of leather and bubble wrap)
posted by sammyo at 7:48 AM on December 2, 2018


I haven't read TFA yet, but here to recommend the movie Roll Bounce, which is a delight.
posted by TwoStride at 7:56 AM on December 2, 2018 [3 favorites]


I give you the award-winning Harlem Ice. Youtubes here
posted by BWA at 8:00 AM on December 2, 2018 [2 favorites]


Yep. When I was a little kid in the late 70s, the only one I was allowed to go to was "Gospel Skate" on Saturday afternoons at Skate University in Milwaukee. I've seen the Brooklyn skates advertised, but I was never a good skater anyway, so I've passed them by. I'm glad to know that this scene still exists.

Plus, can I add how cool I think it is that one of the production companies for this doc is Get Lifted Film Co.? I know John Legend's song of that title, and maybe that's where the principals derived its name, but I'm an Old, so when I see those words together, my first thought is of the 70s R&B song "Get Lifted", written in part by one Harry Casey and sung by early disco star George McCrae. That was one of those songs I had to sneak to hear at someone else's house. My aunt would have been shocked at the soul music her church friends had that their kids and I would listen to in the attic or basement room while the adults were chatting in the living room.
posted by droplet at 8:12 AM on December 2, 2018 [6 favorites]


my first thought is of the 70s R&B song "Get Lifted", written in part by one Harry Casey and sung by early disco star George McCrae.

OMG, droplet, McCrae's "Get Lifted" is one of my all time favorite songs. That album is one of my all time favorite albums. I LOVE that you shared that story about sneaking over to someone else's house to hear it. It warms my heart and makes me smile.

*promises not to derail her own post but just had to respond to that*
posted by nightrecordings at 8:15 AM on December 2, 2018 [4 favorites]


Oh hell yeah, I went to a rink a couple times when I lived down in New Orleans, and they were packed. Tons and tons of people, mostly teenagers, having a heckin' good time. And definitely a crowd that skewed African-American, even for NOLA.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 8:34 AM on December 2, 2018 [1 favorite]


I have a friend who bought custom work-boot skates from SK8 Fanatics and goes to World on Wheels once a week. I've been so envious, as he started going more around the time that I broke my ankle 6 months ago, and so I'd watch people skating on Instagram (e.g., St. Louis' SkateLyfe Co. and look forward to the day I could skate again. I'm done with physical therapy now as of this week, but my physical therapist recommended waiting another couple months before I try skating.

Skating was huge in North County in St. Louis when I was growing up, and I had several birthday parties and lots of school parties at rinks. I learned to ice-skate and roller-skate when I was like 3 years old. I know a guy who's called the King because he was the self-dubbed roller-skating king of his town growing up. Places like the former Palace sit empty, but the culture is still there.

Uggggh, can't wait until I can skate again! I might need to buy some custom skates anyway, since I have hardware in my ankle now. I wonder if Adidas Gazelles would make good skates...
posted by limeonaire at 9:28 AM on December 2, 2018 [1 favorite]


Aaaand I just got lost on SK8 Fanatics' site and Instagram for like half an hour. I'm imagining Adidas Gazelles with some translucent Fame wheels... This was useful for reading about the anatomy of a skate.
posted by limeonaire at 10:08 AM on December 2, 2018


Saw this documentary at the Denver International Film Festival. It’s extraordinary. For this child of the intermountain west, everything in this movie was new to me. Don’t miss it.
posted by Carmody'sPrize at 1:22 PM on December 2, 2018 [2 favorites]


Please tell me I’m not the only person who clicked on the link assuming it was about ice skating?

In my defence, I am Canadian. Up here all skating and hockey without a prefix is assumed to have a silent “ice-“
posted by Secret Sparrow at 10:47 PM on December 2, 2018 [3 favorites]


« Older the right to global citizenship   |   Think of us as a walk down a dark alley. Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments