63. BACK TO YOU. >>> WE HAVE SEEN THE VIDEOS ON TIKTOK AND INSTAGRAM, ROLLER SKATERS SHARING THEIR DANCE MOVES ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THE HOT TREND TO FOLLOW ALONG WITH IN THE AGE OF THE PANDEMIC. >> THOSE MOVES HAVE A LONG
HISTORY STEMMED IN THE CULTURE AND HISTORY OF OUR BLACK COMMUNITY HERE IN THE BAY AREA. FOR A MAN I MET WHO IS KNOWN AS THE ROLLER DANCE MAN, THESE SKATING MOVES HAVE A FIVE DECADES LEGACY BEHIND THEM. >> THESE MOVES COME WITH A
GROOVE. THE STAGE IS SET ON COURTS EVERY SUNDAY MORNING IN HEYWARD’S PARK. >> 5, 6, YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO. >> RICHARD SERVES UP HIS MOVES TO SKATERS OF ALL ABILITIES, AGES AND BACKGROUNDS WHO SHOW UP FOR HIS WEEKLY CLASS.
>> MY THING IS JUST TO SHOW PEOPLE THAT ANY LEVEL CAN LEARN HOW TO DO THIS IF YOU BREAK IT DOWN. YOU HAVE TO BREAK IT DOWN. >> FOR THIS INSTRUCTOR THERE IS MORE TO IT THAN TEACHING DANCE STEPS.
>> WE WERE NOT ALLOWED IN RISKS BACK IN THE DAY. EVEN IN TO THE 70s AND 80s WE BARELY HAVE A NIGHT TO SKATE AT A RINK. WE HAVE TO WORK HARD JUST TO GET A NIGHT AND I’M LIKE WHY IS
TO SO DIFFICULT JUST TO LET US SKATE AT A RINK? >> WHILE DOORS WERE CLOSED. >> THAT IS ALL IT WAS. JUST THE LOVE OF THAT ROLL. CAN’T TAKE THAT AWAY. IT WAS THAT FEEL. OUR PASSION IS SO DEEP FOR
SKATING THAT WE JUST TAKE WHAT WE GET AND WE JUST GO WITH THE FLOW. >> THAT TOOK HIM TO JUST ABOUT ANY SAN FRANCISCO OUTDOOR PATCH OF PAVEMENT. >> THEN IN 79 I HOOKED UP WITH SOME GUYS IN GOLDEN GATE PARK
AND WE FORMED A GROUP CALLED THE GOLDEN ROLLERS. >> HE ROLLER DANCED IN TO THE HEARTS OF MANY MAKING A CAREER OUT OF HIS HOBBY WITH LIVE PERFORMANCES AND EVEN BEING CAST IN TELEVISION SHOWS. ALL SELF TAUGHT. HE CREATED THE BRAND OF ROLLER
DANCE WITH A WEBSITE AND MADE HIS MARK WITH A BOOT COMPANY. EVEN AT 69 YEARS OLD WITH TWO NEW KNEES. >> I’M REACHING TRIPLE OG STATUS AS THEY WOULD SAY. I FEEL LIKE A YOUNG GUY WITH STATE SKATES ON.
>> IS HE STILL HITTING THE BEAT TO SHARE HIS LOVE WITH ANYONE WHO IS WILLING TO ROLL WITH HIM. AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I STRAPPED IN TO EIGHT WHEELS. >> YOU ARE GOING TO LEARN SOMETHING.
>> TO LEARN FROM THE LEGEND. THE TECHNIQUE OF HIS ROLLER DANCE. >> OKAY. >> COOL. >> IT’S WITH THESE OLD MOVES THAT A NEW GENERATION CAN PICK UP THE STEPS OF A LONG LEGACY CULTURE.
THIS IS NOT A FAD FOR US. IT IS PART OF OUR LIFE. THIS IS DEFINITELY PART OF HIS LIFE. THERE IS STILL A LACK OF AVAILABILITY OF ACCESSIBLE SKATING RINKS. THERE’S A PUSH FOR MORE SKATE SPACE WAS THE PROPOSAL OF THE
PANTHER SKATE PLAZA. >> HE HOPES MORE PEOPLE WILL PICK UP SKATES. I CAN INLINE BLADE BUT THAT’S SO HARD TO SKATE. >> I CAN TELL. WERE YOU DOING THAT LEFT, LEFT, RIGHT, RIGHT SITUATION. HE SAID HIS MOTTO IS YOU
CONTROL THE ROLL, DON’T
source
