|
Apr. 2007 Skate legend headlines weekend activities for adult skaters
DENVER [rollerskatingtoday.com] - This May, skate legend Bill
Butler makes his first visit to Denver/Aurora as part of "For the Love
of Skating," a weekend event for dedicated adult skaters. Hosted by Denver
based Roller Skating Today (RST), the Memorial Day Weekend activities will
feature performances, appearances and workshops by performers of Butler's
Creative Skate Dance Company (CSDC). Additionally, there will be two adult
late skates at Skate City with music provided by DJ Big Mike. The
call is out for local "serious" skaters to join in with others who will
be traveling from places like Ohio, Nebraska, Maryland, Georgia and New
York and who share a love for a sporting activity that is often viewed
as being exclusively for children and teens.
On the contrary, adult roller skating has been a mainstay for many decades in the Black community which Butler, 73, can attest to since he still skates and teaches regularly - as he has all of his adult life. He even created his own style which he called Jammin' (not to be confused with jam skating), a fast-paced, funky and captivating method that took roller dancing to a completely new level. He is widely known as the "Godfather of Roller Disco," a title he doesn't think describes him best, but one that has stuck over the years. On the East Coast, he made skating such an art form that he was brought in to train Olivia Newton John for her role in the 1980 skate film Xanadu. Nearly 30 years later, his passion for skating and his high degree of expertise made him top choice to become skate director of the 2005 film Roll Bounce, which starred hip hop artist, Bow Wow. Butler's top student and protege, Michael Johnson, doubled for Bow Wow in the movie and performed the majority of the actor's more advanced skate moves. He also served as assistant choreographer and was responsible for the majority of the skate routines that thrilled audiences worldwide. One of the most popular moves from the film, will be the subject of a Saturday workshop Johnson will conduct entitled, "How to do the Matrix spin." The workshop, as with all weekend skating events, is for intermediate to advanced skaters who have their own skates. Due to the "serious skater" theme, no skate rentals will be issued - at any events - as most dedicated skate enthusiasts own their skates and use them regularly. Spectators, however, are welcome at the skate sessions where special midnight performances will be held, by CSDC on May 26 and by local skaters on May 27.
Butler's three-hour Sunday morning workshop, Sharpen Your Skating Skills, offers three 45-minute sessions covering: How to adjust your skates; How to plow for improved control, and a skate-stop demonstration offering skaters guidance on how to improve their stopping skills. For the Love of Skating is sponsored by Skate City, Denver Weekly News, JiveBiscuit.com, Music Spectrum and Ingrum Printing. A detailed list of activities, pricing and locations can be found online at rollerskatingtoday.com. RST is an online resource station for avid, adult, quad roller skaters which promotes skating as a form of physical, mental and emotional fitness. The site is home to Butler's Good Jammin' News column; a listing of Black owned skating rinks; roller skating links; adult R&B skate sessions across the country, and more. For more details, contact RST at 720-506-4780 or rollerskatingtoday@hotmail.com. Posted 04/16/07
|
"Harnessing the Power of Menopause to Skate Better," is another Saturday
workshop or "Skateformational" clinic to be conducted by Genuine Ruby,
another of Bill's students, who will share how Jammin' has neutralized
the effects of menopause and also improved her balance, stamina and asthmatic
condition. The informational session is open to male and female skaters
and non skaters alike.