Skatespiration Archives - Rolla Skate Club https://rollaskateclub.com/category/skatespiration/ Building a bad-ass community of empowered women on wheels. Sat, 23 Sep 2023 15:53:02 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://i0.wp.com/rollaskateclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/cropped-skate-only-favicon.jpg?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Skatespiration Archives - Rolla Skate Club https://rollaskateclub.com/category/skatespiration/ 32 32 197801700 Rolla on Dragons’ Den! https://rollaskateclub.com/dragons-den-premier-episode/ Fri, 08 Sep 2023 21:07:50 +0000 https://rollaskateclub.com/?p=21917     We are thrilled to announce that we made the Season Premiere episode of the Dragons’ Den, Season 18! As we say in rollerskating, FALLING IS LEARNING!  We’ve learned […]

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We are thrilled to announce that we made the Season Premiere episode of the Dragons’ Den, Season 18!

As we say in rollerskating, FALLING IS LEARNING!  We’ve learned so much from our experience pitching the Dragons.

Although they failed to recognise the incredible value of the community you’ve helped us build, WE know how meaningful that is. We hear from our community daily about how coming to Rolla Skate Club helps them with their mental health, helps them to feel connected to others, and helps them to move their bodies in joyful ways!

So, we’re not letting a setback on the Dragon’s Den stop us from achieving our mission together with you.

We’ve decided to move away from “the F-Word”… Franchising! Instead we are now ready to launch our Partner program with a much simpler, lower-barrier-to-entry licensing model. Learn more about becoming a Rolla Skate Club Partner and opening your own club right here!

We want to make it easy for up and coming entrepreneurs from underserved communities to get started on building their dream.

And we’re asking for your help!  We’ve launched an Indiegogo Campaign to help raise a seed fund to launch our Partner Program.

We want to raise $35,000, with our community’s help, to cover the legal costs and content creation. But most importantly, this money will help subsidize our first 10 partners to get off the ground for an even lower startup cost!

Be a part of our story, and collect some excellent perks while you’re at it! We’ve got some great give-back offers to say thank you for your support! Contribute to the Indiegogo here! 

WATCH THE EPISODE ON CBC GEM HERE!

If you missed it, check out the CTV News article with Carla and Lucy talking about their journey and experience facing the Dragons in the Den.

Thank you to everyone in this incredible community and to everyone that has supported us over the years, in even the smallest of ways (high fives count!).

We’re so proud to have been part of this community for over 15 years, we couldn’t have done this without you.

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Rolla Pathways – What’s Your Skate Goal? https://rollaskateclub.com/rolla-pathways-whats-your-skate-goal/ Tue, 16 May 2023 00:25:53 +0000 https://rollaskateclub.com/?p=21082 Hey skaters! We’ve created a graphic demonstrating the different Rolla pathways to help you make the most of your membership at Rollerland to get you to your ultimate skate goals! […]

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Hey skaters!

We’ve created a graphic demonstrating the different Rolla pathways to help you make the most of your membership at Rollerland to get you to your ultimate skate goals!

We recommend a minimum of 3 months of consistently skating 1-2 hours a week, via our All Access Membership so that you can attend lots of Learn classes and Open Skates to practice, before moving on to other classes!

What’s your rollerskating goal?

  • Take a few Learn classes, then move on to a Play and/or Power class before taking the Dance, Derby Bootcamp, or Skatepark 8- or 4-week progressive courses. It is recommended to put yourself on a progressive course’s waitlist ASAP after registration opens, then deciding when the time comes if you are ready.
  • Take a few Learn and Play classes, then Dance Level 1, then Dance Level 2 drop-ins, then take additional workshops.
  • Take a few Learn, Play, and then Power classes before Derby Bootcamp or Skatepark.
  • Once you get confident with Play classes, take the 8-week Derby Bootcamp progressive to elevate your overall skate skills with drills, agility, and coordination training – Derby Bootcamp is an excellent course to take even if you don’t plan on playing Derby afterwards!
  • Take a few Learn and Play classes, then Skatepark 101, then join us for any Open Skates (self-guided) or a Skatepark Session Meetup which occur every Sunday from 1:00pm to 3:00pm, or Thursday from 8:00pm to 10:00pm to work on what you’ve learned in the skatepark, ask questions, and get additional support in a low-key meetup vibe like we do when skating the parks outdoors!

 

xo Rolla Team

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Rolla Skate Club Face the Dragons! https://rollaskateclub.com/rolla-skate-club-face-the-dragons/ Sat, 13 May 2023 18:24:04 +0000 https://rollaskateclub.com/?p=21502 We took Rolla Skate Club into the Dragon’s Den! Rolla Skate Club co-founders Lucy and Carla flew to Toronto for filming on May 22nd where they pitched for investment in […]

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We took Rolla Skate Club into the Dragon’s Den!

Rolla Skate Club co-founders Lucy and Carla flew to Toronto for filming on May 22nd where they pitched for investment in the next stage of Rolla Skate Club – taking this business model out into the world!!

Over the next 10 years our goal is to inspire 1 million people to reach their potential through joyful movement, athletic competition, entrepreneurship and education.

We’ve created a business model that can
⚡keep our roller rinks open
⚡ create a welcoming community
⚡ support our courageous athletes
⚡ provide joy, strength and connection
⚡ uplift new entrepreneurs

Now it’s time to share it with the world!

Thank you to everyone in this incredible community 💜 To anyone that has supported us over the years, in even the smallest of ways (high fives count!) We’re so proud to have been part of this community for over 15 years and we can’t wait to take it to the next level.

This is just the beginning. Let’s Roll Strong Together

Check out this great CTV News article featuring our Founders, Carla & Lucy and their journey to the CBC Dragons Den. They head to Toronto this weekend to pitch the Dragons! The episode will air in the new season starting in September.

June 5 update from Lulu and Bizzy:

We did it! We flew all the way to Toronto and pitched Rolla Skate Club to the Dragons Den investors.

It was an incredible experience and we couldn’t have done it without the love and support of this amazing community.

We have both been huge fans of the show for many years before either of us started our own businesses. Dragons Den has inspired countless entrepreneurs over the last 20 years – ourselves included. So this was a full circle moment for us and an adventure we will always treasure.

We are so grateful to the guest skaters that joined us in the Den to help show the Dragons what Rolla is all about. Especially the ones that flew all the way from Vancouver – you are our heroes!

To everyone that sent or posted messages of support – know that they meant SO MUCH and it literally felt like you were there in the Den with us. We rode that wave of love right the way over the country and into that studio.

And as with all reality TV – we are now sworn to secrecy! Everyone in the Den signed an NDA which means we really can’t tell you what happened. No, not even a hint!

But as soon as we know the air date (fall 2023) you will be the first to know. And yes of course we’ll have a screening at Rolla 🙂

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Rolla Skate Club (@rollaskateclub)

Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts. We couldn’t have done this without you.

Later skaters,

Lulu & Bizzy

aka Lucy Croysdill & Carla Smith

Rolla Skate Club Co-Founders

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Skate History & Style | Skate Culture Series #1 https://rollaskateclub.com/roller-skating-skate-culture/ Thu, 16 Feb 2023 23:29:56 +0000 https://rollaskateclub.com/?p=20696 Rollerskating is Not a Trend – Understanding & Respecting Skate Culture Rollerskating is rooted in Black culture, and the style, technique, and dance moves that have captivated so many of […]

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Rollerskating is Not a Trend – Understanding & Respecting Skate Culture

Rollerskating is rooted in Black culture, and the style, technique, and dance moves that have captivated so many of us have been created by and kept alive by Black rollerskaters worldwide long before many of us were skating. Contrary to what you might have read over the last 2 years, rollerskating did not make a “come-back” during the pandemic, and using such language is harmful and undermines the history of where the sport comes from.

For non-Black skaters, there is a responsibility to become educated and knowledgeable on where the roller style comes from, and the origins of iconic jamskate and rollerdance moves. When learning and posting videos of rink moves, it is required to learn from and credit the originator.

“Style Roller Skating

An athletic art form comprised of numerous regional tempo based roller skating styles; a unique mixture of stride, stroke, footwork and movements to set tempos; it is the fusion of music culture and roller skating.

Style’ roller skating developed in the African American community when roller rinks began to use [vinyl] records at public roller skating sessions. During the late 1950’s roller skating rinks began to convert from playing organ music to playing popular records during public roller skating sessions. Skaters who hat [waltzed] to the sound of pipe organs began to roller skate to the same music they heard on the radio. Just as the music industry has had a profound impact on other areas of America’s artistic and social culture it impacted roller skating. The way skaters moved around the roller rink began to change, the entire body of skaters was transforming; skate innovators and daredevils who had always added their unique variations, stunts, and tricks, began to take things to a new level. Playing records meant an infusion of all types of music; no longer was the music mono, and there was a full range of instruments and beats to move to. As the country entered its musical revolution, black roller skaters began putting together the movements, strides, and steps that is “STYLE’ roller skating.”

Rinks and skate communities across the world have regional styles and signature movements, click the link below to read more about each unique style and watch videos.

The Difference Between Rolling and Skating: Style

Resources to follow and better educate yourself:

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Instructor Feature: Harry “Travelling Shoes” Turner https://rollaskateclub.com/instructor-feature-harry-travelling-shoes-turner/ Wed, 12 Oct 2022 21:17:36 +0000 https://rollaskateclub.com/?p=20246 Harry ‘Travelling Shoes’ Turner is a highly talented rollerskater, singer, teacher, preacher, postal worker and community activist out of Birmingham Alabama. He has also recently joined us at Rolla Skate […]

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Harry ‘Travelling Shoes’ Turner is a highly talented rollerskater, singer, teacher, preacher, postal worker and community activist out of Birmingham Alabama. He has also recently joined us at Rolla Skate Club as a Certified Instructor, so we wanted to take a moment to tell you his roller skating story…

Harry has had a passion for roller skating since childhood, and boy does he have some stories from those days! When he was only 11 years old he accidentally shot himself in the upper thigh with his parents 0.38 calibre pistol – an injury that Dr’s believed would be with him for life. Here’s how Harry describes coming back to skating after the accident: “When I got home from the hospital with a cast on my left leg my friend came over to sit with me and play checkers everyday, I looked at him and said I miss skating, Will you go get my right skate and put it on my foot.  Once again I became the neighborhood night show,  with sparks coming from my right foot, a cast on my left leg and 2 crutches under my arms. By age 12 God  healed me completely  and I’ve been skating on 2 feet ever since.”
three images of Harry Turner. On the left one he's standing holding a megaphone. In the image of the middle he's skate dancing on a rink. The last image on the right is a close up of his face smiling.Growing up in Birmingham Harry had the opportunity to spend time with his grandmother, Yvonne Turner, who was involved in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and a lifetime member of both the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth-cofounded American Christian Movement for Human Rights (ACMHR) and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.-founded Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). “Every time I would go by to visit my grandparents, [my grandmother] would tell me one of these stories about what it was like when she was arrested protesting the Woolworth’s stores,” he recalled. “She was part of that protest for them to break down those segregation barriers.” Activism was in the family, and Harry took to it the same way that he did with skating – with great care and passion. Harry once ran for Mayor of Birmingham Alabama, is a former Volunteer Birmingham Police Chaplain, the former Special Projects Coordinator for Birmingham Metro NAACP, and is the current Legislative Director for the State of Alabama America Postal Workers Union. He is also curretly enrolled in the FBI Citizen’s Academy program. As you can see Harry serves daily as a (very busy) Community Activist!

Harry got the nickname ‘Travelling Shoes’ when he started preaching as a young man, and included the old gospel song “(Got On My) Traveling Shoes,” as part of his sermons. Harry would play with the lyrics and invent new verses to the song. One day at church the pastor introduced him as “The Travelling Shoes Preacher” and since then the nickname has stuck! Here’s a version of “(Got On My) Traveling Shoes,” by the Clara Ward Singers to give you an idea of the tune. (Note: Harry was originally inspired by Bishop Jasper Roby’s version of the song, but I wasn’t able to find that on YouTube)
Harry Turner photos, on the left he's skating on a stage, on the right he's skating, a certified instructor logo sits in the middle of the image Currently Harry runs a program called Stay in School with Travelling shoes, which I’ll let him describe in his own words: “I tell people all the time I don’t skate because I know How I skate because I know Why.  If people are going to take out their time and watch me then I wanna make sure I’m giving them more than just something for the eyes,  I started a program called Stay in School with Traveling Shoes Free Skate Night,  I pay out of my own pocket once or twice a month for 20 to 50 kids to skate for free, That’s probably why I’m broke now. Lol The program helps me to encourage children to stay in school and don’t give up on their education, then it also helps me address childhood obesity, while teaching them when someone fall down we all pick them up.  We have a great issue with gun violence  In our community, So my motto is if they are skating with me they are not shooting at you. I told you I don’t skate because I know how, I skate  because I know why”

You can join Harry’s Facebook groups here:
HARRY TRAVELING SHOES PREACHER TURNER
TRAVELING SHOES HEALING SKATERS
… message him via those groups if you’re in Birmingham and are looking for roller skating lessons from a caring professional.

If you want to learn more about Harry’s life and activism in Birmingham, check out this article:
Harry ‘Traveling Shoes’ Turner: The Ministry of Activism By Birmingham Times – September 14, 2022

If you’d like to join Rolla Skate Club as a Certified Instructor, check out our program here:
https://online.rollaskateclub.com/courses/instructor-training-indie 

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The Amazing Race Canada https://rollaskateclub.com/the-amazing-race-canada/ Sun, 25 Sep 2022 21:21:24 +0000 https://rollaskateclub.com/?p=20182 “I have a top secret project to talk to you about” This was the tantalizing approach we got when one of our skaters in the film industry reached out back […]

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“I have a top secret project to talk to you about”

This was the tantalizing approach we got when one of our skaters in the film industry reached out back in early 2020.

“Ok, we’re listening! What’s up”

She went on to ask us to help produce a rollerskating segment for a “nationally broadcast reality TV show.” You better believe we said YES!

What was the show? The Amazing Race Canada!

You can catch our segment on CTV.ca Episode 11 Season 8! 

One pandemic shutdown and two years later, we finally pulled it off. Ten Rolla Skate Club skaters and staff members turned out at the Shipyard Commons in North Vancouver to put the Amazing Race final four teams through their paces as they raced against elimination!

After lacing up, the contestants each got assigned to a Rolla Coach for instruction – Sharon, Charlotte and Andi were there to help them get up and rolling into our challenge!  After a few quick pointers the eager participants lined up to complete an on-skate obstacle course.

Our crew of skilled skaters (Lynsey, Sjors, Magnus, Bruisey, Whips, Easy, Fox and Loca) cycled through the obstacle course, making it look super easy of course. Now it was the contestants’ turn.

             

Because we taped this way back in May, we had not yet met any of the teams on our television sets, so it was super cool to get a sneak peek (under lock and key with a non-disclosure agreement of course) at the finalists. We got to see Franca, Craig, Connor, and Marika all try to beat our obstacle course test!

Once they had successfully completed the course to our standards, Coach Bizzy handed over their next clue.

The hardest part for the contestants was definitely stepping through the hula hoops. Connor got the right idea and went slowly stepping, nailing it on his first try. All the rest tried to race through this section, inevitably messing up and kicking the hoops which was an immediate fail.

But overall, these were true competitors. After all, they had survived dozens of tests and challenges in the episodes leading up to this moment, so we knew they would be able to nail their rollerskating moment in the end!

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Prepping your Roller Skates for Outdoor Skating https://rollaskateclub.com/prepping-your-roller-skates-for-outdoor-skating/ Sat, 30 Jul 2022 17:38:16 +0000 https://rollaskateclub.com/?p=19909 Prepping your Rollerskates for Outdoor Skating Happy Summertime skaters! We all know what summer means: it’s time for outdoor skating!! So let’s talk about getting our skates ready for outdoor […]

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Prepping your Rollerskates for Outdoor Skating

Happy Summertime skaters! We all know what summer means: it’s time for outdoor skating!! So let’s talk about getting our skates ready for outdoor skating. The good news is most rollerskates only require a few quick changes to be ready for skating outside, so you don’t need to get a whole other pair of skates. (But you can do that too if you want to!)

The most important change for skating outside: Change up those wheels! Some wheels are great for both indoor and outdoor skating … but since outdoor surfaces are generally a bit ‘rougher’ you probably want to grab some softer wheels. Checkout the super detailed info below from Luludemon and Rollergirl if you want to know some more about wheels!

Everyone has a different preference for their own comfort, but here are some other quick things you might want to keep in mind for outdoor skating:

  • bigger toe stops will help you stop faster on asphalt
  • toe plugs are important if you’re taking out your stops outside for dancing (without toe plugs, dirt and debris can get inside and damage your skate)
  • toe guards / protectors, generally these are made of leather and will protect the toe of your leather boot from being scuffed on asphalt. Some folx on Etsy make some really cute designs too!
  • thick skate laces are more durable and don’t shred as easily on the pavement
  • rougher surfaces can vibrate through the skate and be felt in your feet and joints, thicker insoles or gel insoles can help make your ride smoother

Here’s a quick how to video from Rolla Skate Club co-founder and Coach Luludemon, with a few more tips and tricks for prepping your skates for outside. Why are gummy wheels better for outside? Answer to this question and more in the video below!


Everything you Need to Know about Outdoor Wheels:
We got the lowdown from the legend herself Lisa Suggitt of Rollergirl.ca on choosing the right outdoor wheels! Here’s what she told us: “Wheels are super confusing and there are so many products out there. Basically you just need to consider size and hardness… 

Size: 
Big Wheels 65mm or bigger: These wheels are fast and roll over small debris and rough concrete better. The downside is that they are heavy, bulky and not very maneuverable.

Medium Wheels 62mm: These are the most versatile wheels. They are medium fast, roll reasonably well over debris and yet are light and maneuverable enough to practice outdoor dance.

Little Wheels 59mm or smaller: These wheels are super light and agile. Great for outdoor dance or skills training. But they are slow and don’t roll over debris as well as larger wheels.

Hardness: 
78A – Soft and gummy! These wheels give a very smooth ride. You won’t feel the surface of concrete as much. But they can be slower and less durable than harder outdoor wheels.

85A to 88A – Hybrid wheels and can usually be used both indoors and outdoors. They don’t offer as smooth of a ride but are usually a bit faster and last longer.”


Coach Cupid’s Outdoor rollerskates:

“I like a nice smooth ride when I’m skating outside so I’ve added extra soft insoles, and love the Radar Engergy 62mm gummy wheels. I mostly do street, trail and derby skating outside so I need to be able to stop quickly – and the Gumball toe stops are great for that. My outdoor skates are 14 years old and I think they’re still going strong because I’ve always used an extra leather toe guard that protects the front seams of my leather boots.” -Coach Cupid

Rollergirl’s favorite outdoor wheels are:

1. Road Hogs:
“These are the fastest wheels on the market. They are best for trail and road skating.  But big, bulky and heavy.”

2. Radar Energy 62mm
“These are one of my favourite all around outdoor wheels. They are medium fast, narrow and light weight. So they are good for trails but also good for outdoor dance and beginner skatepark.”

 3. Radar Ze “These are the affordable good value wheels. They are not as fast or smooth on rough concrete as other outdoor wheels but for people on a budget they are a great option.”

If you’re looking for an EVEN deeper dive into wheels, check out this 20 min video on Outdoor Wheels from Luludemon. Learn the difference between wheel types (park vs street vs dance), and watch her change out a set of wheels in real-time!

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Press Release: Rolla Skate Club hosts first post-pandemic Roller Derby Bout at the PNE https://rollaskateclub.com/press-release-rolla-skate-club-hosts-first-post-pandemic-roller-derby-bout-at-the-pne/ Mon, 30 May 2022 17:57:43 +0000 https://rollaskateclub.com/?p=19570 Join us in making rollerskating history! Rolla Skate Club is proud to present the first roller derby bout ever to be held at the historic Rollerland Building at the PNE […]

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Join us in making rollerskating history! Rolla Skate Club is proud to present the first roller derby bout ever to be held at the historic Rollerland Building at the PNE in East Vancouver.

Friday June 3rd 

6pm-7pm: All Ages Skate

7pm-8.30pm: Roller Derby Bout

8.30pm-10pm: 19+ Skate 

Roller Derby is a full contact sport played on quad rollerskates. Created in the 1930s as a team endurance race that thrilled depression era crowds, the sport died out in the 1970s but was revived in the early 2000’s by a group of punk rock women in Austin, Texas. The birth of social media helped spread this underground sport that focused on women’s empowerment and athleticism, making it the fastest growing sport in 2010 and inspiring the hit Drew Barrymore movie Whip It.

It’s been 3+ years in the making for some of the athletes participating in their first-ever competition at this event. They started their roller derby journey in 2019 with Rolla Skate Club’s “Roller Derby Boot Camp” programme, and have stuck with it through all the pandemic closures, and restrictions on contact sports. They are raring to finally get that first contest under their belts!

Expect full-contact, totally unscripted athletics and excitement as the newest faces in Vancouver roller derby join up with some of the city’s founding mothers of roller derby.

The first ever roller derby bout in Vancouver took place May 7th, 2006 and several of the athletes from that historic event are still part of the Rolla family! They include Co-Founder Lucy “Luludemon” Crosydill, Coach “Cupid Stunt” Sage Martin, Coach and Club Manager Andrea “AndiStruction” Fraser-Winsby, skater Kerry “Ludacrushis” Nyhan, and even their resident skate shop owner Lisa “Rollergirl” Suggitt! So it’s full circle for this derby family as they prepare for the first ever derby bout at Rollerland, and the first Vancouver derby event since the pandemic.

Get tickets at www.rollaskateclub.com/roller-derby-and-skate-june-3

About Rolla Skate Club

Rolla Skate Club is a welcoming community of strong skaters that empowers their members through fun, fitness and the freedom of quad rollerskating. The club hosts in-person classes and events at their Vancouver location and offers online memberships and digital courses to train anyone anywhere to be a rebel on roller skates.

Media Contact

Daniela Roman –  media@rollaskateclub.com

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Meet the Rolla Team: Rojen https://rollaskateclub.com/meet-the-rolla-team-rojen/ Mon, 18 Apr 2022 20:31:38 +0000 https://rollaskateclub.com/?p=19314 Meet Rojen! Rojen is our new Community Builder here at Rollerland🤩 Rojen (she/they) has been a constant and colourful presence at Rolla YVR since we first opened our Rollerland facility […]

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Meet Rojen!

Rojen is our new Community Builder here at Rollerland🤩 Rojen (she/they) has been a constant and colourful presence at Rolla YVR since we first opened our Rollerland facility in December. We are so excited to be working with her to further our collective goals of creating an Empowered Community of Strong Skaters

My name is Rojen and I also go by loudgurl – often living up to that name with my loud, vibrant personality! I live, work, and play on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, also known as Vancouver, and have recently been inspired to focus my energy on the parts of my life that inspire happiness. If there is one thing I have truly learned and understood in the last two years of the pandemic, it is the importance, power, and necessity of our local and global communities. Being isolated and longing for a change, I had a lot of time to reflect on my role in my own community. I wanted to make a meaningful and lasting impact for myself and others, not just through the pandemic, but for many years to come. This catalyst for change came in the most peculiar of ways: A pair of brand-new purple roller skates. I am an intermediate roller skater, spending most of my time at the skateparks and slowly progressing, having learned during the pandemic. Roller skating brought me a lot of peace and community during some of the most uncertain and traumatic times of the last two years, and I am grateful to the power of wheeled shoes in keeping me whole through it all. I am one of the founders of the East Van Skate Crows, a local skate park roller skating project here in Vancity. I enjoy documenting our local park scene through the East Van Skate Crows, showing our diverse community proudly taking up space in the skate parks, and giving back to the community in a variety of important ways. I see the big-picture vision of a more inclusive and impactful community, one that would include the needs and views of underrepresented groups of people when collaborating with the city and other community groups. I am also a dancer in the local Vancouver dance community, having amassed self-love, body confidence, and a sense of belonging over my years of dancing, and I enjoy sharing the joy and confidence that movement and community in all forms brings with others.

Check out Rojen skating skills and at the skate park in the videos below!

Rojen skating at Rollerland Rojen at the Skate Park

Where were you born?

Born in Vancouver and grew up in North Van!

When did you start working at Rolla?

December 2021, just as Rollerland opened!

When did you start rollerskating?

April 28, 2020!

 What do you love the most about rollerskating?

I absolutely love the freedom and confidence rollerskating gives you to be your most authentic self. I always feel like I can pull up to a skate space on my rollerskates as my most LOUDGURL self, and my skates further empower me to do so. It has challenged me in ways I never thought possible – pushing me to try things and work on movements that have made me reconsider what my body is capable of, and truly has given me so much body confidence. I helped put together a group of amazing new skaters at the peak of the pandemic, and we go by @EastVanSkateCrows – you will often find us kicking ass and holding space for each other at the skateparks. The community of incredible people and skaters I have found through skating has helped keep me committed when mental blocks have been especially difficult, and I am forever grateful for everyone I’ve met along the way. And through my role as Community Builder, I love facilitating that sense of belonging for other skaters. Rollerskating feeds my inner child and has made me a happier adult.

What’s your favorite skating move right now?

You’ll usually find me at the skateparks! I’m addicted to coping tricks and learning 5050s right now in the skatepark! And sliding floor moves on the rink!

What is your skate setup right now?

Currently, I’m riding my purple Beach Bunny Moxi skates (my first ever sk8s!) with wide XOXO trucks, @Wildbonesofficial sliders, and the Estrojen Bowl Bomber wheels – my current park setup until new skates arrive! People often know it’s me because of my all-purple everything💜!

Tell us something random and non-rollerskating about you

Ooooh what should I share? I have my degree in Criminology and have worked in Criminal Justice for many, many years! :’) I am a huuuge Amy Winehouse fan and got a tattoo of her when I was 27! Something I love sharing is my background! I am the first generation child of Immigrants – half Iranian and half Kurdish-Syrian and extremely proud of where my family comes from. Farsi was my first language and I love meeting other SWANA skaters that can relate to my story.

Share a good book, podcast or Netflix show

Honestly, I’m just going to recommend my favourite show of all time, if you haven’t seen it – you gotta! The show LOST. It was groundbreaking television at its time and I love the character development and storylines.

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Meet the Rolla Team: Coach Marcela https://rollaskateclub.com/meet-the-rolla-team-coach-marcela/ Sat, 09 Apr 2022 18:17:11 +0000 https://rollaskateclub.com/?p=18969 Get to Meet Coach Marcela!           View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by […]

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Get to Meet Coach Marcela!

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Rolla Skate Club Vancouver (@rollaskateclubyvr)

What’s your name? Marcela

When did you start skating? November 2020

 Tell us a bit about your skating history: I started skating with Rolla Skate Club during the pandemic. Once I got myself a pair of my own skates, I would bike to skate spaces around town, hit play on some tunes, and play around for hours…kicked out by the dark or by tennis players. I felt super lucky and welcomed to join up with fellow skaters throughout the summer of 2021 who also love to flow skate, hit up discos, and get lost into our own little skate zones with some good tunes and maybe a beer or two 😀

What do you love the most about rollerskating? I love the feeling of the first few strokes of skating on a nice smooth surface. Everything in my body and mind relaxes and the muscle memory kicks in to rolling again— it’s like taking a deeeeep breath. The way music and skating go together so seamlessly. Cracking open new moves and skills — e.g. when they finally “click”. Sharing excitement for skating with other skaters!!!

What about coaching do you enjoy? Giving education to help folks discover new options/perspectives to guide their own journeys. Learning from other skaters (students, friends, coaches, whoever) about skating and having laughs while doing it!

What types of skating do you do? Artistic & flow. A bit dancey. All about the music. Slow or funky. And will get into park skating asap!!!

What’s your favorite skating move right now? Grapevine! And (working on) giving those dips a little more funky flavour 😉

What is your skate setup right now? Jackson vista skates (purple), nylon plates, radar 62mm 78A wheels, dance plugs

Who/What inspires you right now in the skating world? Libby Williams, Estro Jen, Bfunkphenomenon, Coach Smokie at Rolla, Jason Acosta, Fairyquadmuva, Caro Hernandez

Who/What inspires you right now outside the world of skating? My friends and family are the people who inspire me the most every day

Tell us something random and non-rollerskating about you: I want to get into surfing on the West Coast!
I’m a helicopter-mom to my cat Cheeto :s
I can never say no to candy

This is Marcela’s cat Cheeto!

From this month forward we will be focusing on some of Rolla’s fabulous individuals – sharing their stories with you and giving you a glimpse into what keeps them inspired and rolling! Keep an eye out on our social media channels (Facebook & Instagram) to get to know them!

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