The younger members of Generation X and beyond caught only the tail end of the St. Louis skating culture. Even so, in the early to mid 1990s many of us could be found Friday nights at the Palace, Saturday afternoons at Skate King, Saturday nights at Aloha and Saints.
Our presence at the various rinks at least three nights a week – despite the fact that the heyday of the St. Louis skate scene had peaked more than a decade before – serves as evidence of just how intensely skating was infused into the everyday lives of the urban community.
Legendary local DJ turned filmmaker Ronald “G. Wiz” Butts brilliantly captures the essence of black St. Louis and East St. Louis’ extracurricular obsession with his documentary The Rink.
The film will be among those showcased at Cinema St. Louis’ 9th Annual St. Louis Filmmaker’s Showcase (July 18-23).
From its origins to the current state of the skating subculture, The Rink – which screens 7 p.m. Thursday, July 23 at the Tivoli – leaves no wheels unturned. Comprehensive and calculated, the film recreates the connection and illustrates the true passion that skaters have for their sport of choice. The Rink uses personal accounts coupled with rare footage and photos that chronicle the rise of skating as a the unofficial pastime for the black youth of the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s in St. Louis and East St. Louis.
The Rev. John Washington, who strapped on his first pair of skates more than 50 years ago, talks about his first experiences on wheels with excitement. Leo “Quad 1” White – The Rink’s co-producer – show his awe-inspiring skills and tricks that include skating on one wheel as he and other frustrated skaters deal with decades of plateaued intensity, accessibility and appreciation among the skating nation.
The film manages to weave generations of skate pioneers and the “skating babies” together to give a full and official overview of the St. Louis skate scene.
The “Roll Bounce” music was the perfect backdrop that will have viewers criss-crossing in their seats as they watch some of the veteran rollers dust off their wheels for the camera and laugh out loud as they offer accounts of their contributions and fond memories.
“St. Louis is one of the best skating cities in the country,” a man said as he stood outside of the legendary roller venue Skate King. “We created the art form of leggin’.”
The tricky skill of weaving, crossing and bending the legs back and forth without missing a beat is smooth – which is a trademark with respect to the St. Louis skating style.
In addition to the technique associated with the region, The Rink provides a historical account of legendary skating spots that are now defunct, such as Crystal, Steinberg, the Palace and Saints, in addition Skate King and Skate City, through their owners and faithful patrons.
It was more than just something to do. In its most popular era, skating was a movement. Not just a motion that included going in a circle on skates, but a bonafide way of life.
Through The Rink the peak of the skating culture of St. Louis and East St. Louis appears strikingly similar to the St. Louis hip-hop scene in the late 1990s to the early 2000s, in the sense that it served as the heartbeat of local urban culture and created national buzz.
Don’t forget the shorts
The Rink (a feature-length film) will be shown with several short films from area filmmakers.
In an abbreviated episode of lighthearted physical contact, Hybrie Brownlee and Jarohn Johnson poke fun at the TV wrestling industry with Battle of the Sexes.
In less than 20 minutes, Denise Ward-Brown manages to offer viewers an inside track to her inner thoughts and personal history.
Ward-Brown’s Being Born is Marvelous and I Always Wanted to be a Teacher will screen along with Battle of the Sexes and The Rink.
Isis, a 7-minute contemporary examination of the ancient goddess as it relates to issues faced by modern black women, will be featured among the experimental shorts segment of the festival on Sunday, July 19 at 9:45 p.m..
The Rink, Battle of the Sexes, Being Born is Marvelous and I Always Wanted to be a Teacher will screen at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 23 at the Tivoli (6350 Delmar in the Loop).
Isis will be featured Sunday, Jul. 19 at 9:45 p.m. among the experimental shorts segment of the festival at the Tivoli.
For more information on the 9th Annual St. Louis Filmmaker’s Showcase, visit www.cinemastlouis.org.
