Last night I attended Adult Skate night at Jackson Skating Rink, it's an event that happens once a month. I thought the event started at 6 PM...it actually started at 6:30 PM so I was 20 minutes early. When I got inside, Diana was there with one of her world class skaters finishing up a lesson. Diana introduced me to the young lady, Lacey, who was doing some amazing things on skates. Out on the rink, she was rolling around like a figure skater you would see on ice. I am blown away at what people can do on wheels. Lacey and I spoke for a little bit and I hope to get to see her again and watch her practice her routine.
Diana and I had a conversation about my skates before I laced up, I think I need new wheels because they are designed more for derby than shuffling. The wheels I have right now are wider and they are also a little harder so there isn't much grip on them. I bought speed skates, so they are designed for speed. We tried to switch my wheels out with a pair she had in her office, but the axles weren't the same size sooooo....it didn't work. I told her it wasn't big deal and I would get it figured out. I said goodbye and laced my skates up so I could get out on the rink.
About an hour after I started skating, John waved me over to the side. John has been very welcoming since I started skating. He works at the rink and is usually out on the floor as a ref. I skated off the rink and went to speak with him. John started to tell me I am never going to learn how to shuffle if I don't start bouncing. I argued with him that I couldn't, I felt like I was going to fall. He said I wasn't going to, to just start doing it. John also said I looked stiff again and that I was "just skating, you need to go out there and get lost in the music. Forget about life and everything that is bothering you and just SKATE." UGH! He's trying to help, lol, but I am so scared to fall and break something.
I saw another person I've become friends with, Spoon. Spoon is an insanely good skater, I've been watching him every time he comes to open skate. He and I started talking a few weeks ago and now I skate around with him. Before I went back out on the rink, I went over to him and asked if he would try to help me learn how to bounce. He agreed and we skated out onto the rink. I was bouncing as I was rolling, but having a hard time bouncing while I was actually skating. After a few minutes, Spoon went off on his own and I kept rolling around trying to bounce. I probably looked so stupid, but I don't care I am trying to learn. A few minutes later, John was skating next to me. He started to tell me that he wished he could have videoed me while one of my favorite songs was on, he said I was singing and bouncing and didn't even realize it. I laughed at him. He kept telling me that when I'm not paying attention, I am a completely different skater. I tried to get lost in the music after that. It's hard to do when songs I don't like or don't know are playing. But I focused and pretty soon, music that I absolutely LOVE started to be played. I was bouncing and singing! By the end of the night I was shaking my hips and even trying to get some of the employees who were out on the rink with me to twerk! I was actually TWERKING ON ROLLER SKATES, not sure how graceful it was...but I was trying HAHA. I stayed much later than I thought, they didn't kick us off the rink until after 9:30. It's hard to stop skating when I'm having so much fun.
I am learning very quickly that to get lost is to learn the way.
"Don't dream it, be it."
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