Figure skating and Artistic roller skating cross paths

Diana Delafield · Oct 1, 2024

Sk8swan said:
The Senior Men Solo Dance World Champion performance https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAbbe8Do8uQ/?igsh=MWptamxsNnoyYWZqZA==
(hope the link works). He is a stunning skater, world champion in pair dance too.
Solo dance in roller skating has been on world stage for quite a while now... Not everybody in the roller skating community likes it but it still gives the opportune to skaters like Gherardo to win more than one world title.
It will be interesting to see what is gonna happen on the ice where the discipline is just a new born...

I tried roller solo dance for fun while my pairs partner was away for a month. I was a pathetic long way from this level, but enjoyed trying. I hope it catches on in the ice world as well, but I also hope free skate elements like jumps don't start creeping in like pairs moves have in ice dance. There needs to be a clear distinction kept between the two types of skating, particularly if one skater competes in both types as Gherardo does. He manages the distinction wonderfully!

Sk8swan · Oct 1, 2024

Someone just brought to my attention that in the US some kind of a reality show about roller skating is going to air soon... Apparently Johnny Weir is involved.... Does anyone know about that?

sarahanne · Oct 4, 2024

Sk8swan said:
Someone just brought to my attention that in the US some kind of a reality show about roller skating is going to air soon... Apparently Johnny Weir is involved.... Does anyone know about that?

Yes it is Roller Jam streaming on HBO MAX produced by Joanna and Chip Gaines. https://people.com/chip-and-joanna-...-competition-series-trailer-exclusive-8719948

mishrakiyara · Nov 15, 2024

I’m a figure skater at heart, but sometimes, I switch to artistic roller skating just for fun! The first time I tried, I thought, “How hard could it be?” Spoiler: landing spins on wheels is trickier than it looks.

It’s wild how similar they feel yet so different—like ice’s cousin with a flair for rhythm. Honestly, it’s a fun break when I need a change of scenery (or when the rink’s too crowded).
Anyone else dabble in both? Or am I the only one juggling blades and wheels for kicks?

Diana Delafield · Nov 15, 2024

mishrakiyara said:
I’m a figure skater at heart, but sometimes, I switch to artistic roller skating just for fun! The first time I tried, I thought, “How hard could it be?” Spoiler: landing spins on wheels is trickier than it looks.
It’s wild how similar they feel yet so different—like ice’s cousin with a flair for rhythm. Honestly, it’s a fun break when I need a change of scenery (or when the rink’s too crowded).
Anyone else dabble in both? Or am I the only one juggling blades and wheels for kicks?

I've been doing both since the beginning of this year. A new member of my sports club had been doing quad roller skating in another country, and got several of us from the ice group interested. We persuaded the management of the club to let us use the wheelercise room (where they have classes for wheelchair driving and exercise and has a wooden floor that can take a beating from the wheels). Now many days I take both pairs of skates to the club and switch from one surface to the other. I've found doing dance and a bit of freeskating on quad wheels has improved my figure skating on the ice! Because the quads are heavier and need more of a push, my leg strength has increased, and at my, um, advanced age (older than Deanna, not as old as Ludmilla Protopopov was when she was still skating

) it's all to the good for fitness in general!

And I agree that spins on wheels are probably the hardest thing to adjust to. There have been quite a few videos posted on this thread of artistic roller competitions and I'm in awe at the length of their spins and the variety of positions! I still haven't mastered rocking back and forth during a spin from flat to back wheels to flat again etc). I think I've fallen more on the floor than I ever do on the ice, but I love trying :dance2: