by Margarett Dykstra
by Margarett Dykstra
Women in-line skaters are an awesome breed. Some skate for fun, some for fitness, and an increasing number ride rails and half pipes. As these rad chicks sail through the air, with their pigtails flying, you have to stand amazed at their skill and guts. They are totally fierce. Not to mention that, aesthetically speaking, they have it all over the guys.
I used to be a competitive figure skater, but five years ago I hung up my figure skates for a pair of in-lines. Now in-line is my life: I perform with a dance/skate team, the NYC Skate Crew; I am the director of the In-Line Instructional & Fitness Program at the Roller Rinks at Chelsea Piers and the Creative Developer of Skate Reebok®.
Although my expertise is in dance and fitness, I have spent a lot of time with aggressive skaters and have watched the sport explode. I have even toyed with the idea of giving it a shot myself. But barring that, I checked out the surprising number of women who are dedicated to this extreme sport. I wondered how they are treated in this world where adolescent boys rule and where the girls are going for really hard tricks, giving it their all, and constantly struggling for recognition. I found in contrast with the men's single-mindedness (reflected in the uniformity of their grunge dress, talk and attitude), the women have wildly differing spirits, attitudes and lifestyles.
Extreme Girls On Film (2.9mb): crew.mov , crew.avi.
