As time went along, going to the rink each week I realized how much a part of the process the music was. For the all girls only skate, they often played "I Enjoy Being a Girl." I am strictly a female female, and something about talking on the phone for hours with a pound and a half of cream on my face. It is a very cute song from a musical. Then there was the Hokey Pokey that was a lot of fun for everyone.
There was one by Andy Williams, something about the wheel goes spinning round round round, till it takes me to the one I love. It seems each week they played Volare, Venus, and something by Connie Francis. I have to admit it was a fun rink and they had lots going on. At least once a year on Saturday night they stopped the skating and had a sock hop dance out on the beautiful wood floor. And no shoes allowed, in was in our socks.
As time went on I realized that a song would remind me of a certain person. There was a song for each crush. I was by no means boy crazy but I did have crushes on the ones that I thought were cute. Some songs even reminded me of events.
During some college classes once an instructor talked about the fact that our generation was really the first that had music that was just ours. To some degree that was true, we at least had more of it, but I kept thinking about the roaring 20's and some of the music of that time. I remember my mother singing songs like "Mares eat oats and does eat oats and little lambs eat ivy": and another one something about "the music goes round and round and Whoa oooo ooooo o and it comes out here." I don't believe my grandma listened to that one. He was right about the fact that more music was recorded by young people about young issues like "Puppy Love" and the records were bought by us like crazy.
It is time to make myself some lunch, I'll be back.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
The videos
The precision skate video is to show the types of routines I did in the shows I appeared in. I never tried out for the kind of parts where there would just be me or perhaps three of us on the floor at a time. That would have been too much, all eyes are on me! However you had to be almost more careful because a mistake would mean that several people could go down.
The Gene Kelley clip is from a 1955 movie and it is too darn cute. That guy had to have spent a lot of time in a rink in his life time. I don't think he could learn in a few days to do that bit for a movie if he had never skated.
Signing out for a few days, talk to you later. Take care.
The Gene Kelley clip is from a 1955 movie and it is too darn cute. That guy had to have spent a lot of time in a rink in his life time. I don't think he could learn in a few days to do that bit for a movie if he had never skated.
Signing out for a few days, talk to you later. Take care.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Believe it or not.......
Believe it or not, I will tie this into the here and now at some point. But the background is all a part of what I hope to do later.
I continued lessons and finally took the test for the first "bar". The categories may have changed some by now but in those days there were figures, dance and ( freestyle, either as an individual or in pairs.) I was interested in the dance and I felt that was my strong suit.
On the day of the test I drew the teacher that was 6 feet 2 to "dance with." For about a 10 year old kid that was very tall. The couple have to perform the same steps and moves at precise places on the floor. If I remember correctly for most of the dance my right hand is at the right side of my waist and his right hand and arm are across my back holding that hand. My left arm is extended in front of him and he is holding my left hand in his left hand. I wish I could remember for sure but I don't, but it seems there was more than one standard dance and we did I think what they called the foxtrot. Because of the positions of the skaters you can see why his height scared me. Also I had only done the dance alone never with a partner. I was so nervous but I passed the test. I received a small bronze pin which I wish I still had. It seems that there may have been three awards in each category: bronze, silver and gold. This was only a first step. But I was thrilled! I think you had to receive all three bars in all categories to achieve professional status.
I had my metal suitcase for carrying the skates with a national membership decal and my name in decals on it. I was part of the whole thing.
There was something else taking place at the same time and that was a new awareness of the music they played. They played some really good music.....pop, a little rock and roll and quite a few numbers from broadway musicals. I visited a rink in another town once that had only organ music. The skating was still fun, but not the same.
The lyrics, the meanings, the rhythms and movement and constant exercise was all a part of it. After Saturday's at the rink I went home for dinner, a couple of favorite TV programs and I was tired and ready for bed. But it was a good tired. Those were some of my best days ever.
I continued lessons and finally took the test for the first "bar". The categories may have changed some by now but in those days there were figures, dance and ( freestyle, either as an individual or in pairs.) I was interested in the dance and I felt that was my strong suit.
On the day of the test I drew the teacher that was 6 feet 2 to "dance with." For about a 10 year old kid that was very tall. The couple have to perform the same steps and moves at precise places on the floor. If I remember correctly for most of the dance my right hand is at the right side of my waist and his right hand and arm are across my back holding that hand. My left arm is extended in front of him and he is holding my left hand in his left hand. I wish I could remember for sure but I don't, but it seems there was more than one standard dance and we did I think what they called the foxtrot. Because of the positions of the skaters you can see why his height scared me. Also I had only done the dance alone never with a partner. I was so nervous but I passed the test. I received a small bronze pin which I wish I still had. It seems that there may have been three awards in each category: bronze, silver and gold. This was only a first step. But I was thrilled! I think you had to receive all three bars in all categories to achieve professional status.
I had my metal suitcase for carrying the skates with a national membership decal and my name in decals on it. I was part of the whole thing.
There was something else taking place at the same time and that was a new awareness of the music they played. They played some really good music.....pop, a little rock and roll and quite a few numbers from broadway musicals. I visited a rink in another town once that had only organ music. The skating was still fun, but not the same.
The lyrics, the meanings, the rhythms and movement and constant exercise was all a part of it. After Saturday's at the rink I went home for dinner, a couple of favorite TV programs and I was tired and ready for bed. But it was a good tired. Those were some of my best days ever.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Photo Gallery
Click where it says 2009 Championships and you can view a gallery of nice photos. I posted this only to show the type of roller skating I was interested in years ago. I believe there are many people that have never seen skating like this on roller skates, even if they have on ice, by watching the Olympics or a sports program.
Have fun, come again and I am sure I will be taking a few twists and turns before the story is told.
Have fun, come again and I am sure I will be taking a few twists and turns before the story is told.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Friday, September 23, 2011
The 4th picture was one taken at the rink. If I remember correctly they even had a yearbook of students put out each year, this was for that. They had king and queen contests, some really fun things came out of that rink. The practices went on for weeks it seemed like before the shows. I can not remember for sure but I think these costumes were over about a two year period of time.
Yes, I kept at the lessons, got a good pair of skates of my own and made it into some of the shows put on at the rink.
There was a lot of work to it and a lot of failure at times. One of the main obstacles was having a good pair of skates. The ones to be rented were not in the best of shape even though the man behind the counter seemed to be working on skates all day long. For the jumps especially you needed the base to be extra strong. Finally one Christmas I did get the skates. I have to admit they made a difference in my abilities. Poor mom had to make all the costumes which were designed to specifications so they all came out looking the same. Some kids I am sure had to hire someone to do this but luckily I had a talented and resourceful mom. The first picture was my least favorite of any of the costumes. I was a purple people eater. While the song was darling and the routine was fun, the silly horned purple people eater hats found at a five and dime were a little over the top. The tunic was purple satin, the straps were yellow oil cloth with some big silver sequins on it and the tights were red. The hat of course matched the concept with a yellow horn on top that you could remove and blow.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
The skirt.........
The picture on the profile is of my first skate skirt. You may have guessed by now that the "roll" is about roller skating. I was about 6 or 7 in the photo and I was very proud of that skirt. I had been wearing jeans to the rink on Saturday afternoons for a while to keep down the occurance of raspberries on the knees.
I got my first sidewalk skates some earlier and loved every minute of it, even though the cracks and uneven places in the sidewalk were murder. I did not even know that there was such a thing as roller rinks but mom did. Soon I was going every Saturday afternoon.
Once I got where I was upright most all the time I started begging mom for lessons. I noticed a group of kids that could do the most fantastic things on skates. I really had my doubts that I could but I was determined to try. I was really proud of myself because this was something I was doing completely on my own. There was not one kid from my school going to the rink on a regular basis and certainly none from my school taking lessons.
The rink was a large one and had 4 instructors on a professional standing, 2 men and 2 women. I don't think everyone knew there was a time when roller skating (while a popular past time in my youth) was also every bit as beautiful and athletic as the ice skating you see in the Winter Olympics. While many towns during the 50's and 60's had rinks, I don't think a lot of them had the professionals on hand and the lessons available. I had a lot to learn and was a little disappointed that the first lessons consisted of doing the figures. This was to teach control and strength. With one push off you had to be able to get around the figure 8. Each level had to be passed before you could go on and learn anything else.
After I began the lessons it meant that I was spending the biggest part of every Saturday at the rink. Lessons were in the morning and I would have a hot dog for lunch at the rink and stay for the afternoon skate that lasted until 5 p.m. Never was I bored, the only thing that bothered me was that I wanted to be able to do more and do it better.
There will be more to come later. I hope I spark some fond memories for some and maybe even a little inspiration before this is all over.
I got my first sidewalk skates some earlier and loved every minute of it, even though the cracks and uneven places in the sidewalk were murder. I did not even know that there was such a thing as roller rinks but mom did. Soon I was going every Saturday afternoon.
Once I got where I was upright most all the time I started begging mom for lessons. I noticed a group of kids that could do the most fantastic things on skates. I really had my doubts that I could but I was determined to try. I was really proud of myself because this was something I was doing completely on my own. There was not one kid from my school going to the rink on a regular basis and certainly none from my school taking lessons.
The rink was a large one and had 4 instructors on a professional standing, 2 men and 2 women. I don't think everyone knew there was a time when roller skating (while a popular past time in my youth) was also every bit as beautiful and athletic as the ice skating you see in the Winter Olympics. While many towns during the 50's and 60's had rinks, I don't think a lot of them had the professionals on hand and the lessons available. I had a lot to learn and was a little disappointed that the first lessons consisted of doing the figures. This was to teach control and strength. With one push off you had to be able to get around the figure 8. Each level had to be passed before you could go on and learn anything else.
After I began the lessons it meant that I was spending the biggest part of every Saturday at the rink. Lessons were in the morning and I would have a hot dog for lunch at the rink and stay for the afternoon skate that lasted until 5 p.m. Never was I bored, the only thing that bothered me was that I wanted to be able to do more and do it better.
There will be more to come later. I hope I spark some fond memories for some and maybe even a little inspiration before this is all over.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Brand new at this...
Give me a few days to organize and make notes. I am completely new to the idea of blogging. I intend to write about a time in my life that was very important and very "forming" of me. You will have to be at least about fifty years old to relate to what I will have to say.
I simply have always wanted to put some things into words, and this is a way to publish.
I simply have always wanted to put some things into words, and this is a way to publish.
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