JAMSKATER.NET™
P.O. Box-13004 ▪ Los Angeles, CA. 90013
Phone: 213.624.2214 ▪ Cell: 310.245.4357
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JAMSKATER.NET™
P.O. Box-13004 ▪ Los Angeles, CA. 90013 Phone: 213.624.2214 ▪ Cell: 310.245.4357 |
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Jamskating History
Jamskating can be characterized as a combination of many styles of skating and dance, all performed on roller skates and set to funky music. It involves elements of breakdancing, rexing, shuffle skating, hip hop, figure skating, modern dance and gymnastics. Jam skating routines vary greatly, depending on the skater or team that is performing. There are very few rigid regulations in the sport. Usually, the only rule imposed on skaters is a time limit on their performances. This lack of regulation allows each skater to develop his or her own personal style. Jam Skating Through The
Years Jam skating has been called many things in the past, including shuffle skating,
shadow skating, bounce skating, rexing, and crazy legging. A kind of dancing
on skates known as shuffle dancing took place in rinks as early as the 1930s.
However, this style of dancing focused more on the synchronization of two
skaters and less on some of the difficult moves seen
More recently, the roots of jam skating can be found in roller disco, which was very popular in the 1970s. In the 1980s, disco faded in popularity, and this is when this style of dancing on skates came to be known by several names and in several variations. Rhythm skating, shuffle skating, bounce skating, shadow skating, rubber legging, and rexing. Although, I have been able to trace the term and style of rexing as far back as the 1960's where their were many rexing clubs and teams. The earliest ones to my knowledge and experience were at the old Palisades Gardens in San Diego, CA. (pictured here, circa 1950's) which was my first skating rink and where I learned how to rollerskate. Jamskating as it is known and understood today evolved primarily out of the styles of skating known as rhythm and rexing with their "spot skating" and solo/single/shuffle element. It is also performed in pairs and teams as well. The term Jamskating with it's inclusion of the elements of breakdancing being introduced into the sport came about in the later 1990's and it began to more closely resemble the jam skating of today. However, as far as I can see it is more a matter of phraseology with the term jamskating being more of an east coast one and rexing being more of a west coast one. In some ways the subject has been somewhat of a question of -"which came first, the chicken or the egg." It's all good as far as I'm concerned. These forms of skating are set to or performed to music with a funky beat. Primarily a style of music known generically as "freestyle." Jeff Skatapunk Jam Skating and Quad
Skates
However, quads are required for jam skating, since they provide skaters with
the balance needed for many of their moves. In the roller disco era, skaters
used quad skates like those used by figure skaters, with traditional high cut
boots and toe stops. However, since the early 1980s, jam skaters have used low
cut, speed style boots and toe plugs instead of toe stops. As more skaters are
becoming involved in jam skating and it is growing into a very popular
world-wide sport, quad skates are regaining much of their popularity once
again.
Do you still associate the four-wheeled roller skates known as quads with
Gloria Gaynor, ''Xanadu," and other pop culture stalwarts of the '70s and
early '80s? Well, get ready to have your preconceptions changed. Quad roller
skating is attempting to peel off its polyester shirt and disco affiliations
to connect with all things hip and urban in the 21st century. At least that's
the hope of locals who own roller skating rinks or simply love the sport.
The quad skating style helping a new generation of skaters take another glance at the sport is called jam skating. Think of it as an athletic form of roller skating with elements of break dancing, gymnastic-style flips, and other dance moves thrown in. You can find examples of it everywhere these days. The latest Diet Coke commercial features a gaggle of ladies showing their smooth skating moves on a California boardwalk. An iPod ad shows roller skaters doing a series of spins and jumps to the new Gorillaz song ''Feel Good Inc." The video for R&B songbird Ciara's crossover hit ''1, 2 Step" shows glimpses of lanky men roller skating to the beat down Atlanta's streets. And there's more to come. The film ''Roll Bounce," starring teen rapper Bow Wow, got released Sept. 23, 2005.  It could do for jam skating what last year's
film ''You Got Served" did to repopularize break dancing. Then there's music
and film producer Dallas Austin's new film, ''Jellybeans," which will tell the
tale of a group of friends who hang out at an Atlanta roller skating rink; it
has already started shooting and I believe it is in the post-production phase.
Jeff Skatapunk
From your Webmaster
I am a former vertical skateboarder from what some
people refer to as the Dogtown and Z-Boys era of vertical skateboarding and a
vertical roller-skating. I am Valley Boy though and lived and skated primarily
in the San Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles, CA. We were the
originators of the vertical style of skateboarding & rollerskating then and
still the best. The Z-Boys came out to the valley to make regular raids on the
plentiful empty swimming pools during the drought days of the '70's. That is
where I first ran into them at some pool sessions. That's another story for
another page.
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Jamskating, is a completely different
style of skating, and a completely different world and subculture of it's own.
I am an old-school jamskater and rexer and I have been involved the this sport
and art most of my life. I am also still a vertical rollerskater and love skating
pools, bowls, half-pipes, and skatepark snake runs.
I skated both vertical skateboarding and vertical roller-skating back in
the day at some of the best and most skateparks in
the history of the sport. Places such as; BoogieBowl (Glendale/LaCresenta,
CA.), Skatercross (Reseda, CA.), Upland Pipeline (Upland, CA),
Del Mar (Del
Mar, CA.-The O.C.), and Oasis Skatepark (San Diego, CA.). Those were real
hard-core skateparks man. Those were da days.
To be sure, jamskating is equally as hard to do, hard to master, and as
physically demanding as any other form of skating. If you don't think so, just
try it if you think you got what it takes. Just be careful, you might get
addicted.
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