In this article i’m going to give you some of the history on figure roller skating. How it came about, where, who was involved and any key differences between this and ice figure skating. I hope you find this interesting!
What is figure roller skating?
Figure roller skating is a type of sport which is either on quad or inline skates. Skaters typically make beautiful patterns and swirls on a smooth surface with their skating and they execute spins, jumps, twirls and detailed, complex footwork with their skates. It requires edge control but also graceful artistic flare. It is often performed to music. I’ve copied below, a link to an example of what this looks like in the competitions. It is very much like figure ice skating:
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Is figure roller skating different to artistic roller skating?
No – these are considered generally to be the same sport.
Who were the first figure roller skaters?
The first figure roller skaters were John Joseph Merlin, who used inline skates in 1760. He created the first primitive pair of inline roller skates in 1760. Slightly later we also and Jackson Haines (1838 – 1875) who started to apply the same sort of technique’s used in Ice figure skating, in roller skating. However, James Plimpton invented the steerable quad skate in 1863 and this allowed the skaters to start to do complex turns.
The first stage performance on figure roller skates was in 1743, and in an opera in the 1840s. They sought to perform in the same way as the ice skaters in these shows.
Subsequently, Jackson Haines who was an American ballet teacher and he also ice skated, began developing skates which could be danced in. These became popular in the late 1800s.
What are the key components today?
There are a few different elements which figure roller skating is comprised of. These include:
Figures – making circular patterns on the floor
Freestyle – which involves jumping including axels and loops, spins and complex footwork set to music.
Dance – this includes solo or partnered dance routines which are similar to ballroom dancing.
Does figure roller skating require special skates?
At the more advanced levels, specialised skates will be needed. Recreational skates are fine for beginners. However, artistic skate set ups include stiff high top boots to provide a higher level of support for ankles, and specific plates for jumps and spins. They also use specialised wheels which are made for leaning into edges and more advanced tricks.
How can you get started in figure roller skating?
There is a section of this blog which you will find has got places to skate including places where you can learn to figure skate. This section of the blog is being added to all the time. Please see the following link:
Places to skate – Sophia Blogs
Another blog post will also be added specifically, listing venues where you can start to take lessons. Watch this space, for this!
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