Last week, my skating family and I traveled to Las Vegas for my first skate excursion. I must admit that in the weeks leading up to the trip, I was not looking forward to it and was very anxious. Travel can be naturally stressful. Well, at least for me it is. I'm not a fan of group excursions, as there are too many personalities trying to come together as one, which isn't always successful. You embark on a trip with a planned spending budget, but of course, you always exceed it. When the journey entails air travel, that adds to the anxiety. Although all of these stresses were on my mind leading up to the travel, that's not what made me the most anxious. What I found to be the most nerve-wrecking for me was the fact that I was going on the trip for the skate party.
Now, I'm quite new to skating as a hobby. I started skating approximately two and a half years ago and struggled greatly at first. I could barely stand on them, let alone skate. But I've come a long way, and my skills have substantially increased since I initially started. I've been skating every Sunday at the same location since I first began. It was something that my mom and I started together (despite the fact that she was a professional skater when she was younger) and has now become a weekly pleasure that we both enjoy. Except lately, I haven't been enjoying it....
I became bored with skating. I skate at an OG rink, called Hoover Skate Arena. It was Ohio's first black-owned skating rink, and skaters in our neighborhood have continued to visit there ever since. My grandma, mother, and now I, have skated at this rink. Many of us skaters attend because we love and appreciate the owners and the rink itself. The only disadvantage of going to this rink on a weekly basis is that she frequently plays the same music, with a few exceptions. Because of this, skating got monotonous. I started leaving early, which is unusual for me. I usually stay on the floor until it is time to depart. Why should I? It's an excellent workout, and I get to dance at the same time. But that hadn't mattered to me lately. I was bored with the tunes. I was even bored while dancing. I knew I was losing interest in skating.
So, as our vacation to Vegas loomed, I had mixed thoughts. I was delighted to leave since I needed a break. But I wasn't sure how much I'd look forward to attending the skate party. As a new skater, you quickly realize that each skating rink is unique. The floor is different, the music is different, and the crowd is different. The last skate party I attended was about a year and a half ago in Cincinnati, and it was an overwhelming experience for me. There were so many people. And at this particular skate party, I had only been skating for about 6 to 8 months. Different skate crews took over the floor, making skating difficult and uncomfortable. One of the most crucial skating abilities is learning to get out of the way, which I hadn't quite mastered at the time, lol. However, after about an hour on the floor, I realized things had altered. And before I knew it, I was skating around everyone on the floor, using my own technique. I was less intimidated than before, and I was proud of myself. As soon as I realized I was at ease on the floor, I began to incorporate my personal style into my skating. It was at this point that I had matured as a skater.
The Vegas Skate Rink was known as Skate Rock City. It was a big rink with little discrepancies in the floor, making it seem slightly different depending on where you were on the floor. Fortunately, my home rink has an old surface. I've discovered that if you can skate on Hoover's floor, you can skate on any floor. My cousin assured me that the Vegas floor would be OK; all I had to do was skate around the rink a few times and I would get used to it. So I reminded myself of his advice as I approached the skate floor. And it was the best advice he could have given me. This helped me to become acquainted to both the skate floor and the skaters. There were skaters from Atlanta, Indianapolis, North Carolina, and possibly other locations. As previously stated, they each have their own distinct style. With so many skating styles on one surface, some adjustments are obviously required. At least it does for me, as I am only used to skating at Hoover.
But I was able to find my flow just as I had previously. This time, I was able to find it quickly. From then, I had a great time.The music was excellent, and I really enjoyed seeing everyone skate. The music was different from what I was used to. But, fortunately, I can dance to practically anything. You can tell who was a regular there by the way they danced to practically every song with ease, and they all danced in the same style, with their own variations.The first thing I noticed about the regulars was that they all made the most amazing turns and spins on the floor. If you grew up in this neighborhood, it appears that knowing how to turn is a second nature.The way they jumped, spun, and flowed to the beats was breathtaking. And it was during that moment of admiration that I had a realization. It was an epiphany.
It wasn't that I was tired of skating. I had grown complacent. I had become dissatisfied with the complacency. Watching all of those skaters perform the most effortless spins and turns helped me realize that it was time to put my fear of progressing aside and learn how to turn. I find myself now ready. As I write this, I finally realize why I was intended to go on this journey. I needed to realize that it was time to push myself further. Everything else that happened throughout the trip was purely a bonus. I had an incredible experience with fantastic people.
But next time, it will be me who is also spinning around the rink like a ballerina.
Until next time Vegas.
