Ballet, skateboarding, and no Gesmer?

Graham Taylor has made a video comparing skateboarders to modern ballet dancers. It includes some UK footage from the 90’s on. Noticeably present, the Craig Stecyk quote about technology, a cement playground and the minds of 11 year olds. Noticeably absent is the Daniel Gesmer spotlight. In any case, It’s an odd little film that might make you chuckle, especially when the jump cuts between the two disciplines get hopping. Try to imagine a session at street spot with everyone in tights. Then try to imagine ballet dancers gathering secretively in an empty warehouse with their generators and mirrors, practicing their moves and then cursing loudly while trying to focus that big wooden bar.

[Source: When we was RAD]

rough paralleling of skateboarding and modern ballet dancing, both disciplines evolved in different parts of the 20th century dealing with interpretation of space and environement and both effected profoundly by the involvement of film cameras. seen here are the choreography of george balanchine, the films of norman mclaren and various skate films from late 90’s and early 2000’s

UPDATE: This was an old embedded Shockwave video. The technology is defunct, but the work is mysterious and important. If the footage shows up somewhere else (and we remember) we’ll add it back.