Skates for Jamskating vs Rhythm Skating

[sk8rsalsero]

Like many, I'm coming back to skating after many years, and have quickly gone through the archives here to educate myself regarding equipment. I'm still struggling with some of the 'new-to-me' vocabulary. So is the following understanding correct?

Jamskating: dancing on skates with an emphasis on breakdance moves.

Rhythm skating: dancing on skates with an emphasis on shuffle skate moves.

The follow-up question to this is regarding the skate equipment. All 'jamskates' seem to be speed-skates, and 'rhythm skates' seem to be artistic skates. WHY? Is it just the breakdancing aspect of jamskating that make a speed skate better for that? When I see people 'dance on skates', other than breakdance moves, it seems to be almost the same. Is there some real performance aspect (other than actually using them for speed skating) as to why speed-skates are chosen for 'jamskating'?

Any input is appreciated!
Gracias!

[raggedjim]

Most of the "shuffle" skaters at my rink are wearing speed boots. It may be a regional preference...

Rg

[brikkee]

Originally Posted by sk8rsalsero

Like many, I'm coming back to skating after many years, and have quickly gone through the archives here to educate myself regarding equipment. I'm still struggling with some of the 'new-to-me' vocabulary. So is the following understanding correct?

Jamskating: dancing on skates with an emphasis on breakdance moves.

Rhythm skating: dancing on skates with an emphasis on shuffle skate moves.

The follow-up question to this is regarding the skate equipment. All 'jamskates' seem to be speed-skates, and 'rhythm skates' seem to be artistic skates. WHY? Is it just the breakdancing aspect of jamskating that make a speed skate better for that? When I see people 'dance on skates', other than breakdance moves, it seems to be almost the same. Is there some real performance aspect (other than actually using them for speed skating) as to why speed-skates are chosen for 'jamskating'?

Any input is appreciated!
Gracias!

I guess its a matter of personal preference for me i grew up on speed boots so i stuck with them i like the shorter boot because i can get more movement in the ankles and never care for the bigger heel i have thought about using a art boot and cutting the heel down to 1/4 inch and a higher boot just so i can get more support on my calves and this is unheard of lol.

[Barf]

At the risk of breaking the Political Correctness code, I've noticed that a very large proportion of the skaters using art skate boots for shuffle skating are black, and most the skaters using speed boots for the same type of skating tend to be white. Not all skaters line up with this, but it sure seems like a lot do... darned if I know why.

Stupid disclaimer: Even noticing something like this can get a guy compared to Hitler on the internet. Please, nobody bother calling me a racist or try to start a flame war. I don't have any political axe to grind here, it's just something I've noticed watching skating vids on the internet. You can go watch some Youtube videos yourself and see if that's not how it breaks down.

[73watermutt]

That is true and I have noticed it as well.

[MANY_SkatingDave]

Hi Arizona (AZ-Sk8rsalsero

You know Lynn, aka Sk8mom is out in your turf skating her heart out.
I hope she is working with Chuck growing Jam Skating in your area.

Originally Posted by sk8rsalsero

Like many, I'm coming back to skating after many years, and have quickly gone through the archives here to educate myself regarding equipment. I'm still struggling with some of the 'new-to-me' vocabulary. So is the following understanding correct?

Jamskating: dancing on skates with an emphasis on breakdance moves.

Rhythm skating: dancing on skates with an emphasis on shuffle skate moves.!

Jam is a little more than breakdance yet it does have the BreakD element to it in a small portion. With one hand stands it is kind of into gymnastics as well which is not break dance. And yet it adds a little more.

Rhythm is going with the flow of the song and the beat. I would have to really see shuffle skating to see if it is the same as Rythmn.

Originally Posted by sk8rsalsero

The follow-up question to this is regarding the skate equipment. All 'jamskates' seem to be speed-skates, and 'rhythm skates' seem to be artistic skates.

Jam is speed skates only due to the low boot to provide ankle mobility. You can do the same with art yet have to tie down the tounge. By the Way speed or jam boots are better for Jam due to their design.

Rhythmn is not normally done on full artistic lace tightened boots, it is done with jam or loosened artistic boots again for ankle mobility.

Artistic is great, yet these other types of skating require something different.

Yours in Skating, MA/NY Skating Dave

[Dawn]

Originally Posted by brikkee

.... never care for the bigger heel i have thought about using a art boot and cutting the heel down to 1/4 inch and a higher boot just so i can get more support on my calves and this is unheard of lol.

I was actually thinking of the same thing...
I grew up skating art boots now have speed boots..
Was wondering why the heel cannot be altered to fall someplace in the middle of the 2???

[sk8rmom]

Originally Posted by MANY_SkatingDave

Hi Arizona (AZ-Sk8rsalsero

You know Lynn, aka Sk8mom is out in your turf skating her heart out.
I hope she is working with Chuck growing Jam Skating in your area.



Jam is a little more than breakdance yet it does have the BreakD element to it in a small portion. With one hand stands it is kind of into gymnastics as well which is not break dance. And yet it adds a little more.

Rhythm is going with the flow of the song and the beat. I would have to really see shuffle skating to see if it is the same as Rythmn.




Jam is speed skates only due to the low boot to provide ankle mobility. You can do the same with art yet have to tie down the tounge. By the Way speed or jam boots are better for Jam due to their design.

Rhythmn is not normally done on full artistic lace tightened boots, it is done with jam or loosened artistic boots again for ankle mobility.

Artistic is great, yet these other types of skating require something different.

Yours in Skating, MA/NY Skating Dave

I agree with you Dave and yes I am trying to help grow the sport in Arizona. Anything goes with WSA though. Be it rhythm, jam, shuffle, disco, etc. Whatever you do counts. There are no compulsorys (sp) in the rules.

I visited Rollero and Greatskate in January and am on my way to Skateland Chandler and Skateland Mesa today.

Arizona State Championship is at Skate Country in Tucson on April 4th. Go to www.wsaevents.com for more info (or keep an eye out at any of the rinks in Arizona since the flyers should be up shortly). It's on the skating events calendar at the top of this page too.

[jammn'beck]

Originally Posted by Barf

At the risk of breaking the Political Correctness code, I've noticed that a very large proportion of the skaters using art skate boots for shuffle skating are black, and most the skaters using speed boots for the same type of skating tend to be white. Not all skaters line up with this, but it sure seems like a lot do... darned if I know why.

Stupid disclaimer: Even noticing something like this can get a guy compared to Hitler on the internet. Please, nobody bother calling me a racist or try to start a flame war. I don't have any political axe to grind here, it's just something I've noticed watching skating vids on the internet. You can go watch some Youtube videos yourself and see if that's not how it breaks down.

yep, I've noticed the SAME exact thing........I'm white and the rinks I go to are 95% African American.......(heck, they have the best music!) the Af. Amer.'s ALL wear art boots.......I believe it just has alot to do with their roots as skaters.......I'm actually alittle puzzled by this phenomenon too!
maybe it has alot to do with what you get used to too.......like I've always skated a speed boot.......so, I would'nt really be interested in an art boot.
they started out with art boots, so maybe they're not interested in the speed boot........
it's also the style of skating they're doing.......they don't do alot of ground work or breakdancing, so they really don't need the low cut boot.
now there ARE exceptions to this rule........
Anton Strickland
Diamond Walker
Quinton ?
and I'm sure many other Af. Amer.'s do wear the low cut speed boots......
well........you guessed it ........cuz they JAMSKATE
a very different type of skating than the rythm or "oldschool" type skating....

[Dawn]

The rink when I was a kid was about 70% black
and 30% other.
My remembrance of the skate boots,
was only the rich white kids had speed boots! LOL!
Or at least that was the interpretation.
We used to ask what in the world kind of skates were those?
Speeeeeeed skates...we were like...ummmm...ok....if you say so and then leave them in the dust.

(I am white, just hung out with the dark crowd)

[Philphine]

Originally Posted by Dawn

The rink when I was a kid was about 70% black
and 30% other.
My remembrance of the skate boots,
was only the rich white kids had speed boots! LOL!
Or at least that was the interpretation.
We used to ask what in the world kind of skates were those?
Speeeeeeed skates...we were like...ummmm...ok....if you say so and then leave them in the dust.

(I am white, just hung out with the dark crowd)

i'd say about the same, somewhere bettween cost and exposure.

i had skated a while before i even noticed speed skates. my first boot skates were steel wheel roller derby's that had an artistic looking boot, as were my next couple of slightly better pairs, pretty much what everyone i knew had. something from a dept. store. by the time i paid attention and noticed speed skates, the only people who had them were white kids who mostly just raced around and didn't bother with what music was playing. so you just kind of figure, "those ain't for me".

that's been a good long time ago though. i eventually brought a pair of speed boots for my outdoor skates (just caught a deal, but still on artistic plates) and may get some for my indoor skates (again, probaly just depend on what deal i find). here recently since i've gone back a few times i still see most blacks my age or older still in their artistic boots and all the younger people black and white mostly in racing type boots. haven't been back on a soul night yet to see how it breaks down.

really more than the boot, i'd wonder about which plate would be better for each style. both my plates are artistic so i don't know how a speed type plate would work.

[vthump]

I roll, I bounce, and I roll and bounce to the music in my combat boot skates on clay wheels.
I think it depends on where you're at. Out here in So Cal, the adults (white, black, or whatever) all seem to wear custom skates at the adult nights. Such as Stacy Adams, Tennis shoes, Combat boots.... Most of them do what everyone is referring to as the rhythm or shuffle skating. I see a few ppl wearing the speed or jam skate but, they are mostly the older Caucasian crowds it seems.
Oh, and I wear them barely laced through about 4 eyelets and loose

[Philphine]

Originally Posted by vthump

I roll, I bounce, and I roll and bounce to the music in my combat boot skates on clay wheels.

i've kinda looked at my old military boots, but i'm always thinking they're kinda wide and will catch my wheel easier since i keep my trucks so loose. it's not a problem for you?

the stacy adams deal seems intersting though. might look into that.

[sk8rsalsero]

Thanks for all the input everyone!! And much thanks to Barf for breaking the 'Political Correctness' code. In all honesty, I was going to start this thread mentioning that observation, but being new to this forum, I was not sure as to the sensitivity of the members. I'm quickly trying to educate myself as to the skating world and now realize the skate styles are pretty much personal preference and what you're trying to do.

But to add some context, here's the background that motivated my question: I'm a thirty something black guy, but my girlfriend is an early twenties white girl. She started skating in Phoenix on speed skates, but I grew up skating in Albuquerque (at the one rink) where pretty much all my friends only skated rentals. She hasn't skated for about 5yrs and I haven't for about 20yrs. So, on a whim, we decide to go skating this past MLK day because we're both off work, but the daycare was still open to watch our 2yr old. BAM! We both decide we want to skate again! Since I've had equipment addictions in previous sports, I set to work researching what our different skate choices are. Of course she's all about getting some speed skates, but I was a little hesitant. I wasnt used to seeing people with them, and when I watched videos online, it looked like it was all 'kids' wearing speed skates. So at first, I thought it might be an 'age' thing, and didnt want to look 'crazy' with some wild expensive speed skates AND I cant skate that good. THEN I notice, watching online, that at most of the Af Amer dominant rinks, everyone wears art boots. But I didnt know if it was a style and/or performance issue.

So I kept reading SkateLog Forum and got a better understanding of the whole scene. I have this affliction where, if I dont feel comfortable with my understanding of something, I cant rest until I do. I had few nights where I couldnt sleep because I'm thinking about what skates I should buy. I'm up at 2am reading SkateLog Forum archives: debates about plates, wheels, nylon vs aluminum, cost, etc. Arghhhhhhh!!!!

So to wrap this up, I'm starting to find my peace as we've decided to get decent 265s to start. We primarily skate Sat mornings and outside, so the style questions are pretty minimal at this point. I'll probably get an "old skool" art set-up later (an easy excuse for more equipment). My main purpose is just the enjoyment of skating and I dont feel uncomfortable on speed or art skates, so ideally, it'll be nice to have both.

Thanks again for all the great info!
Marcus

[Dawn]

Hey Marcus...
Thats pretty cool!
Off topic...I bet your 2 year old is exceptionally gorgeous!

[Chitown Sk8r]

vthump has a great point: there are more than speed and art boots out there.
Most of the rhythm skaters we see are in Riedell OG Rhythm's, or the equivalent, which I don't consider the same as an art boot. Even SP Teri is starting to look at this style skate boot. Combat style has really taken off in places, and is mostly "do it yourself" now. My $0.02.

[Chitown Sk8r]

Originally Posted by vthump

I roll, I bounce, and I roll and bounce to the music in my combat boot skates on clay wheels.
I think it depends on where you're at. Out here in So Cal, the adults (white, black, or whatever) all seem to wear custom skates at the adult nights. Such as Stacy Adams, Tennis shoes, Combat boots.... Most of them do what everyone is referring to as the rhythm or shuffle skating. I see a few ppl wearing the speed or jam skate but, they are mostly the older Caucasian crowds it seems.
Oh, and I wear them barely laced through about 4 eyelets and loose

What style Stacy Adams? (Just crurious...)

[vthump]

Originally Posted by Chitown Sk8r

What style Stacy Adams? (Just crurious...)

No.. they are actually military style jump boots. (combat boots)

[MANY_SkatingDave]

Hi VThump,

Originally Posted by vthump

I roll, I bounce, and I roll and bounce to the
music - - - they are mostly the older Caucasian crowds it seems.
Oh, and I wear them barely laced through about 4 eyelets and loose

Do you also tie the laces across the tounge to hold it down?

Yours in Skating, MA/NY Skating Dave

Edit-02: Do you also spit pollish that front toe area and use a stocking to make it like a mirror??

[Dawn]

Holy crap that brings back memories! ROFL!!!