Freestyle skateboarding
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Freestyle skateboarding (or freestyle) is one of the oldest styles of skateboarding and was intermittently popular from the 1960s until the early 1990s, when the final large-scale professional freestyle skateboarding competition was held.[1]
Description
The emphasis in freestyle is technical flat ground skateboarding. Often a freestyler will need little more than a board and a smooth, flat surface. Music and choreography have always been an essential part of the professional freestyle routine.[2]
History
1950s and 1960s
Freestyle in the 1950s was created by members of the surfing culture who sought an alternative during times when conditions were not conducive to surfing—surfers would imitate their water-based maneuvers on skateboards when ocean conditions were poor. In the 1960s, many freestyle tricks were derived from gymnastics and dancing.[3]
1970s and 1980s
The following two decades were defined by a progression towards technical, fluid, and more creative routines. Influential freestyle skateboarders of the 1970s and 1980s included
Organizations
California Amateur Skateboard League (C.A.S.L.) was founded in 1982 by Frank Hawk with the help of two other "skater parents", Sonja Catalano and Jeanne Hoffmann. C.A.S.L. is where most of the top professional skateboarders from around the world started competing and is still run today. In 1995, professional freestyle skateboarder
See also
References
- The Rosen Publishing Group, 2009)
- ^ Skateboarding by Jackson Teller (Capstone, 2011)
- ^ Freestyle Skateboarding Tricks: Flat Ground, Rails, Transitions by Sean D'arcy, Phillip Marshall (Firefly Books, 2010)
- ^ Porter, Natalie (May 15, 2023). "Diane (Veerman) Desiderio". Womxn Skateboard History. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
- ^ Stalefish: Skateboard Culture from the Rejects Who Made It by Sean Mortimer (Chronicle Books, 2008)