A group of roller skaters, some dressed as clowns, smoke under a parachute in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. (Camille Cohen for COYOTE Media Collective)
If you happened to take an evening stroll on JFK Drive, past the “skatin’ place” in Golden Gate Park on a recent Tuesday, you'd have heard honks, kazoos, laughter, and the grind of wheels on pavement. It wasn't the circus, but a gang of facepainted, fun-loving, friendly roller skaters.
The night was alive thanks to AllSkate SF, a community-driven rollerskating group who meet up every Tuesday eve (weather permitting). It started in 2020 and is going strong today. People come from as far as Marin and Oakland to glide across the outdoor rink in sync with one other and the music. Each meetup has a theme or primary skill share, then a jam session. Sometimes karaoke tops it off.
(L) Goose, a participant of AllSkateSF, juggles while skating. (R) Jac Telson roller skates while hula hooping. (Camille Cohen for COYOTE Media Collective)
“Roller skating is a ritual for us,” said Goose, one of the primary organizers. “Many of us have picked up skating because it helps release trauma through movement, while building connection. It brings people together.”
This group grew out of a schism from the Church of 8 Wheels community, a dispute which I've heard characterized as “Old School vs New Generation of skaters.” (They were cagey about the specifics.) The planning and social media are run by the very people it serves, with rotating management of the group’s Instagram.
That community feel was present with warm greetings and various contributions. Someone had brought a pack of red noses to pass out. Another brought costume makeup. A third: hula hoops, juggling balls, a speaker and a flood light. The theme was “clown skate,” and together, we were fools.
(L) Skaters compete in a partnered clown race. (R) Members bring juggling balls, toys, and their skates. (Camille Cohen for COYOTE Media Collective)
A group of roller skaters, some dressed as clowns, jesters, and fools, skate and play around the ‘Skatin' Place.’ (Camille Cohen for COYOTE Media Collective)
Once our feet were wheel-clad and everyone’s faces sufficiently clownified, we went around sharing our names, our theoretical clown names, what makes us feel joyful during these hard times.
One skater, who just happened to be there amid the group of about 15 clowns, admittedly had “no idea what's going on,” but quickly joined in on the fun. Channeling Charlie Chaplin, we did a partner skate race, spun round n’ round a colorful parachute (yes like the one we played with as kids), then quickly proceeded to hotbox it inside (because we’re grown ups, actually).
To conclude the evening, tunes from Solange, Toro y Moi, and more took over the speakers and the skate rink caught a vibe. People danced and glided across the painted floor, chatting and teaching each other all the way.
Most people really had flow, but the rink is open to anyone. One attendee had been gifted skates for Christmas and was just learning. He credited the community with teaching him one very valuable skill: how to stop.
Personally, I spent the end of the night practicing backwards skating and learning to juggle (while stationary — for now) from the current organizer, Annalise. When asked what skating meant to her, she couldn’t express all the feelings quickly enough.
Annalise, an organizer with AllSkateSF, plays with a parachute on the outdoor skate rink. (Camille Cohen for COYOTE Media Collective)A member wears custom colored roller skates. (Camille Cohen for COYOTE Media Collective)
“It’s everything! It is joy. It’s expression,” she said. “It’s the freedom to move freely in our bodies. It's dancing. It’s community, its rhythm, it's playing outside!”
All the atrocities of the world had been weighing heavy on our shoulders, but after a few hours of silliness and skating, I caught the bus home feeling just a bit lighter on my feet.
Where to skate
A group of roller skaters, some dressed as clowns, jesters, and fools, pose for a portrait at ‘Skatin' Place.’ (Camille Cohen for COYOTE Media Collective)
Upcoming AllSkate SF events in Golden Gate Park:
(all at 6:30pm)
April 14: Belly dance (off skates) class
April 21: Line dance choreo basics
April 28: JB skate (a smooth, rhythmic style from Chicago with kicks and spins)
May 5: Rhythm skate
Regular skate meetups in the Bay
Tuesday:
AllSkate SF (@allskate.sf) 6:30-9pm Golden Gate Park, 6th and Fulton St., San Francisco
Rohnert Park Adult Night (@calskaterohnertpark) 7-9:30pm // $16 Cal Skate, Rohnert Park
Camille Cohen is a photographer and journalist based in the Mission District of San Francisco. She is also a community organizer, working to make news photography more equitable. Creative and passionate people are her favorite subjects to document.
