Release your mental powers and find your own way
As is so often pointed out, freestyle is an activity virtually teeming with possibilities. As its very name implies, the freestyle skateboarder has an inherent freedom to explore a multitude of styles. He or she is free to cultivate his or her own likes and preferences, while finding and forming a personal and unique approach to the sport. It is merely a matter of getting in touch with one’s own feelings and reflecting on the various emotional reactions triggered by the available approaches. But to do this efficiently, one must start with a more or less clean slate, forgetting about what other skaters are doing, disregarding the opinions of others and only listen to one’s own heart. Only then will it be possible to let this intuitive insight lead one to one’s true style. However, a few pointers or reminders to stimulate the thinking faculties will perhaps do no harm. In this article we will try to show some of the different styles that are available to the enthusiastic freestyler by highlighting a few of the more unique and interesting approaches to the sport. This is intended simply as an incentive for a more conscious reflection about the seemingly endless possibilities of expression in our art – and to remind us that it is all too easy to carry on in the old beaten tracks, looking all too hard at what the “heroes” are doing and restricting ourselves to the ready-made concepts of thought.
At this point, some guardians of order and justice will probably wish to point out that a similar stimulus to creative thinking has already been supplied by the well-known skater Mr Rodney Mullen in his wonderful Thrasher Magazine article “Zen and the Art of Freestyle” (March 1989). And to be sure, in his column Mr Mullen emphasizes the value of “doing your own thing” and “developing a style which is unique”. However, a careful reading of the article seems to yield a concept of individuality centered on little more than the rather banal activity of making up new tricks or variations of old ones. Indeed, Mr Mullen does confess to being “a purist”, as he puts it, valuing technique (which I would consider the foundation) higher than aesthetics (for me, the artwork). This being said, his article does breathe the promise of discussing larger issues and those deeper and more interesting aspects are what we will try to address here.
Three Categories of style analyzed
In the following discussion, we present three different approaches to the art of freestyle. For each one, we supply a brief characterization of the style, focusing on the mental attitude of the skater and on what general aspects of skating are being emphasized in each case. We will also make an attempt to single out the potential strengths and weaknesses of the various styles, as well as a speculation about what kind of psychological temperament might be involved in each instance. To make the point clear, we will provide a suggestion for a representative of the specific approach taken from one of the elite competitors of today (the names are chosen out of respect and admiration and we are obviously not trying to outline their individual skating). The reader must keep in mind that we are merely dealing with general outlooks on skating and with broad generalizations.
1 The Classical Style
Suggested representative: Stefan “Lillis” Åkesson.
Key words to characterize: Carefully composed and calculated for effect; carefully rehearsed; authorative skating, to the point and emphasizing clarity and consistency.
At its best: Powerful, logical; rhetorically strong; achieves “a convincing whole”, a sense of completeness.
Dangers: Runs the risk of simply being a line-up of tricks of different kinds; lacks spontaneity; a sense of rigidity; predictable.
Possible temperament: The serious athlete; the scientifically minded; the result-orientated.
2 The Lyrical Style
Suggested representative: Kevin Harris.
Key words to characterize: Personality; integrity; uniqueness; responds sensitively and creatively to the accompanying music.
At its best: Achieves the heights of art; striking originality, radiating strength of character; strong interpretation of music, almost dancing along; profound and/or charming.
Dangers: A demanding prospect – to really take off in this style one must be sure and strong technically. A fall could cause all sense of rhythm and fluidity to be lost. Psychologically speaking, to be that expressive in front of people requires courage. If one’s conviction wavers, everything may fall to pieces.
Possible temperament: The artist; the poet; the romantic; the serious-minded.
3 The Spontaneous Style
Suggested representative: Terry Synnott.
Key words to characterize: Improvisation; freedom; flexibility; unpredictability; relaxed attitude.
At is best: Adjusts to circumstances and takes advantage of them; adapts skating to current state of mind, thereby feeling harmonious while achieving variety; keeps people on their toes, not knowing what to expect; comes up with the occasional “mega-run”, dazzling everyone with a routine full of unsuspected and impressive maneuvers.
Dangers: Inconsistency; incoherency: sketchiness; lacking character.
Possible temperament: The eccentric philosopher, seeking that priceless, entirely unpremeditated, “unaffected naturalness”, that exalted “suchness” spoken of in Zen Buddhism. Also the artist, only this time it is the “abstract expressionist”, relinquishing control to allow for the “wonderful accidents”, again a Zen concept. Here we also find the simply detached and the simply nonchalant.
Additional reflections
It need hardly be added that the mentioned categories represent simplifications intended only as starting points for reflection about the forms that freestyle can take. Everyone must stake out their own way. As for myself, the skaters who make the strongest impact on me are those displaying a distinct personality, an individual will, making his or her own comment on the art of skating. These skaters are in touch with their feelings and are able to respond to them. They will not be brainwashed by videos, magazines or the so called “heroes”. Lately, I myself have been drifting toward the spontaneous variant, leaving the carefully worked out approach behind. In doing so, I have discovered great value in the new sense of freedom; following my instinct and being free to indulge in those sudden caprices, as well as allowing those playful whims to surface and manifest. In the end though, I feel that what really counts is not what one is doing – but rather how one does what one does.
Obviously, the last thing we would wish for in freestyle is for everyone to look the same. As has so often been said (and just as regularly forgotten), the wide scope for variety and individual expression is the great strength of our art. Just think for a moment about how exciting freestyle has become as of lately. Watching a contest, one might first be treated to the raw, crushing, elemental power of Daryl Grogan, tearing the concrete apart at high speed. In the next moment, one may be fascinated by the thought-provoking originality of Mike Foster, dancing along on his uniquely designed board; only to go on to experience the smooth, fluid circles lithely spun out by Lynn Cooper on one board or even on two simultaneously! And comments should be superfluous in regards to the physical onslaught of a Primo Desiderio, the uncompromising intensity of a Stefan Åkesson or the pure art of a Kevin Harris, to name but a few more shining names of the current scene. In this context, it might also be worth pointing out a potential danger involved in the judgment of contests and to suggest a possible escape from it: By steering the judgment of contest judges in a certain direction through the use of pre-prepared forms stating what to look for, we run the risk of putting too tight restrictions on the skaters’ freedom and creativity. I would say that it is only logical that a sport such as ours, which has such an enormous freedom of exploration, is in need of judges who possess a corresponding freedom of thought so that the one will stimulate and not hamper the other. Freestyle is a varied sport – so why should not the contest results be likewise varied? Have you ever heard of an indisputable debate about what is good and what is bad art? Let the judges be human beings endowed with emotions and character – that way our sport will be completely unique.
Yes, freestyle is indeed on top now, there can be little doubt about it. It is the richest facet of skateboarding. But it is certainly not for everyone; it demands a lot from skaters and spectators alike. To be able to enjoy it to the fullest, one must have quite a lively temperament, unshackled by conventional attitudes. One must have a temperament that is ready and able to absorb and to digest such a varying display of techniques and approaches. Yes, it is very demanding; let us not expect that everyone will like it.
Mark Emmoth
Mark Emmoth is a top Swedish freestyler. He was born and lives in Täby, native town of Per Welinder, where the famous Swedish Summer Camps were held in the early 1980s. At the age of 9, he went by bike to the vert ramp, and probably watched one of the first 540 McTwists being made. He might even have cycled over the freestyle area, when young Rodney Mullen was perfecting his ollie kickflip… Mark received a degree in musicology from the University of Stockholm and is presently studying art history at said institution.
