"Pain that you have not yet experienced is avoidable."
That's what my yoga instructor, Patty, said to our class yesterday morning. We were in savasana, or corpse pose, and I was trying to meditate. As usual, I was failing -- this time because I was thinking about food.
Pain that you have not yet experienced is avoidable.
It was exactly what I needed to hear. When my thoughts drifted to lunch, I repeated the mantra in my head.
I have a little yoga crush on Patty, another Shakti Box instructor I've only recently discovered. She's an excellent touchstone as I try to sort out what exactly my yoga practice means. Or, rather, what I want it to mean.
I came to yoga because in roller derby, you fall a lot. Often you put your hand out to break the fall. It’s instinctive. And if these repetitive falls are causing nerve compression in your elbow and neck, you won’t be doing your body any favors by adding a daily routine of push-ups, tricep dips and overhead presses on top of it. Sadly, it took me a long time to figure this out. My body didn't want to do the stuff I was forcing it to do, but I was in denial.
It was about a year and a half ago that my former roommate, Shannon, rekindled her lapsed yoga practice. She started coming home late from work with a mat rolled under her arm. She bought yoga blocks, DVDs and books. She told me about this great new donation-based studio she'd discovered just down the street from our apartment. She recommended instructors.
Meanwhile, my body was breaking down, but I was dangerously attached to my workout routine. When it became clear that I couldn’t keep doing what I'd been doing, yoga started to seem like some kind of compromise. I'd always been wary of the practice -- the spiritual junk made me squirm, and I harbored a lot of preconceived ideas about a certain yuppie, bourgeois culture. I was afraid that it wouldn’t be challenging enough for me. I worried it might be boring and I wouldn't stay in shape. Would they play weird music? Would I be forced to chant? The whole thing seemed strange and cultish and way outside my comfort zone, but then again, so was derby at first, so I decided to give it a shot.
I started yoga with the mentality that a workout wasn't valuable unless it left you wrecked and choking on your own sweat. Fortunately, it was easy enough to find Vinyasa flow 2/3 and power yoga instructors who could work me this way. So maybe I was missing the point of this whole yoga thing, but hey, I was getting a solid workout and my nagging injuries were no longer being exacerbated. Some of them even seemed to be improving.
My practice is evolving, though, and my affection for Patty is evidence of that. Don't get me wrong: her classes are challenging and rigorous, but I don't feel like she's trying to kill me. The good news is that I'm starting to be OK with that.
Ego is kind of a big deal in yoga. Lately, when an instructor talks ego during class, I listen a little more closely. Confronting my ego has made me less competitive, which has been great for my yoga practice, but not so helpful for derby. It's forced me to question why I'm still skating when a thrice weekly practice regimen isn't so fun anymore. For years, I was fueled (at least in part) by competitive energy. I think this kind of energy can have value -- a time and a place and a purpose -- but the reality I'm coming to terms with is that it's no longer serving me.
The other night, when I told Lei about my impending derby retirement, he asked, "What are you going to do with all that free time?"
"Practice more yoga, I guess." There are other things I have in mind too, but those were the first words that flew from my mouth. Certainly, it seems like a good place to start.
Showing posts with label roller derby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label roller derby. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Thursday, March 13, 2008
getting hurt
i use my body more than most people i know. when i'm not playing roller derby, i'm training to play roller derby, which translates to several skate practices a week, haunting the YMCA, running to the top of one of my neighborhood's many glamorous hills, etc. i also made a decision about a year ago to live without a car. transporting yourself sans motor means depending on your body to get you where you need to go. i have never regretted that decision until recently.
dragging your old bones around town on a bum ankle is shitty. for two weeks, i couldn't ride my bike, or even walk to public transportation. but left with no other options, there were occasions when i did these things anyway, sometimes in the rain or the dark or the cold (often some combination of the three), and possibly to the detriment of my recovery. it has been eight weeks since i tore ligaments in my ankle, and i am not healed. presently, i would put myself at about 65%.
the fight crew has a game this weekend, and i will not be skating. this is my second consecutive game on the injured list. sitting next to me in the gimp section will be another fight crew jammer, leia mout, who is suffering from a knee injury. in addition to our physical injuries, we are both deeply sad, betrayed by these bodies we've worked so hard to condition.
when i talk to other women, civilians, about roller derby, i often hear, "i would love to do that! it sounds like so much fun! but i'm afraid of getting hurt..."
i never used to worry about getting hurt, but the past two months have afforded me time to reflect on that reality. i've concluded that being hurt is for the birds (shitbirds if you want to get specific), and i've developed a greater appreciation for the deal-breaking status "getting hurt" holds for some would-be derby girls.
not unlike the players in other full-contact sports, derby skaters get injured all the time. looking at the bigger picture, i realize that a sprained ankle ain't no thang. it will heal, and i will skate again, and what i need to do is stop feeling sorry for myself and focus my energy elsewhere. but there is so much energy - i have amassed a surplus in recent years, reserved for physical activity - and it's so fucking hard to not expend it doing the things that make me feel good: skating, running, riding my bike.
i think the only reason i've been able to write this is because i'm finally starting to improve (i think. i hope). my limp is mostly gone, and i can bound down the stairs the way i used to, and the aching in my ankle no longer wakes me up at night. nothing will be amputated. it's not terminal. i will survive.
and when i'm ready to start skating again, i'll probably forget this nasty business ever happened even though i shouldn't.
the fight crew recently lost a skater to a head injury. she sustained a concussion during practice, and has suffered from seizures in the months that have followed. she says that her personality has changed, she's depressed and she forgets things. she told us a story about driving and reaching for a cigarette, removing the cigarette from its pack and placing it between her fingers. she made a move to light it, and looked down to discover another cigarette already there, burning. she had no memory of lighting it or smoking it. she didn't know how it got there.
this skater talks about coming back after the seizures stop, when her doctors give her the green light. i'm not sure when or if this will happen, but her determination is both amazing and frightening.
jamming during 2007 championship bout
dragging your old bones around town on a bum ankle is shitty. for two weeks, i couldn't ride my bike, or even walk to public transportation. but left with no other options, there were occasions when i did these things anyway, sometimes in the rain or the dark or the cold (often some combination of the three), and possibly to the detriment of my recovery. it has been eight weeks since i tore ligaments in my ankle, and i am not healed. presently, i would put myself at about 65%.
the fight crew has a game this weekend, and i will not be skating. this is my second consecutive game on the injured list. sitting next to me in the gimp section will be another fight crew jammer, leia mout, who is suffering from a knee injury. in addition to our physical injuries, we are both deeply sad, betrayed by these bodies we've worked so hard to condition.
when i talk to other women, civilians, about roller derby, i often hear, "i would love to do that! it sounds like so much fun! but i'm afraid of getting hurt..."
i never used to worry about getting hurt, but the past two months have afforded me time to reflect on that reality. i've concluded that being hurt is for the birds (shitbirds if you want to get specific), and i've developed a greater appreciation for the deal-breaking status "getting hurt" holds for some would-be derby girls.
not unlike the players in other full-contact sports, derby skaters get injured all the time. looking at the bigger picture, i realize that a sprained ankle ain't no thang. it will heal, and i will skate again, and what i need to do is stop feeling sorry for myself and focus my energy elsewhere. but there is so much energy - i have amassed a surplus in recent years, reserved for physical activity - and it's so fucking hard to not expend it doing the things that make me feel good: skating, running, riding my bike.
i think the only reason i've been able to write this is because i'm finally starting to improve (i think. i hope). my limp is mostly gone, and i can bound down the stairs the way i used to, and the aching in my ankle no longer wakes me up at night. nothing will be amputated. it's not terminal. i will survive.
and when i'm ready to start skating again, i'll probably forget this nasty business ever happened even though i shouldn't.
the fight crew recently lost a skater to a head injury. she sustained a concussion during practice, and has suffered from seizures in the months that have followed. she says that her personality has changed, she's depressed and she forgets things. she told us a story about driving and reaching for a cigarette, removing the cigarette from its pack and placing it between her fingers. she made a move to light it, and looked down to discover another cigarette already there, burning. she had no memory of lighting it or smoking it. she didn't know how it got there.
this skater talks about coming back after the seizures stop, when her doctors give her the green light. i'm not sure when or if this will happen, but her determination is both amazing and frightening.
jamming during 2007 championship bout
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
the things we did and didn't do
riding my bike down hollywood blvd yesterday, i read the marquee for the henry fonda theater. i do this every time i ride past, which is pretty much every day. the latest addition: the magnetic fields, march 2nd & 3rd. it was the first i'd heard of mf coming to town, and of course i was super excited. one of my favorite bands, and one that tours so rarely, playing down the street from my apartment. i was already planning the JGHQ pre-party in my head as i rode my bike up gower toward ms. manor.
i've only seen the magnetic fields play once, back in 2000, in san francisco during noise pop (i hear they're playing again this year). i made the trip from phoenix specifically to see mf, and even though i became horrifically ill the day of the show, i could not be deterred from attending. i dragged my congested ass to bimbo's 365, and tossed back screwdriver after screwdriver, hoping the vitamin C would keep the sickness at bay. it didn't work. it was great show, but the experience would've been more enjoyable had my body not been racked by chills.
mf has played LA once (to my knowledge) since i've become a resident, and the date happened to conflict with a vacation for which i had already purchased plane tickets. so, no dice. i've seen both the future bible heroes and the gothic archies (the latter supporting daniel handler - aka lemony snickett - and the release of the final installment of a series of unfortunate events. i think i was the oldest person in the audience who hadn't brought a child). but still - neither is the same as seeing mf proper, and it's been nearly eight years.
this is why, upon arriving home, i tossed my bike to the floor and made a beeline for the computer, credit card in hand, fully prepared to let ticketmaster have its way with me. and what do you know? both shows are sold out! the injustice. i'll be riding my bike past the fonda, reading that marquee, for the next month and a half. world, can you be more cruel?
i've already checked ebay and craigslist, and the going rate seems to be $150/pair. i think there's a good chance that prices will come down as the date approaches, but this whole business is making me nervous. so, if anyone reading this has an extra ticket to see the magnetic fields either night, you just might have yourself a date. extra bonus: you can have my parking space.
in happier news, jordan crane, a local artist i happen to like quite a bit, did the poster art for the upcoming L.A. Derby Dolls bout. check it:
you can buy your tickets here, and yes, i am skating.
i've only seen the magnetic fields play once, back in 2000, in san francisco during noise pop (i hear they're playing again this year). i made the trip from phoenix specifically to see mf, and even though i became horrifically ill the day of the show, i could not be deterred from attending. i dragged my congested ass to bimbo's 365, and tossed back screwdriver after screwdriver, hoping the vitamin C would keep the sickness at bay. it didn't work. it was great show, but the experience would've been more enjoyable had my body not been racked by chills.
mf has played LA once (to my knowledge) since i've become a resident, and the date happened to conflict with a vacation for which i had already purchased plane tickets. so, no dice. i've seen both the future bible heroes and the gothic archies (the latter supporting daniel handler - aka lemony snickett - and the release of the final installment of a series of unfortunate events. i think i was the oldest person in the audience who hadn't brought a child). but still - neither is the same as seeing mf proper, and it's been nearly eight years.
this is why, upon arriving home, i tossed my bike to the floor and made a beeline for the computer, credit card in hand, fully prepared to let ticketmaster have its way with me. and what do you know? both shows are sold out! the injustice. i'll be riding my bike past the fonda, reading that marquee, for the next month and a half. world, can you be more cruel?
i've already checked ebay and craigslist, and the going rate seems to be $150/pair. i think there's a good chance that prices will come down as the date approaches, but this whole business is making me nervous. so, if anyone reading this has an extra ticket to see the magnetic fields either night, you just might have yourself a date. extra bonus: you can have my parking space.
in happier news, jordan crane, a local artist i happen to like quite a bit, did the poster art for the upcoming L.A. Derby Dolls bout. check it:
you can buy your tickets here, and yes, i am skating.
Friday, January 4, 2008
TV Talk
I received word yesterday that Alexis Arquette will be singing the national anthem at the Jan. 26th Fight Crew v. Tough Cookies bout! Both Alexis and her sister Patricia are big L.A. Derby Dolls' fans, and made regular appearances at the Dollhouse during our 2006 season. Rumor has it that Patricia once confided to Crystal Deth her burning desire to strap on some skates and start playing derby with us. Sadly, the powers-that-be at NBC keep her on a short leash. Roller derby doesn't fly with those crotchety TV execs or the folks that insure Patricia's grill.
Somewhat related: I don't watch much television, but I'm not one of those "Kill Your TV" people either. I just don't have the time to spare, and it's unfortunate because without regular doses of TV, I feel removed from popular culture, and consequently, alientated from my acquaintances and loved ones. It bums me out when friends make references to some reality show scandal, and I have absolutely no idea what they're talking about. So one of my new year's resolutions is to watch more television. Full disclosure: I often turn on the TV while I eat (I prefer not to dine alone), but the channel is usually already set to the Food Network, and I'm kind of lazy about hunting for something else to watch. So, it would probably help if I acquired a DVR, but in addition to being lazy, I am cheap. This is beginning to sound like another failed resolution only four days into 2008.
One TV show I did watch regularly in 2007 (thank you, VH-1, for your endless reruns) was "Rock of Love" (given my limited television intake, I am forced to be very discriminating with my program choices, obviously). I am proud to report that the Derby Dolls will be featured in the upcoming "Rock of Love 2." For your amusement, I present the season 2 trailer below, wherein you'll catch a few glimpses of derby action. There's also a snippet where last season's vegetarian jezebel, Lacey, appears wearing a Derby Dolls t-shirt, which, I confess, turned my stomach a bit. Kind of like when your mom made you invite the lamest girl in school to your slumber party, and then she showed up in class a week later wearing your favorite t-shirt. Sneaky bitch.
Somewhat related: I don't watch much television, but I'm not one of those "Kill Your TV" people either. I just don't have the time to spare, and it's unfortunate because without regular doses of TV, I feel removed from popular culture, and consequently, alientated from my acquaintances and loved ones. It bums me out when friends make references to some reality show scandal, and I have absolutely no idea what they're talking about. So one of my new year's resolutions is to watch more television. Full disclosure: I often turn on the TV while I eat (I prefer not to dine alone), but the channel is usually already set to the Food Network, and I'm kind of lazy about hunting for something else to watch. So, it would probably help if I acquired a DVR, but in addition to being lazy, I am cheap. This is beginning to sound like another failed resolution only four days into 2008.
One TV show I did watch regularly in 2007 (thank you, VH-1, for your endless reruns) was "Rock of Love" (given my limited television intake, I am forced to be very discriminating with my program choices, obviously). I am proud to report that the Derby Dolls will be featured in the upcoming "Rock of Love 2." For your amusement, I present the season 2 trailer below, wherein you'll catch a few glimpses of derby action. There's also a snippet where last season's vegetarian jezebel, Lacey, appears wearing a Derby Dolls t-shirt, which, I confess, turned my stomach a bit. Kind of like when your mom made you invite the lamest girl in school to your slumber party, and then she showed up in class a week later wearing your favorite t-shirt. Sneaky bitch.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
old news
I can’t imagine there’s anyone who reads this thing that isn't already privy to this information, but for the record: The Fight Crew was dethroned on 12/8/07. My congrats to the Sirens, LADD’s 2007 championship team. It was the closet game in LADD history, and arguably the best (we’ve never had the crowd do a wave before, and on 12/8, it happened more than once). It all came down to the last jam, and rather than do a half-assed job rehashing it, you can read Busta Armov’s insanely detailed bout recap here.
On a personal note, I think I had a good game. It was the first I played primarily as a blocker, which is so much less exhausting than jamming. My friend, Ben Lee, told me that I looked like a cannon ball that kept shooting out of the pack to knock out the opposing jammer. In the fourth quarter, I went in a couple of times as a jammer, and managed to score for the Crew when the score had been tied. So that was good. And I wasn’t even too beat-up at the end of the night.
Of course, I’m disappointed that we lost, but you couldn’t ask for a better game. Both teams skated their asses off, the score was close throughout, and more than one skater went flying over the rail (including during the last jam). Someone please explain why roller derby was ever scripted?
We received more glowing press. Those guys at LA City Zine still love us. Lina Lecaro wrote about us in the LA Weekly’s Nightranger column, and our pal DF from Losanjealous came back for seconds.
Speaking of DF, Losanjealous and the L.A. Derby Dolls are officially in bed together. Following a meeting wherein much booze and caffeinated diet beverages were consumed, a contract was drafted on a scrap of spiral notebook paper. I cannot disclose all of the terms, but the gist of it is that DF (health permitting) is now committed to covering LADD’s 2008 season for Losanjealous. In exchange, we are going to let them hang a banner inside the Doll Factory. The Dolls are anxiously awaiting the delivery of said banner. Look for the Losanjealous banner in 08, which I imagine will fly alongside our American flag.
Some photography:
me whipping my BFF, crystal deth, OMG!
paris killton on the warpath.
i jam therefore i am. judy "crazy arms" gloom.
Fighty goes flying over the rail.
tara armov attempts to snack on mila minute's forearm.
(pics 1, 3 and 4 by 3D sean; pics 2 and 5 by karl walter)
Check out all the bout pics here.
Oh yeah, the Derby Dolls are on hiatus until January 10th. Seeing as we play year-round (with the exception of one other month off during the summer), this respite is very necessary. The next bout is scheduled for January 27th when the Fight Crew face off against the Tough Cookies. We gotta skate to pay the rent.
Speaking of large sums of pain and cash, yesterday I went to the dentist. When I left, my wallet was $1200 lighter. And that’s after insurance. Ouch.
Dear Santa: Alls I want for x-mas is a couple of porcelain crowns in my stocking. Presentation in a fuzzy jewelry box is appreciated.
On a personal note, I think I had a good game. It was the first I played primarily as a blocker, which is so much less exhausting than jamming. My friend, Ben Lee, told me that I looked like a cannon ball that kept shooting out of the pack to knock out the opposing jammer. In the fourth quarter, I went in a couple of times as a jammer, and managed to score for the Crew when the score had been tied. So that was good. And I wasn’t even too beat-up at the end of the night.
Of course, I’m disappointed that we lost, but you couldn’t ask for a better game. Both teams skated their asses off, the score was close throughout, and more than one skater went flying over the rail (including during the last jam). Someone please explain why roller derby was ever scripted?
We received more glowing press. Those guys at LA City Zine still love us. Lina Lecaro wrote about us in the LA Weekly’s Nightranger column, and our pal DF from Losanjealous came back for seconds.
Speaking of DF, Losanjealous and the L.A. Derby Dolls are officially in bed together. Following a meeting wherein much booze and caffeinated diet beverages were consumed, a contract was drafted on a scrap of spiral notebook paper. I cannot disclose all of the terms, but the gist of it is that DF (health permitting) is now committed to covering LADD’s 2008 season for Losanjealous. In exchange, we are going to let them hang a banner inside the Doll Factory. The Dolls are anxiously awaiting the delivery of said banner. Look for the Losanjealous banner in 08, which I imagine will fly alongside our American flag.
Some photography:
me whipping my BFF, crystal deth, OMG!
paris killton on the warpath.
i jam therefore i am. judy "crazy arms" gloom.
Fighty goes flying over the rail.
tara armov attempts to snack on mila minute's forearm.
(pics 1, 3 and 4 by 3D sean; pics 2 and 5 by karl walter)
Check out all the bout pics here.
Oh yeah, the Derby Dolls are on hiatus until January 10th. Seeing as we play year-round (with the exception of one other month off during the summer), this respite is very necessary. The next bout is scheduled for January 27th when the Fight Crew face off against the Tough Cookies. We gotta skate to pay the rent.
Speaking of large sums of pain and cash, yesterday I went to the dentist. When I left, my wallet was $1200 lighter. And that’s after insurance. Ouch.
Dear Santa: Alls I want for x-mas is a couple of porcelain crowns in my stocking. Presentation in a fuzzy jewelry box is appreciated.
Monday, November 26, 2007
banked track roller derby: spectacle of suffering and moral beauty
i know this doesn't hold much water coming from the mouthpiece for L.A. Derby Dolls public relations, but i think it's fair to say that our league's debut at the Doll Factory on november 17th was a smash hit (pun acknowledged). the place was packed, and the energy so kinetic, there were moments i worried the Factory might explode - an untimely end to another promising beginning.
that is some gross hyperbole, but still: L.A. city council president, Eric Garcetti, blew the first whistle of the game, and apparently had such a great time at our little event, he felt compelled to blog about it afterward (or, at the very least, to persuade one of his underlings to do as much). now that's gotta count for something, right?
post-bout honorable mentions appeared in L.A. City Zine, whose Louis Elfman called our game, "the best event in L.A....ever," and whose photographer, Emberly Modine, now wants to join our ranks. we got a write-up in losanjealous that was later picked up by the defamer.
a nice quote from that last piece:
"The Dolls’ infrastructure keeps the event well enough in check, but there’s nowhere near the antiseptic organization one experiences at a major sporting event. The DIY vibe leaves for just enough disorder that you feel like a really cool riot could break out at any moment."
and the writer's conclusion:
"[i'm]...hard-pressed to think of an event that offers so much bang for the buck. In addition to the main roller derby event, there are punk bands, vendors selling crazy crap, and a general atmosphere of Dionysian good-timery. Unless you lack a pulse, or a soul, or both, you will love the shit out of this crazy spectacle."
if you want some pictures to go with the words, check out my flickr photo set (which documents the Doll Factory's pre-bout caterpillar-into-butterfly-like transformation, and includes a few pilfered game photos).
a couple of bones for the click-averse:
...............................................
there have been a few key moments in the relatively brief history of the LADD where we believed ourselves on the brink of SoCal domination. then the same thing happened, twice: we became homeless, and in both cases, it was a huge setback. let me tell you folks - lugging a 100 x 60 foot banked track around LA is no cakewalk, and this burden takes its toll on skater morale. finding a place to practice and play, a little stability in our collective lives, has been the LADD's cross to bear. but now that we finally have city council on our side, and a venue that can accommodate so many of our fans, Good Things are already starting to happen.
some interesting things were written by DF, the cryptically named losanjealous blogger. he calls roller derby a "crazy spectacle," which resonated with me, as the sport vs. spectacle issue is something that's been on my mind these days. as a skater, i know i want to be taken seriously as an athlete, and the LADD has worked hard to distance itself from WWF-style old school derby. the game we play has no predetermined outcome. it is unscripted and legitimately competitive. what separates the LADD from most of our new school, all-girl derby contemporaries, however, is our banked track (the same thing that precludes us from membership in the omnipresent WFTDA).
as a banked track league, there are only so many teams we can bout against. we have a banked track sister league in san diego, and we've faced-off against the reality tv-immortalized texas lonestar rollergirls a couple of times. but within the LADD proper there are only three teams (we hope to add a fourth sooner than later). i used to worry: will the fans get bored?
i no longer worry, and i'm starting to see why such fears were unfounded. DF makes a point here:
"I am reminded of FIFA president Sepp Blatter’s observation that women’s soccer would be more popular if it was sexed up a bit. He was widely derided as a misogynist and fool, but maybe he was onto something. The reason that the Derby Dolls are infinitely more entertaining than the WNBA or the Women’s World Cup is that they bring theater as well as skill, and part of that theater is sex appeal. There’s this widespread belief that you can’t be both a hot bitch and a bitchin athlete, but as the Dolls amply illustrate, that is horseshit."
the LADD wants other leagues to go banked, and we want to add more teams to our own league, but the process is slow. in the interim, we occupy the DMZ between sport and spectacle. i was thinking about this stuff the other night, and i revisited a couple things i had read previously: roland barthes' essay, "The World of Wrestling," and an article that stephen burt wrote on the "semi-cultlike world of women's basketball" for the believer a few years back.
barthes regards professional wrestling in america as a "sort of mythological fight between good and evil." when i first read this essay in college, i had no interest in wrestling, or any spectacles of that ilk, and i openly hated All Things Sporty. i still had a soft spot for roller skating, however (beloved pastime of my youth!), but never dreamed that roller derby would receive a punk rock makeover, and come back in such an accessible incarnation.
the barthes essay has echoes of roller derby throughout, and there is certainly a Good vs. Evil component to the game we play. as a rule, our fans hate whichever team wins the most. as the undefeated 2006 season champs, that honor currently goes to my own team, the fight crew. it doesn't help much that our uniforms are a blazing, communist red. the tide could be changing though. fight crew had a few losses in 07, and the sirens acquired superstar jammer, mila minute. no one is sure what to expect from the 2007 championship game, scheduled for december 8th.
(similarly, in the believer article, burt mentions the collective hatred among wnba fans for the L.A. Sparks, who are widely regarded as "arrogant thugs," unintentionally echoing barthes ideas on good v. evil in the spectacle. but really, isn't this sentiment applicable to any "straight" sport? don't superfans always regard their team's opponent as Evil?).
on the outcome of a wrestling match, barthes wrote,"wrestling is a sum of spectacles, of which no single one is a function: each moment imposes the total knowledge of a passion which rises, erect and alone, without ever extending to the crowning moment of a result. thus the function of the wrestler is not to win; it is to go exactly through the motions which are expected of him."
i'm not sure how many derby dolls would agree with this statement, but it holds some truth for me. winning the championship title in a three-team league strikes me as a little - oh, i don't know - meaningless? what i really care about is being a phenomenal skater: the best and fastest i can be. and i want the same thing for my teammates. i want us to skate as a unit, a formidable machine, a steamroller! but whether we actually win or lose? eh. winning is preferable, i suppose, but what matters more - to me anyway - is playing a good game.
who won the game on the 17th? it was the sirens, and by a considerable margin, but i can't recall the exact score.
when i look back on the league's early games at the Dollhouse (version 1.0 - the chinatown pillow factory with a 350-person capacity), i am amazed at how far we've come. and i'm not just talking about the size and scale of our events, or the fact that we no longer inhale manure while we skate, or, post-practice, dislodge errant feathers from our ears (did i mention the Dollhouse v 1.0 was a feather pillow factory?). i'm talking about skill level, and how with every game and every practice we become better and stronger skaters. this is something i believe has converted so many spectators into die-hard fans, and has kept them committed despite the lack of teams in the league, and our ongoing struggle to secure a permanent venue. our fans have grown with us, and they're invested in our fate. seeing how much better we are each time out is the payoff.
there was a fantastic moment during the november 17th bout when mila minute, a former figure skater and fan favorite, oft compared to ziggy stardust on wheels, was finishing her point-scoring lap. she had passed all of the opposing blockers, racking up four points, but she kept going, determined to score on the other jammer, who had just broken away from the pack. it took only seconds for mila, with her graceful figure skater's stride, to overtake the other jammer. instead of simply putting her hands on her hips to call off the jam, mila did a 180. beneath LADD's iconic disco skate, the two jammers faced each other, rolling quietly. the blockers receded into the darkness as mila taunted her opponent. and then she did what all of us were waiting for: she tossed her head back and placed her hands on her hips. the jam was over. the crowd - myself included - went ballistic.
barthes wrote: "wrestling presents man's suffering with all the amplification of tragic masks."
i think i'm making a point, kinda sorta, which is: the real moral drama happening in the mucked-up sport/spectacle that is banked track roller derby in los angeles is ongoing, and it's not always played out on the track. it's LADD vs. the Man. just to watch us bout is a triumph: Good Girls on Roller Skates defeating an evil, faceless bureaucracy. it helps that we're nice, we're accessible, and we skate in sexy outfits. we love our fans. we talk with them after our games, at bars, in the grocery store, and on the internet.
a similar sentiment is expressed by stephen burt, author of the previously mentioned believer article. of his devotion to the wnba's minnesota lynx, burt wrote:
"i give [them] my money and time because i like watching them play basketball. we who cherish the [the wnba] enjoy nifty play-making; approachable teams; the fact that the players are women and not girls; and an obsessive, welcoming, nerdy, chatty, national subculture, free of the yahoos, and the boys' club-feel, that men's team sports can bring."
totally. to illustrate:
the fight crew poses with our own devoted superfan, little kenny.
barthes closed "the world of wrestling" with this:
"when the hero or the villain of the drama, the man who was a few minutes earlier possessed by a moral rage, magnified into a sort of metaphysical sign, leaves the wrestling hall, impassive, anonymous, carrying a small suitcase and arm-in-arm with his wife, no one can doubt that wrestling holds the power of transmutation that is common to the Spectacle and to Religious Worship. In the ring, and even in the depths of their voluntary ignominy, wrestlers remain gods because they are, for a few moments, the key which opens Nature, the pure gesture which separates Good from Evil, and unveils the form of a Justice which is at last intelligible."
barthes also claimed that wrestling is the only sport that gave such an externalized image of torture. too bad he didn't live to see the L.A. Derby Dolls skate.
that is some gross hyperbole, but still: L.A. city council president, Eric Garcetti, blew the first whistle of the game, and apparently had such a great time at our little event, he felt compelled to blog about it afterward (or, at the very least, to persuade one of his underlings to do as much). now that's gotta count for something, right?
post-bout honorable mentions appeared in L.A. City Zine, whose Louis Elfman called our game, "the best event in L.A....ever," and whose photographer, Emberly Modine, now wants to join our ranks. we got a write-up in losanjealous that was later picked up by the defamer.
a nice quote from that last piece:
"The Dolls’ infrastructure keeps the event well enough in check, but there’s nowhere near the antiseptic organization one experiences at a major sporting event. The DIY vibe leaves for just enough disorder that you feel like a really cool riot could break out at any moment."
and the writer's conclusion:
"[i'm]...hard-pressed to think of an event that offers so much bang for the buck. In addition to the main roller derby event, there are punk bands, vendors selling crazy crap, and a general atmosphere of Dionysian good-timery. Unless you lack a pulse, or a soul, or both, you will love the shit out of this crazy spectacle."
if you want some pictures to go with the words, check out my flickr photo set (which documents the Doll Factory's pre-bout caterpillar-into-butterfly-like transformation, and includes a few pilfered game photos).
a couple of bones for the click-averse:
...............................................
there have been a few key moments in the relatively brief history of the LADD where we believed ourselves on the brink of SoCal domination. then the same thing happened, twice: we became homeless, and in both cases, it was a huge setback. let me tell you folks - lugging a 100 x 60 foot banked track around LA is no cakewalk, and this burden takes its toll on skater morale. finding a place to practice and play, a little stability in our collective lives, has been the LADD's cross to bear. but now that we finally have city council on our side, and a venue that can accommodate so many of our fans, Good Things are already starting to happen.
some interesting things were written by DF, the cryptically named losanjealous blogger. he calls roller derby a "crazy spectacle," which resonated with me, as the sport vs. spectacle issue is something that's been on my mind these days. as a skater, i know i want to be taken seriously as an athlete, and the LADD has worked hard to distance itself from WWF-style old school derby. the game we play has no predetermined outcome. it is unscripted and legitimately competitive. what separates the LADD from most of our new school, all-girl derby contemporaries, however, is our banked track (the same thing that precludes us from membership in the omnipresent WFTDA).
as a banked track league, there are only so many teams we can bout against. we have a banked track sister league in san diego, and we've faced-off against the reality tv-immortalized texas lonestar rollergirls a couple of times. but within the LADD proper there are only three teams (we hope to add a fourth sooner than later). i used to worry: will the fans get bored?
i no longer worry, and i'm starting to see why such fears were unfounded. DF makes a point here:
"I am reminded of FIFA president Sepp Blatter’s observation that women’s soccer would be more popular if it was sexed up a bit. He was widely derided as a misogynist and fool, but maybe he was onto something. The reason that the Derby Dolls are infinitely more entertaining than the WNBA or the Women’s World Cup is that they bring theater as well as skill, and part of that theater is sex appeal. There’s this widespread belief that you can’t be both a hot bitch and a bitchin athlete, but as the Dolls amply illustrate, that is horseshit."
the LADD wants other leagues to go banked, and we want to add more teams to our own league, but the process is slow. in the interim, we occupy the DMZ between sport and spectacle. i was thinking about this stuff the other night, and i revisited a couple things i had read previously: roland barthes' essay, "The World of Wrestling," and an article that stephen burt wrote on the "semi-cultlike world of women's basketball" for the believer a few years back.
barthes regards professional wrestling in america as a "sort of mythological fight between good and evil." when i first read this essay in college, i had no interest in wrestling, or any spectacles of that ilk, and i openly hated All Things Sporty. i still had a soft spot for roller skating, however (beloved pastime of my youth!), but never dreamed that roller derby would receive a punk rock makeover, and come back in such an accessible incarnation.
the barthes essay has echoes of roller derby throughout, and there is certainly a Good vs. Evil component to the game we play. as a rule, our fans hate whichever team wins the most. as the undefeated 2006 season champs, that honor currently goes to my own team, the fight crew. it doesn't help much that our uniforms are a blazing, communist red. the tide could be changing though. fight crew had a few losses in 07, and the sirens acquired superstar jammer, mila minute. no one is sure what to expect from the 2007 championship game, scheduled for december 8th.
(similarly, in the believer article, burt mentions the collective hatred among wnba fans for the L.A. Sparks, who are widely regarded as "arrogant thugs," unintentionally echoing barthes ideas on good v. evil in the spectacle. but really, isn't this sentiment applicable to any "straight" sport? don't superfans always regard their team's opponent as Evil?).
on the outcome of a wrestling match, barthes wrote,"wrestling is a sum of spectacles, of which no single one is a function: each moment imposes the total knowledge of a passion which rises, erect and alone, without ever extending to the crowning moment of a result. thus the function of the wrestler is not to win; it is to go exactly through the motions which are expected of him."
i'm not sure how many derby dolls would agree with this statement, but it holds some truth for me. winning the championship title in a three-team league strikes me as a little - oh, i don't know - meaningless? what i really care about is being a phenomenal skater: the best and fastest i can be. and i want the same thing for my teammates. i want us to skate as a unit, a formidable machine, a steamroller! but whether we actually win or lose? eh. winning is preferable, i suppose, but what matters more - to me anyway - is playing a good game.
who won the game on the 17th? it was the sirens, and by a considerable margin, but i can't recall the exact score.
when i look back on the league's early games at the Dollhouse (version 1.0 - the chinatown pillow factory with a 350-person capacity), i am amazed at how far we've come. and i'm not just talking about the size and scale of our events, or the fact that we no longer inhale manure while we skate, or, post-practice, dislodge errant feathers from our ears (did i mention the Dollhouse v 1.0 was a feather pillow factory?). i'm talking about skill level, and how with every game and every practice we become better and stronger skaters. this is something i believe has converted so many spectators into die-hard fans, and has kept them committed despite the lack of teams in the league, and our ongoing struggle to secure a permanent venue. our fans have grown with us, and they're invested in our fate. seeing how much better we are each time out is the payoff.
there was a fantastic moment during the november 17th bout when mila minute, a former figure skater and fan favorite, oft compared to ziggy stardust on wheels, was finishing her point-scoring lap. she had passed all of the opposing blockers, racking up four points, but she kept going, determined to score on the other jammer, who had just broken away from the pack. it took only seconds for mila, with her graceful figure skater's stride, to overtake the other jammer. instead of simply putting her hands on her hips to call off the jam, mila did a 180. beneath LADD's iconic disco skate, the two jammers faced each other, rolling quietly. the blockers receded into the darkness as mila taunted her opponent. and then she did what all of us were waiting for: she tossed her head back and placed her hands on her hips. the jam was over. the crowd - myself included - went ballistic.
barthes wrote: "wrestling presents man's suffering with all the amplification of tragic masks."
i think i'm making a point, kinda sorta, which is: the real moral drama happening in the mucked-up sport/spectacle that is banked track roller derby in los angeles is ongoing, and it's not always played out on the track. it's LADD vs. the Man. just to watch us bout is a triumph: Good Girls on Roller Skates defeating an evil, faceless bureaucracy. it helps that we're nice, we're accessible, and we skate in sexy outfits. we love our fans. we talk with them after our games, at bars, in the grocery store, and on the internet.
a similar sentiment is expressed by stephen burt, author of the previously mentioned believer article. of his devotion to the wnba's minnesota lynx, burt wrote:
"i give [them] my money and time because i like watching them play basketball. we who cherish the [the wnba] enjoy nifty play-making; approachable teams; the fact that the players are women and not girls; and an obsessive, welcoming, nerdy, chatty, national subculture, free of the yahoos, and the boys' club-feel, that men's team sports can bring."
totally. to illustrate:
the fight crew poses with our own devoted superfan, little kenny.barthes closed "the world of wrestling" with this:
"when the hero or the villain of the drama, the man who was a few minutes earlier possessed by a moral rage, magnified into a sort of metaphysical sign, leaves the wrestling hall, impassive, anonymous, carrying a small suitcase and arm-in-arm with his wife, no one can doubt that wrestling holds the power of transmutation that is common to the Spectacle and to Religious Worship. In the ring, and even in the depths of their voluntary ignominy, wrestlers remain gods because they are, for a few moments, the key which opens Nature, the pure gesture which separates Good from Evil, and unveils the form of a Justice which is at last intelligible."
barthes also claimed that wrestling is the only sport that gave such an externalized image of torture. too bad he didn't live to see the L.A. Derby Dolls skate.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
back in business
the LA Derby Dolls are no longer homeless! as of last weekend, we are the proud occupants of a ginormous warehouse at 1910 Temple Ave., just west of Alvarado (the neighborhood is Historic Filipino Town, and we are adjacent to Silver Lake and Echo Park). capacity has been tentatively set at 1600. holy shit! maybe now our games won't sell out days in advance (though it would be pretty amazing if they still did).
the inaugural bout in our new home is slated for november 17, sirens v. tough cookies. i'll let you know know when tickets become available.
in the meantime, here are some pics from last weekend's move-in and track build:
we haven't settled on a name for our new digs, which will serve as a practice space, administrative HQ and bout venue. "temple of the dolls" (in honor of the temple street location) and "the doll factory" are currently league favorites. what do you guys think?
the inaugural bout in our new home is slated for november 17, sirens v. tough cookies. i'll let you know know when tickets become available.
in the meantime, here are some pics from last weekend's move-in and track build:
we haven't settled on a name for our new digs, which will serve as a practice space, administrative HQ and bout venue. "temple of the dolls" (in honor of the temple street location) and "the doll factory" are currently league favorites. what do you guys think?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)