This month to kick off Season 2 of Drop In Podcast, we chatted to our friend Emerald Kelly aka @skitztits.
In this new format we wanted to take a more casual approach and see where the conversation led us. Mostly, we wanted to dig a little deeper into our guest's opinions on spicy topics, and Emerald didn't let us down. She gets into some of her own personal skating do's and dont's!
See some snippets below, but for the full experience, make sure to listen to the whole episode here.
Don't forget there is more to roller skating than grinds!
Emerald: 'There was [in the past] so many more variations of tricks... I feel like I can whip out a lot of tricks that people are like 'What? I was just doing my 500 grind variations. I didn't even know about these other ones.' There's so many more little things you can do that have been forgotten about that I feel like should be brought back cause they were great...
Sugu: 'I do agree with you and I think I have fallen into this hole because grinds have been so hard for me to get that now it's all I can think of. I have lost so many more simple, fun tricks that looked more steezy... We do need to bring them back!
Sam: Yeah, let's bring back roller skating style! When we couldn't do grinds, we did other things, cause that's what we could do. Toe stop tricks are a good example...'
Do insert some standards.
'What makes a land? I feel like with certain tricks it's a matter of opinion... Like for me, I prefer the more traditional tricks but then there are also more 'flavour-y' tricks where as long as it's done well, I don't mind calling anything a trick. But as far as 'did you land your trick?' I don't feel like there's much room for debate... You can't land on your toe stoppers. You are meant to roll away. That is the whole point. I see lots of jumping down the stairs and landing on toe stoppers, and it was sick you jumped down the stairs, but I know you can jump down the stairs and not land on your toe stoppers, so I'm waiting for that... What is wrong with striving to do that...'
And when it comes to bowls...
'You cannot push in a bowl... You have to use the walls, and use the hips.'
Don't let other people's tastes dictate what you do.
'I'm not the type of skater that is very gymnastic. I'm more inspired by skateboarding inspired tricks... But, I don't care if you do a backflip. If you want to do a backflip and it feels good to do one, you should do one. I don't understand why it's up for debate whether I think it's bad or I think it's good... I like certain music other people don't like, does that mean they shouldn't listen to the music they like? No. Does it matter that I don't like it. No... Please do what you want!'
Do take some initiative!
I would like for people to stop waiting for a brand, or someone above them, to make things happen. Have your little jam. Have your meet up. Film an edit. You don't need to wait around for anyone else to validate what you want to do... To be fair, I don't take my own advice, I have a million things in my head and I don't do them. But, I would like us all to be more DIY.'