Central Park skating is back in full swing this spring

Last weekend, Central Park hosted its first skate circles of the season, complete with a DJ and dozens of skaters and spectators. As an admittedly novice roller skater who took up the hobby mid-pandemic, I’ve struggled to find skate-friendly spots in the city. The closest to campus, besides our wildly overcrowded quad, is the skateboarder-dominated Tompkins Square Park Skate Park. Occasionally, I venture to the West Side, only to get yelled at by enraged cyclists on the Hudson River Waterfront Greenway. In search of a more welcoming place to skate, I came across the Central Park Dance Skaters Association — a historic group that has called the Dead Road of Central Park their rink since 1978.

While roller skating has been a mainstay of Central Park for almost a century, the Central Park Dance Skaters Association initially formed in the late ’90s to resist the city’s insistence on making the park skate-free. Today, skaters and park-goers alike gather at Skate Circle on sunny weekends from April to October.

The circle opens at 2:45 pm. A few early skaters, the DJ, and the Central Park Dance Skaters Association crew set up, as curious park-goers wandered up to the perimeter.

As the afternoon went on, more and more skaters came to dance. Some of them seemed to know each other and partnered up to dance, while others chose to glide solo.

Aside from the fact that I almost never saw anyone stumble or fall, what truly struck me was the diversity in ages of those participating — millennials, baby boomers and even a few young children. Only teenagers and young adults seemed to be missing. In many cases, helmets were absent too, but the older crowd seemed to grove along safely and smoothly.

One of the skaters that gleaned the most attention was Ricky Superstar, a basketball-spinning inline skater from Harlem. He was one of the first to arrive at the start of the day and was still spinning several hours later.

Even as just another person watching from the sidelines, it was clear to me that this bunch of skaters knew how to have a great time. This skater had two bottles on their head and eight wheels under their feet.

At the end of the day, everyone was still dancing and showing off their best moves — especially the Central Park Dance Skaters Association staff, who were easily identifiable by their yellow and green tees.

If you’re looking for a seasoned group of skaters that welcomes beginners of all ages, or even if just want to watch, head to Skate Circle this weekend. Visit the group’s website for the skate schedule, to learn more about the park’s skating history, and to learn how you can help this weekend tradition endure for years to come.

Contact Susan Behrends Valenzuela at [email protected].

Developed for web by Kevin Wu.