Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Bringing Back Ski Ballet

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Bringing Back Ski Ballet

    Hey everyone!

    I'm new to skiboards and have recently become obsessed with ski ballet from the 70-90's. Check out the video below, it's so cheesy and majestic!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KCS2raOFFs

    I've never really been interested in terrain parks so I would really love to kinda mesh together modern skiing ground tricks, figure skating moves, and some of those retro ski ballet tricks on skiboards.

    However, I'm really torn between what length skiboards I should get. I'm 5'1 and have been drooling over RVL8's 75cm boards since I'm going for a figure-skiing type of thing. (I have a really dope pair of Armada's that I intend to continue using for like racing down double blacks. So I'm not as concerned about having skiboards that can do EVERYTHING.) But I've read they don't do well in powder and I currently live in PA so the snow is not always perfectly groomed. Plus descriptions always seem to allude that 75cm boards are limited or just for beginners, and longer is better.

    So I'm also considering the Summit ZR 88cm, I've heard good things about the old Dynastar Twin 88cm, and maybe the RVL8 Blunt...but I'm not sure if wider and/or longer would be better for what I'm trying to do. And I haven't found any place where I could rent 75cm boards to see how they ride in comparison to the 94cm boards I've tried. I would really love to hear from anyone who has ridden 75cm boards. Or if anyone has tried figure skating kind of moves on them!?

  • #2
    Where in pa do you live?

    There are a bunch of people meeting up at elk this weekend to ride together. its a great place to try out a few different boards.
    facebook.com/dlynamr8

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s7yBfCTp2M

    Comment


    • #3
      Apparently, ski ballet was an Olympic "demonstration" sport...

      https://youtu.be/fvk4PpFORD4

      Sorry, can't help with your other questions, other that you probably do not want an overly stiff and highly cambered board as it would be harder to pivot and slide...

      Comment


      • #4
        Although, while looking-up what ski ballet is, I came across this:

        https://youtu.be/LK9rOUsoApU

        Interesting mix and the ski ballet is great too ...

        EDIT: apparently, some content in the video might not be appropriate for more conservative work environments, so watch when the boss and less open minded folks are not watching

        Comment


        • #5
          I just clicked on that at work.... hahaha. I was like, " oh my gosh did anyone just see my screen" (looking around frantically)
          facebook.com/dlynamr8

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s7yBfCTp2M

          Comment


          • #6
            I think for Elk Jams this weekend, the following drills should be mandatory practice:

            https://youtu.be/OTWnuFPEmIM

            Comment


            • #7
              Back on topic (not that it ever was way off...). If I do make it to Elk, I can bring my shortest boards for you to try - 88cm Blunts and 88cm Dynastars. It think they will ski very differently. The Dynastars I have not tried yet, so I'm curious how they ski.

              Comment


              • #8
                This is probably skiboard blasphemy, but you might want to consider getting 120-150 cm old school non-carving stick skis for pennies on Craigslist or eBay. I remember ski ballet, and modern ski and skiboard designs have advanced so much that the kind of maneuvers you do in ski ballet will likely be much more difficult on them due to their camber, sidewall curvature, and sharp edges. But if you're set on not embarrassing yourself with gear that is twice your age, then I would look at the zero camber and rockered boards that have very short running lengths or take low camber <100cm boards and detune the heads and tails so you can spin with ease but still get good edge grip along the body when you need it. Wide boards definitely help with balance on one leg moves but are heavier and can be cumbersome otherwise. Your post suggests that you may be an experienced skier, so I don't think you should be afraid of going longer. You may even find junior twin tip skis with rockers and detuned edges might give you more fore/aft stability. I definitely have not done any .. cough .. um .. figure skating moves, but I do lots of ... spins ... on my BXLs that are absolutely fun but do not look anything like figure skating. In this day and age I have to keep up with looking cool for my kids.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by kocho View Post
                  Although, while looking-up what ski ballet is, i came across this:

                  https://youtu.be/lk9rousoapu
                  Wowza!
                  Boards/Bindings:
                  2013 Spruce Sherpas w/Tyrolia Peak 11s
                  2023 Spruce Stingers w/Tyrolia Peak 11s
                  2015 RVL8 Blunt XLs w/Tyrolia Attack 13s
                  2020 RVL8 Sticky Icky Ickys w/Tyrolia SX 10s


                  Boots:
                  Salomon X-Pro 80

                  Past boards: Salomon Snowblades, Line MNPs 89 & 98 cm, Five-Os, Bullets, Jedis, Spruce 120s, LE 125s, Ospreys, Crossbows
                  Summit 110s, Nomads, Jades, RVL8 ALPs, BWPs, KTPs, Tanshos, Rockets, DLPs, Blunts, Condors, RCs, Revolts, Spliffs

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Check out these videos, they use shorties.
                    http://www.snowdancing.com

                    I wonder how much they detune their edges.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Thanks for all the input! I'd say I fall somewhere between intermediate and advanced skiing. But I don't have much technical knowledge when it comes to the construction of skis so thank you Fun Machine for giving me some new things to think about! I'm interested in going really short because I also have a background in rollerskating. And I was surprised when I tried 94cm boards because it felt just like regular skiing and I was expecting more of a difference...or more of a rollerskating feel. But maybe my expectations were just wrong? haha

                      The couple snow dancing is SO adorable!

                      I live in Philly and usually go to Blue. I could probably come up to Elk on Friday but I'm not really into terrain parks, so idk if you guys will mostly be there all day?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Layla, I honestly don't know if Elk has a terrain park. I am going to just cruise with other people. We would love to see you there.
                        facebook.com/dlynamr8

                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s7yBfCTp2M

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by LaylaLou View Post
                          I live in Philly and usually go to Blue. I could probably come up to Elk on Friday but I'm not really into terrain parks, so idk if you guys will mostly be there all day?
                          At least half the crew riding at Elk are not park riders. Elk is a great cruising mountain with several long cruisers of varying levels (long in comparison to other PA mountains). As far as ski ballet, ski dancing, or similar things Elk has some nice wide green runs where you could try out some dance moves. Not my thing but there is terrain there that would work for it.

                          Originally posted by Davelynam View Post
                          Layla, I honestly don't know if Elk has a terrain park. I am going to just cruise with other people. We would love to see you there.
                          Elk has two terrain parks. The jumps are relatively small in both parks when compared to Big Boulder and parks out West but there are some nice terrain features and they are well maintained. Elk does not seem to attract a lot of park riders (skiers, snowboarders, or skiboarders) so the parks tend to be lightly traveled when you compare to Camelback, Big Boulder, or Blue so there is plenty of room to have fun. Elk's two parks include one "ride through" park tucked in between groomed trails which is a course of linked features and a second park that is a collection of jumps, rails, and features that is served by a rope tow that makes it easy to run laps.
                          Boards:
                          2016 Spruce tuned Head Jr. Caddys - 131cm
                          2013 Spruce "CTS" 120s
                          2010 Spruce "Yellow/Red" 120s
                          2018 Spruce "CTS" Crossbows - 115cm
                          2016 RVL8 Spliffs - 109cm
                          2008 RVL8 Revolt "City" - 105cm
                          2017 RVL8 Sticky Icky Icky - 104cm
                          2011 Defiance Blades - 101cm

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Rope Tow?
                            Oh my, don't wear your good gloves!

                            http://vidmg.photobucket.com/albums/...l/P3120034.mp4
                            Last edited by shortydude; 02-02-2017, 07:46 AM. Reason: add video

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Awesome, I'm trying to see if someone can cover me at work on Saturday. If not I can probably get up there tomorrow. I'll let y'all know!

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X