Roller Skating has been a passion of mine since high school.  Originally, I began roller skating after a friend organized a roller skating party in high school.  I thought it was silly to go roller skating.  After that i was hooked and begain taking figure skating lessons in Cherry Hill New Jersey.  Skating at the local roller skating rink was where everyone seemed to go.  After watching in amazement how effortlessly professional (roller) figure skaters could do jumps and spins, it was something I had to try. 
I always felt that skating and flying were very similar movements. 

One night while visiting a Philadelphia night club with friends, I saw someone roller skating on the dance floor.  This strong power skater was spinning around with his arms over his head.  He was holding a woman perfectly horizontal while they both spun around.  I like everyone else was mesmerized by this.  I immediately went over and introduced myself.  I told him I was a avid roller skater and that wanted to learn how to skate like that. 

This would be my first contact and introduction to one of Philadelphia’s  most unique persons,
“Master Jay”.  Philadelphia’s second best roller skater :) .  After introducing myself and telling him I could skate like that he looked at me funny.  He had a roller skating dance troupe named “Rhythm on Wheels”  He told me to come out sometime to his studio in center city Philadelphia and try out.  I was offered to meet some of the other skaters.  I showed up one day at his studio not sure what to expect.   Standing there in his class were some incredible skaters.  Some with cool names like, “Sir Vince”, “LJ” “Ice”, “Fudd”, “Irv” and  “Smooth”.  I stood in the back of the class and tried to follow along with the high energy type of skating.  Master Jay and I  have been skating and performing ever since that first meeting. 

“Rhythm on Wheels”  a group of 10-12 skaters, usually performed at weddings, corporate parties, benefits, Atlantic City casinos, local television shows, and dance clubs.  Normally after the group would finish performing Jay and I would still be energized for more skating.  So Jay and I would head out to find a place that would allow us to skate. We usually found ourselves in small restaurants and clubs in center city.  Places in Philadelphia like the Black Banana, Egypt, Loie, and other clubs were and still are some of our favorite skating places.  Yes its been a few years but who’s counting anyway.  I’m just happy and blessed to have recovered from cancer and still be able to talk, breathe, taste, smell and skate.  Getting my balance back was a challenge.  These pictures were taken during my recovery.  “Never give up”  

The following few pictures show my first time back rollerskating following Cancer treatment.  The daily chemo and radiation really knocked me down hard.  I never forget those I left on the Cancer ward at Jefferson. 

Most influential Skaters:  Gene Kelly, movie “Its Always Fair Weather”, 

                                        Ice skater, Gary Beacom,
                                        Skate crew: “Brake Skate.”