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At the height of the disco craze in 1979, '']'' reported that there were an estimated "5,000 roller rinks in the U.S.," attracting "more than 28 million young American skaters", and (according to American record producer ]) "99.9% of these rinks already programming disco music either in whole or in part".<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LSUEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT97&dq=%22disco+dip%22+wktu&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj0h4mh89eKAxUVvokEHTbsDzEQ6AF6BAgHEAI#v=onepage&q=%22disco%20dip%22%20wktu&f=false |title=Brooklyn Sees New 'Disco Dip' |date=1979-02-17 |publisher=], Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |year=1979 |pages=70 |language=en}}</ref> At the height of the disco craze in 1979, '']'' reported that there were an estimated "5,000 roller rinks in the U.S.," attracting "more than 28 million young American skaters", and (according to American record producer ]) "99.9% of these rinks already programming disco music either in whole or in part".<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LSUEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT97&dq=%22disco+dip%22+wktu&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj0h4mh89eKAxUVvokEHTbsDzEQ6AF6BAgHEAI#v=onepage&q=%22disco%20dip%22%20wktu&f=false |title=Brooklyn Sees New 'Disco Dip' |date=1979-02-17 |publisher=], Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |year=1979 |pages=70 |language=en}}</ref>


{{External video|title="Disco Dip", 1979 promotional song|topic=Produced by ], the song was "written and choreographed especially for use as a promotional tool" to popularize the concept of roller discos.|caption=|video1=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6y_qm_XcWU|float=right}}
⚫ In 1979, Brooklyn's ] was what ''Billboard'' called "a typical example" of a disco roller rink.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Riedinger Jr. |first=Bob |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KyUEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT56&dq=%22roll-a-palace%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwimro2R59eKAxWypIkEHTv1FP8Q6AF6BAgIEAI#v=onepage&q=%22roll-a-palace%22&f=false |title=Going Back to the 1870s: Skating To Music |date=1979-03-03 |publisher=], Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |pages=48, 57 |language=en}}</ref> The same year, the venue collaborated with ] to host a promotional dance and song, entitled the Disco Dip.<ref name=":1" /> The dance was reported in ''Billboard'':<blockquote>A new dance, the disco dip, designed primarily for use at roller rink discos, will be debuted Tuesday at the Roll-A-Disco in Brooklyn. The dance, with music and lyrics by ] of ], was written and choreographed especially for use as a promotional tool to stimulate interest in the concept of roller discos. The party is being sponsored jointly by ], New York's leading radio station, and the top disco station in the country, and the management of the Roll-A-Disco rink. WKTU is giving away 500 tickets to members of its listening audience.<ref name=":1" /></blockquote>

In 1979, Brooklyn's ] was what ''Billboard'' called "a typical example" of a disco roller rink.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Riedinger Jr. |first=Bob |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KyUEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT56&dq=%22roll-a-palace%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwimro2R59eKAxWypIkEHTv1FP8Q6AF6BAgIEAI#v=onepage&q=%22roll-a-palace%22&f=false |title=Going Back to the 1870s: Skating To Music |date=1979-03-03 |publisher=], Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |pages=48, 57 |language=en}}</ref>

⚫ The same year, the Roll-A-Palace collaborated with preeminent nationwide disco station ] to create a series of Disco Dip events, featuring a promotional song and dance.<ref name=":1" /> Written "especially for use as a promotional tool" to promote interest in the roller disco hobby, the dance/song/event was featured three times in ''Billboard'':<ref>{{Cite book |last=Inc |first=Nielsen Business Media |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LyQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT45&dq=%22disco+dip%22+roll-a-palace&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjotK7a-deKAxV8j4kEHfL4NYEQ6AF6BAgFEAI#v=onepage&q=%22disco%20dip%22%20roll-a-palace&f=false |title=Billboard |date=1979-07-14 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |language=en}}</ref><blockquote>A new dance, the disco dip, designed primarily for use at roller rink discos, will be debuted Tuesday at the Roll-A-Disco in Brooklyn. The dance, with music and lyrics by ] of ], was written and choreographed especially for use as a promotional tool to stimulate interest in the concept of roller discos. The party is being sponsored jointly by ], New York's leading radio station, and the top disco station in the country, and the management of the Roll-A-Disco rink. WKTU is giving away 500 tickets to members of its listening audience.<ref name=":1" /></blockquote>


=== 21st century === === 21st century ===

Revision as of 21:15, 2 January 2025

Skating rink for dancing on roller skates
Dreamland Margate's retro-styled Roller Room, pictured in 2016

A roller disco is a discothèque or skating rink where all the dancers wear roller skates of some kind (traditional quad or inline). The music played is modern and easily danceable; historically disco but in modern times including almost any form of dance, pop, house, R&B, or rock music. Roller discos often involve the usage of a disco ball.

History

The concept originated as a fad in the 1970s when the disco craze was at its height, peaking around 1980 and inspiring several roller-disco magazines. In 1984 the fad arrived in the United Kingdom and many roller discos popped up all over the country As of 2006, the craze has largely discontinued, although many 1970s era roller-discos are still open and successful. Also, it experienced a mild revival in the early 2000s, especially in the mid-eastern United States, where certain clubs continue to host roller disco nights. Some now use in-line roller-blades. Roller discos are also popular among older children and young teenagers, especially for parties. As in other discos, special effects such as fog machines and flashing traffic lights are often used. To minimise the risk of injury, the organisers of roller discos often only allow participants to skate in one direction at a time so that they do not crash into one another, although many roller discos have a "free skate" section in the middle of the roller rink.

At the height of the disco craze in 1979, Billboard reported that there were an estimated "5,000 roller rinks in the U.S.," attracting "more than 28 million young American skaters", and (according to American record producer Ed Chalpin) "99.9% of these rinks already programming disco music either in whole or in part".

"Disco Dip", 1979 promotional song
Produced by Ed Chaplin, the song was "written and choreographed especially for use as a promotional tool" to popularize the concept of roller discos.
video icon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6y_qm_XcWU

In 1979, Brooklyn's Roll-A-Palace was what Billboard called "a typical example" of a disco roller rink.

The same year, the Roll-A-Palace collaborated with preeminent nationwide disco station WKTU to create a series of Disco Dip events, featuring a promotional song and dance. Written "especially for use as a promotional tool" to promote interest in the roller disco hobby, the dance/song/event was featured three times in Billboard:

A new dance, the disco dip, designed primarily for use at roller rink discos, will be debuted Tuesday at the Roll-A-Disco in Brooklyn. The dance, with music and lyrics by Ed Chalpin of PTX Enterprises, was written and choreographed especially for use as a promotional tool to stimulate interest in the concept of roller discos. The party is being sponsored jointly by WKTU-FM, New York's leading radio station, and the top disco station in the country, and the management of the Roll-A-Disco rink. WKTU is giving away 500 tickets to members of its listening audience.

21st century

In 2020, roller skating and roller discos experienced a resurgence in mainstream popularity across the Western world. The resurgence in popularity for roller skating and roller discos has coincided with a disco revival and a resurgence in other retro phenomena in 2020. Some companies selling roller skates in the US were reported to have sold out of roller skates due to high demand. The resurgence has been powered by social media apps like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat which have seen an increase of roller skating-related content. In Hobart, Australia, it was reported that the popularity of roller skating was at its highest since the 1980s. The media has suggested the resurgence in roller skating may be the result of people finding ways to entertain themselves and a form of escape as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic which has resulted in widespread lockdowns, curfews and restrictions across the world.

Gallery

In popular culture

This section may contain irrelevant references to popular culture. Please help Misplaced Pages to improve this section by removing the content or adding citations to reliable and independent sources. (June 2022)

Film

See also

References

  1. I love 1984 BBC TV show
  2. Canvas is one such club
  3. Brooklyn Sees New 'Disco Dip'. Billboard, Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1979-02-17. p. 70.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  4. ^ Riedinger Jr., Bob (1979-03-03). Going Back to the 1870s: Skating To Music. Billboard, Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 48, 57.
  5. Inc, Nielsen Business Media (1979-07-14). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  6. "Was This the Summer You Started Roller-Skating?". The Cut. 28 August 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  7. "Why 2020 Is The Summer Of Rollerskating". Vogue. Vogue. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  8. "A comeback of disco amid the COVID-19 pandemic". hani.co.kr. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  9. ^ "Roller skates are selling out everywhere as Americans seek nostalgic outdoor pastimes that provide a 'light-hearted escape from reality'". Business Insider. Business Insider. 2 September 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  10. "Rollerskating has become so popular in Hobart that scammers are offering fake tickets". ABC News. ABC News. 30 August 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
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