Lee Lewis

Former American Style Artistic Roller Skater
and RSROA licensed Roller Dance Judge

��������� On   April 27, 1977, some Navy buddies and myself decided to go to Sun State Roller Rink on Primrose Drive in Orlando, Florida, for an evening of fun. I had been skating maybe twice in my life, but was always fascinated with the sport. On this night I saw for the first time in my life, trained roller skaters performing artistic skate dancing. They floated across the floor performing intricate moves of grace and complexity that I never dreamed could be accomplished on roller skates.� I remember watching the more accomplished skaters performing such dances as the the Pasa Doble, the Killian, and the Iceland Tango. I was hooked. I had to learn this art! I became obsessed with skating. Despite the fact that I was 19 years old, which everyone said was too old to get started in Artistic Roller Skating as a competitor, I was determined. I was at the rink everyday. I had bruised and scabs and blister,  but I was learning fast. By the next January I and my new skating partner, Gwen Hall, were ready to compete in our first "meet" in Jacksonville.
��������� Juanita, Gwen's mother, hand made our first outfits.�   She just barely got them completed the night before competion! It was a thrill and I was so proud of myself. I don't remember what place we took at   that meet, but we didn't make it to bronze medal level. Nevertheless, it was a   thrill of a life time!
��������� The   next time we skated was in Hollywood, Florida, for the Easter invitational.� Juanita once again put her sewing skill into high gear and created new costumes for us. This time our colors were in blue (the other costume was maroon).� Maybe out skills had improve, or maybe the   competition was not a intense, but this time we won a bronze medal (3rd   place).
��������� Our   next competition was at Semoran Skateway in Casselberry, Florida. At the Mid-Winter Invitational, Gwen and I took our first Gold Medal!

To be continued...

Dauxrigota....