Rollerskating is difficult enough for some without adding dancing into the mix, but not for Breaksk8.
Breaksk8 is a rollerskating dance team based out of Kokomo, Ind. They performed on MTV’s “America’s Best Dance Crew” in 2008 and at the 2008 Teen Choice Awards. Breaksk8 will be performing at the Williams Auditorium at 7 p.m. on Jan. 12.
According to their website, Breaksk8 became an official entertainment crew in 2003. They got their start from performing at high schools and half-time shows at local basketball games, and soon were performing all over the country. They were the winners of “The Roll Bounce Skate Off,” which was a nationwide skate competition, and one of their members was a stunt skater in the movie “Roll Bounce.”
However, even with all of their media exposure, many people are unfamiliar with Breaksk8.
“I have honestly never heard of Breaksk8 until now,” Jon Howard, FSU freshman in the mechanical engineering program, said. “I am a little hesitant about the idea because I haven’t watched anything like it before.”
Other students, like Ferris student Krystal Karnofsky, heard of the group through their performance on “America’s Best Dance Crew.”
“I watched them on the show and rooted for them,” Karnofsky said, FSU junior in music industry management. “I thought they were very good and fun with the routines they did. I think dancing on roller skates is really interesting. It looks hard and I give them props for coming up with the idea of making a dance crew on roller skates.”
Most students interviewed plan on attending the Breaksk8 performance, or are at least interested in the idea. However, others like Katie Le Page, FSU freshman in business administration, recognized their talent, but won’t be rearranging her schedule to see their performance.
“I think it’s cool that people are talented enough to be able to dance on roller skates. It might be interesting to see how that works,” Le Page said. “I personally think roller skating is hard enough without adding dancing to it. I probably will not go just because I’m not really into dance or arts and it might be boring for me. There are other things I’d rather see, but I definitely don’t think it’s lame.”
Their performance at Williams is free and open to the public.