What Is JB Skating?
The next stop on our roller skating history train is Chicago, the home of JB.
JB stands for James Brown. Chicago skaters are know as such, because they skate to Chicago grown tracks remixed with James Brown samples.
The first style I wanted to learn growing up was JB. I used to go to the Saturday family session at the Golden Glide and follow my favorite JB skaters around all session. I started my journey as a Youtuber to make videos like the JB skaters I used to watch growing up.
Although I have been exposed to JB, I’m far from an expert. In order to learn more about the history of Chicago skating I spoke to several Chicago skaters.
Who created JB?
The first skater I spoke to was Reggie Brown, a native Chicagoian and JB master featured in the documentary United Skates of America. Brown told me,
The roots of JB go back into the 1930s. The roots of JB skating go all the way back to the Savoy Ballroom during the Lindy hop era. The Savoy was the rink where African Americans had their own skate nights in Chicago. They used to dress up and show they had class along with skill. The skate guards at the Savoy were some of the best skaters in the world.
The Savoy had multiple bands that played non stop music all night. Those adult black sessions would laid the foundation for JB and what would be known as the midnight ramble.
The Moves
Brown went on to say that some of the foundational moves in the JB stye are the “Gangsta Walk, Bucket Walk, Short Step, Long Step, Cissy Strut, Godfather and Big Wheel.”
To find out what each of these moves looked like, I researched another JB master, Calvin Smalls. In the New York Times YouTube video about titled “Dance in Chicago: Skating With James Brown James Brown’s Style”, Smalls describes the history of JB and the creation of several foundational moves that he and his friends created.
The Equipment
So, what do JB skaters use to skate? The answer varies. In the past, skaters used high cut flexible boots like the Hyde’s.
As times change, skaters are beginning to use different boots. Some new school skaters have transitioned to stiff high cut boots.
While the stiffness of the boot may vary, the wheels, toe stops, and moves remain the same. JB is a legacy built.
After learning from Smalls, I collected all of my favorite JB videos on Youtube and created a reaction video. To see examples of JB from different eras, check out my whole reaction video. I’ve been watching JB videos since I was 16, so there’s some classics in there.
Conclusion
“JB skating” stands for James Brown skating and it’s a smooth style of skating that originated in Chicago. JB skaters are known for their distinct skating vocabulary and smooth footwork as well as the homegrown and mixed tracked they skate to.
If you want to continue your journey down the JB rabbit hole, check out the skaters I mentioned in the blog today or watch my whole video on JB history. Until next time, see ya Boss Tweezy!.