The Downtown - An Easy-To-Follow Guide For This Popular Roller Skating Skill

Let's learn the downtown. The downtown is stepping sideways but with style of course. So essentially you're stepping, stepping, stepping, stepping, done. But a lot of it is done with your feet actually on the ground. That's what makes it nice and smooth. Think of it as this foot is going to be heading diagonally and this one is going to go in front in the same direction. But the next step, this left foot is going to do a V and then this right foot is going to cross behind that and then the left one is going to do that and the right one's going to join it. And that is essentially all the steps you need to learn. So what's really going to help you on this one is your upper body because it's going to help you point in the correct direction. So here we're going to be here crossing front, then we step, we're going to turn your body to take your body this way and then on this one you're then going to turn again. So I'm here, turn, turn, here and that is helping me point my body and my feet in the direction that I want to go in. The idea of this is that you get some roll on your wheels because a lot of these rhythm moves the idea is to stay in one spot. But with this one you do move sideways and you do get some roll in your wheels. So this first cross here, think of leaving this foot on the ground and pulling it across and that will give you some roll. So let's do it again. So I'm going to point this one in that direction and we're going to slide this one over. So now I'm going to step here and again my wheels are going to roll in that direction. I'm going to cross and now I'm rolling. I need to stop and go in that direction. So this shoulder needs to close. I'm almost doing a one foot plow stop. So the weight needs to go on the little toe, right? So I'm going to do this and show you my one foot plow stop. So you can see what I mean about stopping the momentum in one direction so I can go back the other way. So I'm going to step there, stop and I'm going to go back this way and I'm going to stop. So I'm putting my weight on my outside here to stop the momentum. Stop, stop, stop. The idea with these rhythm moves is to get them really smooth. However, there is a little trick you could use. I have incredibly slippy wheels on so I don't have to lift my feet. So the difference is cross, step, step, step, step, step, step, step. But I can do this. Because my wheels are so slippy, it looks a lot smoother. So I will show you the difference between these and a 78A. So you can see if you're wearing outdoor wheels indoors, the difference. Now I've got my sticky wheels on. So these are, they're about an 80 to 85. So a lot of the beginner skates that people buy will come with these on. So let's do it in what you're probably skating on. With these wheels, you have to be more deliberate with your feet because I can't slide them. They will not slide. So what I'm going to have to do is I'm going to have to put my weight on here. Angle this foot and I'm going to have to push myself away and then let this leg trail. Whereas before I was sliding the foot. Now I'm going to push from this instep, this foot's still at the angle and then this one is just going to turn and roll in line. So same as before, I'm going to turn my upper body and step forward. But I'm going to have to lift this one and tuck it behind and then lift again to stop. Now the good thing with these wheels is the stop here is actually easier because the wheels don't want to slide when you put the foot sideways. So it just takes a little bit of pressure and the wheels want to stop. So as you can see, I'm lifting my feet, but I'm trying to lift them as little as possible because that still makes it look quite smooth. And now for some tips. The first tip with this one is I always say it, but the soft knee. So if you're crossing, you cannot cross your feet with straight legs. It's really hard. If you've got a bent knee, you've got space for the other foot because your legs aren't in the way of each other like that. So you need a bend. So if I was to do the whole move straight, that's really hard. But if I do this and my legs are bent, it's much easier. And my next tip. So I was saying about turning this foot there and pushing from the instep. But once you start getting a transition, that's still there, but it's kind of hiding in the turn. So let me show you. So I get to here and I do that. Now, as I slide back up, I'm going to point this foot and I'm going to push. So it's still in there, but it's hard to see. Come back up, point, push. But at speed, it's hard to see it. But I'm still doing that push from the instep. I hope you found this really helpful. Now, I have got a playlist with a few of these rhythm in-place moves in. So if you want to check that out. I'm Katie, you've been watching Skatie and I'm going downtown. That's better. That's my forward cross. The first tip with this one is... If I do that and I'm legs and...