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If Cities Could Dance
How Black Roller Skaters Carry Forward LA's Iconic Scene
Season 4
Episode 3
In LA, jam skaters draw from a community and culture built over generations at Venice Beach and at rinks across the city. Over the past year, roller skating hit the mainstream as a safe and relatively accessible pandemic-era pastime. Skates were sold out for months, and skaters became major influencers on Instagram and TikTok. But longtime skaters are quick to remind everyone: This isn’t a fad.
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