Q&A with @fairyonskates!!!
Check out this siiiiiiick collection of styles curated by our fearless friend Ally Mack that we're GIVING AWAY to two lucky winners in a contest,
Running now thru 5pm this SUNDAY 1/23!
In the meantime...
We caught up with our bud @fairyonskates aka Ally Mack for a quick Q&A to get to know this miraculous wonder. Check it out!
GP: Where are you from?
AD: I am from The Biggest Little City in the World, also known as Reno, Nevada. I grew up in a small town called Spring Creek in the northeastern part of Nevada! I currently reside in Hawaii on the Big Island in Kailua-Kona.
GP: How long have you been skating?
AD: I have been roller skating since March 2020.
GP: What got you into it?
AD: I have been an athletic person most of my life. I played softball for 10 years and volleyball for 5 years. After I had transitioned to the Big Island with my family at the age of 15, I realized that women's fast and competitive sports were not super present here. Eventually, I found out there was a roller derby team. I watched Whip It hundreds of times growing up, but roller derby seemed far-fetched to me (even though it was super badass and something I secretly always wanted to do).
One day after returning from my weekend to an old job, I noticed a new image on the refrigerator. It was a photo of the local derby team here in Kona. They were all posing in a power stance on 8 wheels. It was the coolest and most badass thing I'd seen in awhile. I began considering joining the team...but at the same time, I'd just gotten into another new hobby. Pole fitness. There's a studio here in Kona. Day one, I was weak and couldn't do a damn thing. I immediately wanted to give up–thinking that because I was bad, it wasn't meant for me. By the second week, I noticed myself getting stronger. I thought to myself, "If I can do this, I bet I could do roller derby too." Pole was the catalyst that made me finally decide it was time to join the team. Suddenly, a pandemic was announced and changed the dynamic of the world, making it impossible to join the team. I didn't let that stop me from wanting to learn, so I bought a pair of roller skates and decided to first learn how to roll around by utilizing empty parking lots.
GP: What makes skating special?
What makes skating so special is its ability to turn you into a more courageous person by doing things that terrify the shit out of you, and facing fears over and over again. When I'm having a bad day, I know I can lace my skates on, turn on some music, and skate away any unwanted thoughts and emotions, temporarily at least. The people I have met and I've yet to meet through the skate community have made skating as special as it is. Yeah, it's fun skating alone, but nothing beats a community of passionate people.
GP: Skating inherently involves falling. Any gnarly stories?
AD: My worst story is thankfully not all that bad. I was still brand new to park skating, and I was practicing something I had just learned on a very vertical wall. It was a 180º jump. Instead of landing successfully on my two feet, I fell 5-6 feet from the ramp onto the right side of my face. I had lost my faceplant virginity. Thankfully I was wearing a helmet and all my gear. I came out of the fall with just a busted lip and black eye. I felt incredibly cool afterwards, and continued to shred on.
GP: What song pairs perfectly with a skate sesh?
The Rink: Music Sounds Better with You by NEIL FRANCES
The Skatepark: Tongues by The Frights
GP: What tarot card do you feel most connected to? Tell me about it.
AD:
For minor arcana, I'd say the 9 of Pentacles. A bird just straight chillin on the arm of a person that appears to have it all and zero fucks in the world has always resonated within me one way or another.
For major arcana, I resonate heavily with The Empress, a card that speaks of elegance, creativity, and the warmth that comes from love.
GP: If you’re not skating, what are you up to?
AD: If I'm not skating, I am practicing yoga, working a full time job, spending time with friends, going to the beach, exploring the beautiful island I live on, or dancing around on my lanai with hula hoops and silk fans to my favorite music while I smoke a bowl, and somehow trying to fit sleep somewhere into my schedule.
GP: What’s a scary/challenging new thing you want to try this year?
AD: In terms of skating, I hope this year the roller derby finally returns and I can fear being tackled on quads.
In general, I want to try kickboxing. That idea really scares me, yet excites me at the same time, and I'd be up for the challenge.
