Rocky Mountain Rollergirls!

Last night I tried something new: I attended a roller derby bout. I had never been to the roller derby before, and my friend Heather (shown here, perusing the program) was in town for her 40th birthday, so that's a great reason to go, I figure.

The Rocky Mountain Rollergirls are a local roller derby league. We were watching one of their teams, The Contenders. If you've never been to a roller derby bout, I recommend going to the next one you can find. It is an amazing display of female athleticism, power, and style. This is the action shot that was the least blurry:


Please note the skater falling down in the background. It happens. A lot. Which is why warming up is essential:



The entire thing is women-powered. Did you know all the skaters are volunteers? That's right--your ticket pays for from-the-heart entertainment. It is full of action, but you have to get used to the rules to follow the bout. It's not too hard to figure out.

Roller derby is not only about skating and athletic prowess. It's about style. Each of the skaters has her own style--for fashion, skating, and personal image. I suppose that's why the crowd was represented by such diverse styles:


drag queens,


men in kilts,


girls sitting on the floor with pom-poms in their hair,


lovely ladies with wicked handbags,


rockabilly cuties,



new wave punks (and dudes in Hawaiian shirts),



And Rollergirls themselves. She didn't seem to be skating tonight--maybe she's on another team. Here are few of the skaters from the bout:



Misstress Tarable and Flame N Fury,



and the high-scorer for the night, kick-ass jammer, and our personal favorite, Whipity Pow. Best roller derby name, evah. Do not mess with her. Just don't.

Support your local roller derby! You will love it! Grrls rock!