rexing

n. organized or competitive rollerskating to dance music; roller disco; (hence) a leg-scissoring movement in skating sports. Subjects: English, Sports & Recreation

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Citations: 1980 Andrea Kamin Globe and Mail (May 22) “Snapping feet to the downbeat at the rink” p. T1: He says the term roller disco is hard to define, because different regions have different styles of roller disco. In the United States, skaters call it jammin,” in the West it is called rexing, and in other parts of Canada it’s called boogie. 2000 Audrey Bakewell Get the Edge (Jan. 1) p. 81: The Rexing movement will help to develop agility and increase foot awareness. Rexing is an in-line skating term. It is a combination of In and Out and the Crossover Tuck. With both blades on the ice, push out then glide together, moving into the crossover tuck position. 2005 John Tanasychuk Sun-Sentinel (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida) (July 9) “Jam on a roll”: Sometimes called “rexing” or “bounce skating,” jam skating is to roller skating as snowboarding was once to skiing.

Posted 16 Jul 05 | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Reader comments:

Rexing is a style of backwards roller skating that started in California in the 1950’s. Spot rexing is backward skating in a baisic figure 8 pattern within the space of a standard figure circle, with very intricate steps, slides, and turns. It was originally done to the blues/rock music of the time. While the style of rexing has evolved over time, disco, and jive are NOT rexing by any strecth of the imagination.
Rexing can be done on inline skates, but with limitations. There are certain steps such as a flat #8 spin that simply cannot be done on inline skates. The term rexing was around for 35 years before inline skates came on the scene. So it is therefore NOT a term based on inine skating.
My qualification for this statement: I was president of a SOCAL rexing club for 2 years in the 1970’s. We were high point club for the season one of those years.

by Gary Campbell 29 Mar 08, 0613 GMT

This comment is basiclly confirming what Gary Campbell has stated about rexing. What some
jam skaters call rexing, is in fact, not rexing at all. Rexing originated in Southern California and consisted of backwards skating, utilizing a sequence of steps similar to many of the step patterns of ballroom or line dancing, (except on skates). Terms such as figure 8, duck walk, grapevine are just some of the steps used in rexing.
There were also many rexing clubs sponsored by the various home rinks they skated out of, and which were governed by the “ARC”, (Associated Rexing Clubs). Club members attended meetings, paid dues, practiced and honed the art of rexing and competed in various rexing competitions hosted by various rinks around Southern California. At one point in the 70’s a move was even made to put rexing on the National map, and ultimately enter this particular type of skating as an event in the Olympics. This did not succeed however, as many rinks closed their doors in the late 1980’s and rexing faded out.
My qualifications for this comment: I am a former Rebel Rexer who skated/competed througout the 1970’s decade out of Palisade Gardens Roller Rink in San Diego, CA. I also formed and currently run a rexing group site whose memberships consists only of rexers from the 1950’s on through the 1980’s and the various SoCal clubs.

by Liz G. 05 Apr 08, 0249 GMT

I was a proud & active member of the REBEL REXERS,(RULED!!),@ Palisade Gardens in San Diego, Ca. during the late 70’s & early 80’s. The memories,though some great some good & even some that were heart breaking,were some of the best!!!When I think about all the partying,etc. etc. etc.,I’m amazed that I’m still alive.Since I really can’t add anymore info. about the art of backward rollerskating,(a.k.a.REXI NG to us old timers), than whats already been explained by Gary & Liz, then I’ll just give you my own, personal definition by todays terms,“IT’S THE BOMB”!!!!by Richard Acton

by Richard Acton 16 Jun 08, 0352 GMT

Palisades Garden RULED!! I grew up skating there. I knew how to rex…I learned from my mom. She used to go there when she was at Helix High School. Man, I sure miss those days…

by Bruce Savoy 28 Sep 08, 0359 GMT

i was a rexer at rocket roller rink in Imperial Beach Cal I skated with Randy Bailey Mark Garvin Steve Baker and Steve Seitz This is Mike Campbell and we would all go to the other rinks also in the 70s Palisades Sweetwater and Rocket and im now skating again in MESA AZ at Skateland I can still do it and i still love it

by Mike Campbell 23 Oct 08, 0250 GMT

Wow, this brings back a lot of great memories. Mike, I think I remember you and I’m sure my big brother Randy Bailey will for sure. I sent him this link so you’ll likely hear from him. Yep, Rocket, Sweetwater, Palisades, Skyline, and all those other rinks we used to take over on the weekends! Anyway, my brother and I lived in Mesa but that was a long time ago….we do still have some family there so next time we’ll have to all show up and do some rex’in while trying not to kill ourselves in teh process!

by ARNY BAILEY 12 Dec 08, 0723 GMT

Mike, it’s good to read that you still love to Rex. I used to have the nickname at Rocket of “Randy Rexer”. Lots of good times in those days. I still go once in a while now but feel a little embarased to rex in front of the people sitting in the chair area. Few, if anyone here in Utah, have ever seen rexing before so I’ll just do short bits by the back wall in my old speed skates :). If anyone hasn’t seen “Roll Bounce” yet you really need to rent that movie. I’m pretty sure some of it was filmed at Sweetwater Rink in National City (called Palesades Gardens in the movie, the real Palesades Gardens Rink used to be somewhere in East San Diego) and shows segments at another unknown rink (called Sweetwater in the movie). It’s about rexing but the music is from the disco era. A little after my main rexing years. Here are some more names of the rexers from Rocket that I remember: Timmy Phillips, Conrad Putnan, Sandy Neil, Gene Foreman, David Kraleman, Greg and Tony Lily, Crystal Lazin, Tom Parker, Don DeLotta, Don Pagan, Diane and Monica Bailey, and you can’t forget John (the guy with the little wheels!).

by Randy Bailey 12 Dec 08, 0553 GMT

Mike Campbell, Randy and Arny Bailey and all independant rexers and/or those who rexed under the ARC umbrella: this is an invitation to join my rexing group site at: 70s_sandiego_palisadegard ens_gang-subscribe@yahoog roups.com. We have members from most all the ARC rexing clubs and the decades span from the late 50’s, (when rexing first started,) to the 1980’s and I’m sure you will find several people you know on the group. A lot of us still rex at the Linda Vista rink. There are only two rinks open now…Skateworld Linda Vista and Ups and Downs in Escondido. We also have annual reunions. The next one is coming up on April 24, 2009. We’re still looking for former members of the Imperial Rexers, (originally out of Rocket Roller Rink but moved to Sweetwater after Rocket closed.
BTW, the movie Roll Bounce was not about rexing. The screen writer, Norman Vance Jr. used to skate at our Palisade Gardens, (North Park SD,) as a child and fashioned his movie off of his own childhood experiences skating at the rink. He came along in 1978 when alot of skaters began doing roller disco. It wasn’t the same as rexing.
Rollergirl Lizzy
70’s Rebel Rexer

by Liz 12 Dec 08, 0944 GMT

Liz, I helped Mike Jackson, my speed coach at the time, build the Linda Vista rink (a little). As I recall, it may have used to be a grocery store? I believe it’s the same rink you rex at. I remember the opening night. I was inside floor guarding (and rexing of course) and the local gang of tough guys showed up outside ready to cause some commotion, it appeared, so Mike hired the gang leader as a sort of bouncer. No other problems occured after that. I heard that Gary Stang, a past free styler from Rocket and later Sweetwater, owns the rink now. I also heard that he married an old girl friend of mine named Judy. Any Info on that? I stand corrected about “Roll Bounce”. However, some of the shots appeared to me to be close spin offs of some old spot rexing moves. Whatever the case, I enjoy the movie and own a copy. I skated speed for Palisades one season before joining Sweetwater’s team and later Rocket’s new team. Maybe 1972-1973ish? Other Palisades speed skaters were Mike and Danny. Ring a bell? You and I may have known each other. I do remember that when Billy Preston’s “Outa Space” was played that everyone dashed out to rex to it. Maybe not a classic rexing song as you remember but fun times nevertheless. I tripped myself rexing at Palisades one night and broke my wrist. It never healed. It’s still broken but I deal with it.

by Randy Bailey 13 Dec 08, 0315 GMT

Attention All! We rexers, past & present, now hane our own ‘online rink.’ Point your browser’s to: http://www.arcrexers.org . It’s a ‘My Space’ style site, complete w/forum.

I skated at Palisades, was 1st Prez of Jr. Rebel Rexers and ended up a spot rexer with the Nomads.

by John White 27 Dec 08, 0716 GMT

I was a rexer at Palisades70-80….I remember Dickie Jackie, Mike Femester…Went with my friend from Crawford High, Lisa…Jeri Martin

by Jeri 15 Jan 09, 0308 GMT

I was also a Rexer at Palisade Gardens in San Diego in the late ‘60s. Rexing was fun on a Saturday night, but I loved the competitions. There were strict rules on what footwork you could use - it was very organized. Jam Skating is not Rexing!

by Kathy Ingham 05 Mar 09, 0908 GMT

I still have my skates, and recentley “air rexed” for my husband at Von’s when they play ...“Kansas City” ...that outa get us all going!!! OMG,I’m almost 50, ride a great ouarter horse, so risking breaking my arm rexing, again? What the heck. I’m more sober now! Maybe I’ll get my bearings greased. Not working anyway,....and F—k Obama!

by Jeri Whiting (Martin) 06 Mar 09, 0257 GMT

Attention Rexers Past and Present!
The group site now has a new name and new URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/g roup/SoCal_Rexers_Online< /p>

We also just launched a new social networking site for rexers and old school skaters at:
arcrexersonline.ning.com

by Liz G. 06 Mar 09, 0914 GMT

My husband, Don [Ollie] Niemeyer,rexed at the Palisade Gardens roller rink in San Diego in 1954-1958. He was 17-21years old then. He was in the Navy stationed there. He is 72 now & still rexes. He had a skating partner named Deanna…& always wondered what happened to her. If anyone has any information regarding Deanna, please let us know. Her parents owned a small restaurant in San Deigo back then. Watching the rexers at the Palisade Gardens made him want to learn to skate backwards in the worse way. He was on board ship..the LST 1148, at that time. Don had 2 months straight skullary duty & went roller skating 61 nights in a row, until the engineering officer restricted him for one night on board ship & took him off skullary duty. He has very fond memories of the rexers at Palisade Gardens & still thinks of them when he skates to this day.
Don [Ollie] & Sandy Niemeyer

by Ollie 21 Apr 09, 0405 GMT

After reading the above statements several times I did not realize when I went into the Navy, as a 17 year old kid, that rexing was just beginning to take hold of roller skaters like it did.I reported to the LST 1148 on December 13, 1954, and started skating at Palisade Gardens shortly thereafter. This was my first experience seeing rexing couples at any skating rink.There certainly was nothing like this in the St. Louis area where I learned to skate. Now I was never a very good skater to start with, and watching the rexers at Palisade Gardens got such a hold on me that I just had to learn it. But first I had to learn to skate backwards. I had such a hard time learning, and the only thing that kept me going was watching the rexers at Palisade Gardens believe me. And I have to give a lot of credit to the organist playing at the Gardens because he really got the rexing couples up to such a fervor that they skated their very best. I wish I could remember his name. I will close this comment by thanking every rexer at the Gardens, who skated there from 1954 through 1958, and the organist whoever he was. Because of you I’m still rexing to this day. And I will continue until I cannot hack it anymore. I’m closing in on 72 very soon. By Ollie..if you like you can contact me at my wife’s email skn42@frontiernet.net

by Ollie 22 Apr 09, 0543 GMT

I too am one of the 60’s/70’s rexers from Palisades Gardens. I was a member of the Nomads when Ginger and Monty Lewis were there. If it is not known, I was just introduced to a new web site, http://arcrexersonline.ni ng.com, for old timers to stay in touch.

by garyvh 28 Jun 09, 0453 GMT