S04 Episode 9 - @sof_roller (Sofia Duarte)

It is true that roller skating provides an ecstatic experience and it gives you an incredibly pleasant experience, but this pleasure is not the pleasure that you get from a bottle of beer, what you get from watching even a good television show, the pleasure you get from roller skating is being tuned in, you're turned on to your own nervous system, you're turned on to your own body, you turned on to the incredible wisdom which lies inside every something about you, it's the ecstatic experience that you're turning on inside of you. Hello, can I know how are you? Hey Sam, doing great are you? Yeah, I'm doing good. Welcome everyone to drop in podcast, our podcast, all about roller skating by Chuff Skates. I'm coming to you today from Verapai Country and just want to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land. And I'm coming from Barbados again. Oh my goodness. It's funding a lot of time here. That's cool. What is it like in Barbados? I've never been there. It's a pretty interesting country, so Caribbean Island. It has a lot of English culture because it was colonized by the English a few hundreds of years back. Most of the population is offered to send it and it's just like really interesting, really chill vibes, amazing beaches all around, everything is like to the public, super accessible. I don't know how to describe it, it's like the most beautiful sunset and the weather is just perfect all year round and then I just really love it here. I get to chill, so it's nice not to be skating all the time. Yeah, absolutely. It's getting like a second home for you now. A little bit. I'm trying not to get to used to it because I'm coming back to Barbados and it's super cold in the mountains, so it's like a completely different vibe. But it's really nice. So I'm really grateful to be able to come here every now and then. Yeah. Nice. So for everyone listening, if you're not subscribing to the podcast, please do go and subscribe to us in Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. It's been really nice having Kato on board and you may have noticed a few changes with the podcast. Kato is doing an amazing job of editing it and we had really cool new graphics lately. Thank you to Stella. Shout out to Stella. It just makes us feel really professional, which is cool. It was such a good graphic. A lot of people enjoyed it as well. One should show those to us or it gets the vibe. I feel like that's how it goes. I think so. I wish we were actually in a room together, but it's still really nice to catch up every month and be able to have this long distance chat at least. I love the graphics and yeah, all of Stella. It's just amazing. Yes. Thank you, Stella. All the way from Argentina. What else has been happening in the skate world? I feel like I've been a little not disconnected. Just haven't been skating that much. So I get a little bit out of the loop. I think of what's going on out there. So of course, you know, we have the premiere of the now a never video. We are ready, told or audience about this. But now it's going to be out to the world, which is really exciting. So go and check it out. But the child team also put together a part and they released it just like four days before this tough video. So there's a lot of catching up to do with video, formats and stuff. That's so cool. Like pretty awesome to have two big team videos coming out. I guess like for us, we're coming into the Australian summer. So it's a time where people are coming out of hibernation a little bit. And I know for me watching videos helps me to get motivated to go skate. So I'm really looking forward to watching the child one. I have obviously seen the now and ever one. And I don't think I was the only person on the team that it made cry. I feel like it was like it was just like we had this really beautiful experience. And the video is just so beautiful. I'm not going to give any spoilers because I know most people maybe haven't seen it yet by the time they listen to this. But it's just really beautiful. And Viasa and Middett have done such a credible artistic job of just making it this piece of art. So yeah, so excited for people to see it. This movie like stuff. When we saw the first project that they put together that was Murad's video cruise control, all of the people were like, okay, this looks straight up like a movie. And then we had stamps that was a collage of filming all around the world that somehow it ended up working. But it all had like different formats, different cameras, different like aesthetics. And this video is just like going back to those cinematic roots but featuring a bunch of skaters. And like these landscapes and sceneries from Australia that are so unique as all. So I think that's one of my favorite parts is to get to see different landscapes. And it's not, I don't fuck. That's okay. It's like, yeah, yeah, I agree with you. I'm so happy. Anyways, really lovely to get to see different scenery, different backgrounds, different like roller skating spaces. Because sometimes we get to see all this skate videos that just feature escape park that most of the time can be similar within places. There's a beauty of the country itself and where we went. It tells a different story. So I hope people enjoy it as much as we did doing it. And I have a lot of football and I want to be there now. And yeah, I think that's the feeling we all have right now. It's like, oh, we want to be back. Take us back. I know. Absolutely. And it was really special for me because there's like one part of the video where we actually get to go to my hometown, which is like a very small place. And it was a little pit stop. Like we didn't really have heaps of time. But watching it back, it just like shows me how beautiful this place that I live is and how great plan for it, how grateful to share it all with you guys. And now it's like in this little thing forever, you know, that we can always look back on. So it's super cool. Super, super, super cool. I could talk about it all day though. So probably she's just let people watch it. Yes, please do. So what else for me? There's something pretty exciting in my area where I know not a lot of people come from, which is on the mid-north coast of New South Wales. And we just had a new skate park open, which is amazing because I know Kato has been where I live a couple of times. And the skate park is very bad. So we have one of the biggest council areas in Australia. It just spreads out really wide. Not in the whole council area. Did we have one good skate park? And now we have one. So it's so nice. You need of that. And you just say, oh my gosh. Yeah. And I guess I didn't realize like I have my mini ramp obviously. And I can drive, you know, 40 minutes or an hour and be in really good skate pucks. But I think I forgot how nice it is to have something local that you really enjoy skating. So I have been skating more, which is quite impressive. It's been a long time. And I think maybe the team trip motivated me too because we skated heaps. So hopefully this is the new me and I'm back and I'm skating more often. The people that listen to the podcast and can't see you don't know. So I was a really good skater. So we needed, we needed them clips now. I feel, I liked in the video that I at least had a couple of clips in there. And I was like, oh, like I love watching the level just go above these things that I ever want to all can imagine myself doing. But it is nice to still be like, oh, I can still skate a little good. It's okay. I'm still feeling it. No. People give me like a little, a little good review on years skating and being like, it's not a little is well, I can recall a little spoiler. I'm not going to say the trick. But that was this trick that some was, oh, what about someone tries this? I was like, oh, no, it's going to do it. Okay, I'm going to go into it myself and end up being like the craziest trick in the DIY. I was like, okay. Oh, that was fun. No one to do that was fun. Oh, God. Sometimes, you're like, I'm not thinking his fan is trying to. If you're working on me today. Yes, I am. Oh, yeah, I was like, people here take away. She asked me, yeah, I am. I'm going straight. I'm going straight after these. I'll just start a little bit later, but it's fine. But yeah, I'm working more now in the library, which is good. But I just have to fit everything. There's a lot. I just did a little blog here because I was thinking like a lot of people see on Instagram, I'm like, oh, you just live from Ronda skating, blah, blah. In your case, like, having a skate company must be so fine. Just skating. And they're like, oh, no, actually, this people have to work. Yeah, we have other jobs as well. I mean, it's still very cool and very fun. But it's just very busy. I think it's the main thing. People probably don't realize how busy we all are. They don't realize how busy it was going to get when I started doing the chopped Instagram. But it's good. It's pretty good. It's pretty good. It's like the good amount to give me active. And I still have time to do myself. Now we're doing a little more stuff with pelgplot, like we're putting together events. We're trying to put together an event a month. And now we have on February. We're going to have the Bamos de la Playa that is literally, let's go to the beach. So we're going to have a beach carnival festival, this skate event, slash big party, slash, all getting fucked up, slash going to the beach the next day, just to hangover. And this is like here with the girls. So I'm like super so tired. Sounds so fun. That sounds so good. Tell us about our guest today, Carol, because this is someone you know, someone I haven't met before. Our guest today is already good friend of mine. And I'm really excited to feature another Latin American skater. This is Sofia Luarte. She's from Colombia and it's also part of Helen Quartz. She did release a video with Chaft featuring Syneries in Medellin and Bogota. And the video was called "Relepa de Viva". You can find it on our Chaft YouTube channel as well. And yeah, overall she's like a really talented skater. She's being doing it for a consistent period of time, super dedicated. I feel like she's one of those skaters that just pushes people around herself to keep evolving in skate, really motivated to do things, put together events. Everything, you know, like one of those skaters that helped our community flourish and I'm really excited to have her join us today. Awesome. Let's give her a call. Oh my god. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hi. Nice to see you. How are you? I'm good. How are you? I'm good. Thank you so much for joining us. This is very exciting to have a Colombian skater with us. Yeah, it's going to be weird to speak English with Carol. But I'm not sure. Here and to meet you, Sam. Yeah. Do you want to introduce yourself a little bit for our listeners? Maybe just your name, where you're from, any sponsors you have to acknowledge or. I would like to mention my amazing team, Helen Quartz. Also, as one really skate for keeping me safe and buns, bearings and chuffed with the Lana Pro with which I'm skating right now. We would like to know how long have you been skating and how you got into it? I've been skating now for three years. In the pandemic, I saw a video doing a barani and I was very. I don't know, it was like crazy to me to see that. And I've been skating since I was a child. That was something that my mom taught me. But then roller skating, it's just like three years ago that I've been doing it. But my first case and then I started roller skating. And it was so easy to me because I didn't like on flat and then learning tricks to watch so much fun. What kind of skating did you do as a kid? Well, for fun and it's skated, I don't know how you called it. Speed skating, yeah. And yeah, it was very fun, but it can also be frustrating, like you skate to win. I remember when I was in Colombia and seeing how popular that is. Not as popular in Australia, but you have the velodromes in the park and a lot of kids like doing that kind of skating, which is pretty interesting. I hadn't really seen a lot of it before. Yeah, there's a big skate culture around speed skating and a lot of people use complaints about it not being an Olympic sport because most of the medals are actually Colombian athletes, like it's big, big in our country. Yeah. Which is, I guess, got to give you strong foundations even though it's a completely different style of skating. You're still really confident moving fast on skates, which I think is pretty important. Yeah. You put together your first video part this year that was really pavibid. Would you like to tell us a little more about it? I was the process of putting it together and like filming and tell us everything. It was like a really beautiful process. Also, it was all Steven's idea with the filmer. One time we were skating with her girlfriend, friend of mine, and he told me like, it would be amazing to do a video part and it was like joking to me because I didn't feel like pro-enough to do a video part. But at the same time, I feel so honored and I say yes, of course, and now I'm so happy I did it because I haven't immortalized it in a video and it was so beautiful to me and it helped me grill my skate and a lot. Kading the streets, it's different and it helps you to improve your style or to give you that focus that you need to accomplish something new. Also, to have the company of my friends. While I was doing it in Bogota, Medellin, it made a lot to me and also like the premiere here in Medellin. Kado was there. It was like amazing to see a lot of people saying it and it was inspiring to another skaters. So I'm so grateful for that. It's a really cool video. Thank you for putting it out through the Chef channel. It's really nice to be able to share videos from all over the world. And I think when you're a fairly new skater like skating a few years, it can be really intimidating to have to go out in the street and film, you know, like just keep going and putting this big project together. But you did a really amazing job. Yeah, it was really cool. Yeah, thank you so much. I'm also so grateful to put it on Chef Skates channel. So you're also part of Helen Quads. How is being part of a skate crew and how does that influence your skate experience? I think it has been like an amazing process too because I have seen how our pure skating has been changing and growing a lot. It's so special to me. They are not only like my friends. I admire them so much. Kato and Moon. When I started skating, I saw them and I was like, wow. I can't even explain how I was watching them when I started skating. I feel so support by my crew and my friends. I can be inspired by them. I can try new things with them all the time. And now that we are, I don't know if I can say this. They were filming a video part. Yeah, you can say it. We are filming a video part as a crew. It's amazing to be able to do that with them. They are all so talented. They also can be friends to me. Not only at this skate part, but in my life too. We do events and we are so amazing to be part of Helen Quaz. Kato, do you want to just tell people a little bit about Helen Quaz? Just a really short summary. Kato encased people don't know what Helen Quaz is. Yeah. So for those who don't know what Helen Quaz is, this is actually a skate crew. We started in Colombia around at least 10 years. It was 11 years, started on 2014. They started like a little project with Moon to facilitate a space for roller skating in Colombia, especially street and park skating because we used to play Derby. And it grew into being a multifaceted project where we do videos collaborating with brands as with it with Chalfe. We did a cruise skate a year ago. And through it, we also like helped other skaters in Colombia and the Latin American region to get the skates in a lower price. And it's always been like with the aim to uplift and grow roller skating in the region. And now we have a really solid team and what I love the most about it is everyone is like hands on and wants to do stuff. So they are, okay, we want to put together an event with this topic that's going to be something super random and it ended up being like just an excuse to gather all the skaters together. So yeah, keeps saying like Colombian skate communities pretty unique and what we have is, as Sophie said, a good circle of friends that just skate together and push each other and motivate each other. So yeah, that's what Helen Quats is right now. That's amazing. And you guys are pretty spread out, right? So Karol, you're usually based in Bogota and Sophie, are you in Medellin? Yeah, but I also go a lot to Bogota because there is my family and I also do some projects. Medellin has a really strong skate scene from memory. Like I've been there many years ago now, but I remember it just having really cool skate parks, like a lot of active skaters, cool street spots. What would you say is your favorite part of being a skater in Medellin? Yeah, I would say that besides this skate part and obviously to get to see all of these amazing skaters doing tricks and crazy things all over these spots and these tricks here, for me it's really special the community. And to get to know skaters, begin what they do in this skate park. They do art. They are tattoo artists and they do music and then they are vintage resellers. Like a lot of stuff that you can see here. So that's so special to me because we get to support each other not only at this skate park, but also at the other projects too. It's so special to me to see how talented these people are. And also the culture here how these can influence our style. How they skate like so stylish and then you see what they do in their life and it's so amazing. I think that everything is so connected. I don't know how to see that. Yeah, nice. You just came back from Mexico. So that's pretty cool. This is their first international trip to go skating. This was too trappy quad, right? Tell us some more about it. I want to know everything. Yeah, I feel like I've been processing this because I just came home yesterday but it was really amazing. It was really amazing. It was a dream that I had to visit Mexico and now that I could do it, it was like blow with mine. I don't know how to say that. But yeah, it was my blow. My blow. I'm sorry. I feel kind of nervous so my English is okay. You don't great. But yeah, your English is great. Don't worry about it. It's great. But yeah, I was in Mexico and it was really amazing to get this cater. I was in Tropicoat. It was in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca. I get to new very much the community there. So they were so encouraging and they were so good at skating. At first, I feel so intimidated. I get there on the first day. They were doing a lot of crazy things and then Miller fleets, car wheels all over the place and then I don't know. A lot of tricks that I'm not used to see. Yeah. And I feel so intimidated. But then I get to learn a lot from them. Then I also see what they did. And it was like I told you before, they are not only skaters but beautiful women and they do a lot of things besides a lot of pretty clothes and thrift and they also do music, besides the culture to get to party with them at the skating. It was pretty fun but to get to know them and to hug them and to knew that they also have the same kind of of us here in Colombia. It was amazing. I can recall that. I also feel so proud of being able to participate at the pro competition because I felt intimidated at first but then that same feeling was what helped me relax and it was like, okay, I cannot do all of that stuff but I can do another thing that I practice a lot. So I'm just going to relax, do what I know how to do and that same feeling. Then they made me did a good job at the competition and then I get to the second place. That's so cool. Was that your first trip outside of Colombia? Sophie? Yeah, it was my first trip. I feel very nervous about it but then it was all worth it. Had you done competitions before within Colombia? Yeah, sure. I have done it here in Medina a lot. I don't think in Bogota I have, but maybe some jam or something but yeah, I have done it before. Yeah, nice. That's so cool. Do you like competing? Yeah, I like it because I think it's a way to challenge yourself, being the present moment to do what you want to do in the competition. It's also a way that you can show your skating, turn other skaters and to people that is washing also. Yeah, I think I like it. So you're talking about how the Mexican skate scene or the skate community in Mexico is pretty similar to Colombian and I think I got the same feeling a few times I got to visit them. It's like so alike. So yeah, I would just say about that and how it relates to all the different things you've been to, like in Medellín and in Bogota and now in Mexico. What would you say is the common thing between them? I would say that it's pretty much that disposition, like como willingness. Yeah, it's the support that is between all the skaters, I would say. The kindness and that encouraging mood that they always inspire you to do new things. It's also the support not only at skating, but also at your projects. It's like you sell something. I want that. I don't just want to skate with you. I also want what you do and I feel that's what I'm in common in our communities. Obviously, I feel comfortable here with my friends. Similar but also deeper in I don't know. I feel like it could be similar because we are Latin, but yeah, seriously special. That makes sense. Yeah, yeah, that makes sense. So you were talking a little bit about all these other amazing people who do music and art and how you guys support each other in different areas of life. Is there something else that excites you or that you're as passionate about as you are skating? Is there anything else in your life that really motivates you? Right now, I'm a model so that motivates me a lot because I feel like I can help others to bring ideas to life. I feel like I could be a canvas to people and then I can tell them show their art and that's amazing to me that motivates me a lot. I would say also nature motivates me a lot. I try to see things that I couldn't even imagine. It inspires me a lot and yeah, it wants me to visit more places and I don't know to travel a lot. It's interesting how skating and travel fit together as well because skating can take you to so many cool places and then you get to see everything in that area. So I hope you get to visit a lot more places. Yeah, thank you. What was your favorite view in Mexico? I think it was Masonte Beach is like, it was like Mirada, like a lookout. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was amazing. It was called Punta Cometa and you see, yeah, a white beer of the ocean. Also, it was like not in the plants. When we get to that town with my friends, it was like, we have to change our flights. We have to stay a night here. We change our flights. It was really, really beautiful. It was a paradise. It was so beautiful. Yeah, I cannot even explain. Then it was a skate park. Yeah. Very beautiful view from this skate park. You've been skating for a short period of time, but you got like a really great style. Is there any advice you will give to skaters listening to our podcast on how to get to that? Oh, thank you for that, Kato. I don't know. I don't think it has been like so conscious. Yeah, to have this kind of style or process, but I would say that for me has been very important to be surrounded by really good skaters. And it has been such a privilege because I'm a person who learns visually. Then to see them was very helpful. I'm so grateful for that because I get to learn from very good skaters. There was like a moment that I had to be with myself and be what feel good to me and then used and you know it. I think that would be my tip. It's like feeling yourself and be present and do what you want to do. Know what you think you should do. Sometimes you don't want to do like a super high rail. You don't want to jump up, tense tears. Do what it feels good to you. What you will really enjoy. Know what others expect you to do. Yeah, that's important to me. And do it for fun. Sometimes I can be very demanding to myself and I want to do my tricks perfect. But then I remember that I skate because I love skating. And not because I want to be better and better and better. It's good too. But what it's important to me is to flow and to enjoy the time. Yeah, that's that's a really good advice I think. Yeah, absolutely. So we're actually getting towards the end of the podcast now. And we usually have a question from our previous guest. So our last guest was Ali. And Ali would like to know from you, what is the most unique thing about the skating culture in your country? Not only this style, which is very unique, but it's pretty much like all that surrounds our culture about friendship, I think. That's very special. And that's something that I see every time that I go skating, you know, the skaters and skaters and bikers in all the communities. Friendship and how the community flourish itself because of the support, the support of everyone. And how is also a very unique how skate culture here is related to art and to all of that beautiful stuff that you can see here. And how we can we we got that wish to skate beautiful places and the streets and get to no different places because of our friendship like that kindness and that love that we show here in Colombia. Yeah, it is really beautiful for sure. Some has been there. I didn't I've been twice and I do know it isn't really. It is a really special skate culture and it's really warm and welcoming. So yeah, very lucky. To finish, we have a little session that is called Lighting Round. Basically, give us the shortest answer to these questions. So the first one is what's your favorite aesthetic? Maybe a rockstar girlfriend or I see that? Or a cookie? I don't know. No joke. I like that. What's a spot or a place that you dream of skating? Maybe New York. I'm not sure how it's called that but it's like a lot of graffiti and it's LES. Yeah. Yeah. Lower is solid. A park is good. Yes. Okay. So you like more to see or to mountain? I think see. This is my favorite place. What's your favorite food? I will say Italian food. Big Sam. Pre-eval you didn't say a Colombian dish. I'm gonna call it out. He don't bother having a drink. Exactly. What color is it fine yourself with? Maybe blue. I really love light blue. Maybe nice. What is your star sign? I know it. Could you guess that? I'm gonna guess. You know it. Maybe Leo. We've been on a strike of Leo's but this is not it. No. No. No. No. Okay. No. No. I'm not known. Okay. Same as moon. Moon is a candle. Same as candle. No. Same as moon. Oh moon. My rising is cancer and my ascendant is cancer. That's why I thought I thought you were cancer, cancer, cancer. No. No. That's your attitude. Yeah. There go, right? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. What's your sign, Sam? Guess. Oh my god. Maybe Sagittarius? No, but pretty close. No. Erie's. Oh, you got the fire part right, but yeah. Yeah. A word to describe your skate style. Princess. That's good. That's good. I like that. I like that. Lots of people is like fears. I don't choose. Yes. I love that. Who is your favorite skater? Right now, I love Lil Banski. I love, I really love her style. Yeah. She's amazing. And if you haven't listened to her podcast yet, everyone, you can listen. We interviewed her pretty recently. Yeah. Yeah. She dropped that promo in there. I love that. Yeah. What is your best memory on skates? My best memory on skates was at Mexico. Like it was really amazing to be at Masone Tip Skate Park. It was beautiful. Cool. And it's all DIY. It was like really great job. Nice. What is your next skate challenge? I think I would love to do some flips. Oh. I don't know. It's like very challenging to me, but I think it looks so beautiful. And I would like to do maybe I have really dream about Barani. This is going to be the last one, but I need to put some context for people. So there is these two drinks that are pretty autonomous of each country. And one is called cocktail de Rilla. That is basically this like cocktail made with a bunch of sugar and liquor. Either it's like shaved ice with lots of alcohol and they put gummies in it, it's like crazy. And then in Mexico is the Kiti Chelas. That is basically they make beers and they make it with bicheladas and all the stuff that goes with the bicheladas, but when a hello Kiti base, you got to be wise with the sense of it. I wanted to do something. She just walked out. She can't decide. She's like, she just goes, she has, I had to get one from my new or by Kiti Chelas because it was really hard for me to get to drink this. It was just like beer from a kitty. But you're choosing that one. I know what Kari says can I say, but I'm going to let her. I think she will put the cocktail de Rilla inside of the Kiti Chelas and it's going to be like a mix. Because the thing about the Kiti Chelas is the base. It's like a hello Kiti. Yeah, you're just blending the cocktail. I would do that. I love that. Yeah, and it also, let's contamination this because you can realize you're a Kiti. We love an echo queen. Well, that brings us to the end. So thank you so much for joining us and it was really nice to get to know you. Hopefully we'll get to see a lot more of you in the future. I look forward to seeing what you do next on your skate. Thank you so much for having me. Yeah, that's so, so excited. Thank you so much for being here, Sophie. So stoked to have you join us and so he wanted to say, hey, and that was my sister. We've had some barking dogs today. Well, I hope you enjoy the rest of your day and we'll talk to you soon. Thank you so much. Love you, bye. Love you, Sophie. Thank you. Bye. Jovian podcast is a chaff skate production hosted by me, Sam Trayhan. And me, Carrot Madness. This podcast is reported on beer and pie country in Australia and whiskers lands in Bacat Bacolombe. We acknowledge the traditional castedians of all countries around the world and pay our respects to their oldest past and present. Please subscribe, like and review our podcast on Spotify or wherever you listen. And for all chaff skates news, please follow @chaffskates on Instagram.