(Photos J. Maus/BikePortland)
It’s been a big month for The Sprockettes. The beloved local bike dance team is celebrating their 10th anniversary with a big ride this Friday night and a headline performance at Saturday’s Bike Fair — which is the finale to Pedalpalooza.
But even though they’re busy with practices, planning sessions, and catching up with former members who’ve returned to Portland for the big event, they took time to put on the Bike Dance Summer Camp for Girls last weekend.
15 girls between the ages of 5 and 12 attended the camp at Irving Park. They learned the finer points of bike decoration, bike dance, acro-balancing, and more. But beyond gaining the confidence to do an arabesque on their top tube, the girls gained something much more important. They gained confidence to be themselves and embrace their inner strength; both of which are the pillars of the Sprockettes’ mission.
After two full days of practice, the girls performed in front of an appreciative crowd at Peninsula Park during Sunday Parkways.
Here are a few more photos of the performance…
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Ride with the Sprockettes this Friday night at 7:00 pm (meet at Peninsula Park) were they’ll lead a special history tour. Or come watch their big performance at the Bike Fair, which happens Saturday at Colonel Summers Park (SE 20th and Belmont) from 2:00 to 7:00.
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For more on the Sprockettes 10th anniversary, read this article in the latest Willamette Week.
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Gaining the Sprockettes and other Premium Bike Fun groups more than compensates for the loss of Critical Mass.
Congrats to the Sprockettes for 10 years of sharing the Bike Fun Love. And inspiring plenty of local girls to be bicycle dancers.
Ted Buehler
The Sprockettes are also the inspiration for dozens of other bicycle dance troupes.
See Sprockette AgentChaos’s “Modern History of the Bike-Dance Team” wihch describes the history of the Sprockettes and other groups. Lots of detail, links, and footnotes.
http://agentchaosproductions.blogspot.com/2008/06/modern-history-of-bike-dance-team.html
I think it’s safe to say that these groups have all had long-lasting, positive effects on their own bicycling communities, even if they have since disbanded. & all this positivity, across the country, can be tied directly back to Portland, The Sprockettes, and 2004.
For instance,
The B.C.Clettes, Vancouver BC
http://bcclettes.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2511206626/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfieXAK1XdrMENb0o4IbHQg
The Derailleurs, San Francisco CA
http://derailleurs.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bay-Area-Derailleurs/136209586398572
Chain Reaction, Portland OR
http://bikeportland.org/2008/06/09/meet-chain-reaction-portlands-all-male-bike-dance-crew-7829
The Greasy Gears, Madison WI
http://www.greasygears.org/
Congrats to the Sprockettes for 10 years of dedication, perseverance, and inspiration.
Ted Buehler