Rink and Roll

By Rob Levy on Thu, Nov 6, 2014 at 4:00 am

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For more than five decades, roller-skating has been part of the cultural fabric of St. Louis' African American community. This scene and its funky jams were the apex of partying for youth in St. Louis and East St. Louis between the '60s and '90s. The hottest show on wheels intrigued DJ-turned-filmmaker Ron "G Wiz" Butts, who captured all the moves and grooves in his documentary, The Rink. Butts affectionately chronicles these times through archival footage, photos and personal reflections of those who moved and grooved late into the night. Debuting at the 2009 St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, the documentary then played at the St. Louis International Film Festival and the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival. A new edit of the film, The Rink Rebooted, screens at 3 p.m. today at the Missouri History Museum (Lindell Boulevard and DeBaliviere Avenue; 314-746-4599, www.mohistory.org) as part of the museum's ongoing 250 in 250: A Yearlong Exhibition Commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the Founding of St. Louis. Butts answers audience questions after the film.
Sun., Nov. 9, 3 p.m., 2014