We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dale Edwards a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Dale , appreciate you joining us today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

Roller Skate New England started as something deeply personal — a reconnection with my roots. I’m a third-generation roller skater. My mom skated, her mom skated — I grew up in the rink. It was a huge part of my life, but like a lot of people, I fell out of it for about ten years after moving away. It wasn’t until my local rink reopened after the pandemic that I really stepped back into that world.

I spent about a year just skating for myself before I got invited down to RITC — Rollin’ in the Carolinas — the largest annual rhythm skate party in the country. That weekend changed everything. The vibe, the style, the music, the energy — it was unlike anything I had ever experienced in New England. I couldn’t help myself — I pulled out my phone and just started filming. I had done simple compilations for my personal Instagram before, but RITC gave me so much to work with. When I got home and started editing, I realized I didn’t want to stop.

Soon after, I found myself driving over two hours south to Chez Vous in Boston as often as I could. That rink had the closest energy to what I’d seen at RITC — the talent, the style, the feeling in the air. I was filming every time I was there, capturing full events like their 9th annual Boston Swerve skate party. It all felt so natural — to skate, to film, to document this community doing what they love.

One night, a regular skater came up to me and said, “Dale, when are we going to see our videos? You have so many we haven’t seen, and we want to see ourselves skate.” And that moment really struck me. She was right. I had taken hundreds of videos and only posted snippets — little highlight clips — but these skaters deserved more. They weren’t just content for my page — they were artists, athletes, and community-builders who wanted to relive their moments.

So in August 2024, I launched @sk8.ne — Roller Skate New England — as a dedicated page to showcase every video I shot. It started with me posting around 24 videos a day so skaters could see themselves. That pace was intense, and I knew I had to evolve the system. So I started organizing content into downloadable folders by event night. Skaters could request access and receive an automated email with a login — simple, easy, and free.

This has now grown into an automated system that sets Roller Skate New England apart. Skaters get access to their content, they post to their social medias and collaborate with Roller Skate New England and get featured on this platform, and I grow an email list of engaged, passionate adult skaters — people who travel for parties, who care deeply about the culture. I’ve hit the road, attended out-of-state events, filmed, connected, and the feedback has been incredible. People are excited — they feel seen, represented, and included.

Roller Skate New England keeps evolving. What hasn’t changed — and never will — is the foundation: this is for the skaters. I don’t want to charge them for their videos at the rink. They already invest in their travel, gear, and time. Without them, I’d have no content. I want the internet to pay for this through monetizing content, subscriptions and donations. I want to be booked by rinks and events, recommended by skaters and DJs, and build a name as someone people want at the rink — someone who’s creating value.

This isn’t just a project — it’s a movement rooted in love for the culture, and the response tells me it’s exactly what this community has been asking for.

Dale , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m the founder and curator behind Roller Skate New England, a digital platform and community project dedicated to celebrating and uplifting the adult roller skating scene across the Northeastern U.S. My journey into this world didn’t begin as a business plan—it started with a deep love for roller skating and a growing curiosity about the incredible talent, stories, and culture I was seeing at rinks all around New England. The more I skated, the more I realized that our region was rich with history, rhythm, and raw talent—but underrepresented on the national stage. That’s when I decided to do something about it.

Roller Skate New England is part digital media hub, part community spotlight, and part cultural archive. I travel across states—Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, New York, and beyond—capturing short, high-impact video clips of talented skaters, DJs, rinks, and events. I edit these into visually compelling Reels, Shorts, and compilation videos, and share them across Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok. These videos aren’t just entertainment—they’re a form of documentation and recognition. Every post is a nod to someone’s artistry, story, and impact in this community.

What sets Roller Skate New England apart is that it’s not a brand built around me—it’s built around us. I’m not the star of the content; the skaters, the DJs, the organizers, the rinks, and the culture itself are the stars. My goal is to unify our scene and shine a spotlight on it so the world sees what we already know: New England is just as vibrant as Atlanta, or Chicago. when it comes to roller skating. We just needed a louder megaphone.

I’m proud that Roller Skate New England is already helping people discover new rinks, make connections across state lines, and feel seen for their contributions to the culture. I’m also incredibly proud of the collaborations we’ve had with other influential skate communities and accounts—those moments show me that this work resonates far beyond my own zip code.

To anyone just discovering Roller Skate New England, I want you to know this: we’re here to build bridges, not walls. Whether you’re new to skating, a lifelong rink rat, a DJ, a creative, or just someone who loves the vibe, you have a place in this movement. Our mission is to celebrate, connect, and elevate the roller skating community in the Northeast—and to make it a destination on the national map.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Yes, there’s a very real mission at the heart of Roller Skate New England: to unite, elevate, and represent the adult roller skating culture of the Northeast. This region is packed with skilled skaters, historic rinks, and rich skating styles—from JB and rhythm skating to House, Snap, and Shuffle—but for too long, we’ve been flying under the radar compared to skate scenes in places like Chicago or Atlanta. My creative journey is all about changing that narrative.

My goal is to create a digital space where skaters feel seen, where the culture is respected, and where connections can grow across state lines. Whether it’s through a short-form video capturing the energy of a skate night, a story repost highlighting someone’s unique style, or a behind-the-scenes look at a rink’s history, every piece of content is made to shine a light on the people and places that make this scene special.

Long-term, I want Roller Skate New England to be a central hub—a name people recognize not just in our region, but nationwide. I want skaters from other cities to say, “I’ve got to visit the Northeast—it looks lit up there!” That visibility helps build pride, opportunity, and ultimately, preserves the culture we all love.

At the core of it all, my mission is about community over competition, storytelling over trends, and giving our region the love and recognition it deserves.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding part of being a creative is seeing people truly feel seen. There’s nothing like watching a skater light up when they realize someone noticed their style, their energy, their effort—and captured it in a way that feels authentic. That reaction never gets old. But there was one moment that really stuck with me.

Earlier this year, I spent 10 days in Chicago before Rollin’ in the Carolinas (RITC) 2025, documenting the scene and uploading hundreds of videos to my site for skaters to download and share. Before I even arrived at RITC, Chicago skate pages were flooded with videos featuring the @sk8.ne watermark. The whole point was to give back to the community, to let skaters take those clips and run with them—no strings, just support.

When I got to the event, I recorded a young skater and handed her one of my stickers that links to my site. Her reaction floored me. She started screaming, jumping up and down—pure joy. She said, “I’m from Chicago and all of my friends were just on your page—I can’t believe you got me on video! I can’t believe I’m going to be on your page! I’m so excited!”

I had never experienced anything like that before. It was raw, emotional, and unforgettable. That moment reminded me why I do this. It’s not just about content—it’s about connection, recognition, and giving people a moment they’ll never forget.

That kind of response is the reward. It’s knowing that what I create actually means something to someone—that it made their night, their week, or even their whole skate trip. That’s what keeps me going.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sk8ne.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sk8.ne/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rollerskatenewengland/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Sk8_ne?themeRefresh=1
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@sk8.ne