Video: Skateboarders scouring DC for undiscovered pools
- Text by Alex King
“We’re finding treasures, concrete treasures man, forgotten midcentury relics,” Anthony explains.
After struggling for years to find good pools to skate in the Washington, DC area, Anthony and his friends got organised. They began using satellite photography to search for undiscovered pools and established themselves as DC Drain and Clean (DCDC) – profiled here in this beautifully shot doc from Run Riot.
After tracking down potential targets, they make a deal with property owners to clean the garden, repair a broken down shed or cut the grass in return for permission to drain the pool and skating rights over the neglected concrete paradise.
“If you wanna skate it, you’re gonna have to get really dirty and work really hard to get it clean to have that opportunity,” Anthony explains.
It can be back-breaking work, but it’s all worth it just to hear the unmistakable screeching sound of polyurethane on concrete for the first time.
“We just love pool skating and there’s no getting that out of our system,” reflects Anthony.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like
Migration stories from across the African diaspora
Praise House — Adama Delphine Fawundu’s new monograph explores evolutions of life, culture and family as African people have migrated and been moved forcefully across the world, from Brooklyn to Sierra Leone, to Saint Helena and South Carolina’s Sea Islands.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Vintage photos of London street life at the turn of the millennium
London 1995-2005 — In her new photobook, Joan Piekny reflects on a decade shooting the styles and subcultures of the UK capital’s streets, just before technology .
Written by: Miss Rosen
Princess Julia: “I always state my age as I can’t believe I’m still around”
First lady — As the latest Artist-In-Residence of Huck 83, the London nightlife legend speaks to Josh Jones and provides a few recommendations and words of wisdom.
Written by: Josh Jones
A luminous portrait of Black life over six decades
Shared Memories — As staff photographer for The New York Times, Chester Higgins captured Black culture and spiritual connection like no other. A new exhibition celebrates his life and impact.
Written by: Miss Rosen
A tender portrait of life and ritual from Mexico City’s streets
Órale — For the last six years of his life, photographer, collector and designer Michel Hurst documented death rituals, street life and religious pageantry in contemporary Mexico. A new monograph showcases his work.
Written by: Roxana Diba
In photos: Washington DC’s Black communities facing up to gentrification
A Language We Share — A new exhibition featuring the work of Beverly Price and Gordon Parks preserves historically Black neighbourhoods in the USA, before development and economic forces made them disappear.
Written by: Miss Rosen
