Derby United is proud to offer recreational instruction on our 9k sq ft outdoor lighted smooth concrete skating surface. We have assembled a team of instructors from a diverse range of skate experiences to bring San Diego roller skaters a wide range of training from dance, rink and figure backgrounds.

Aaliyah

Aaliyah Sade is a recent graduate of UCLA in the arts activism and global health programs. She integrates yoga and skating to encourage mind body connection and radical joy utilizing these tools to invite people back into their natural embodied state of pleasure and freedom. She began her yoga journey 9 years ago as a student at San Diego School of Creative Performing Arts in the dance major program, since then she has completed over 500 hours of training in yoga, breath work and meditation, teaching internationally and at the UCLA gym. She comes from a lineage of roller skaters on both sides, with her father and maternal grandmother being avid skaters from the groovy 70s, she honors her ancestors through her practice of rhythm and street skating. She hopes to guide participants of Roll and Flow into a joy centered practice of skating and yoga practice.

Carolee

Carolee Kness discovered roller skating at her 12th birthday party at her hometown Roller Rink in Imperial Beach called Rocker Roller Rink. She loved races and all types of roller skating such as pairs, fours, freestyle and dance. She skated competitively for 3-4 years and was a two time Regional then National Champion with RSROA. Later in life, as an adult and new parent she returned to roller skating with her daughter to the roller rink once located in National City. She skated several years with her daughter and her son who started skating roller hockey. Skating has been a big part of her family’s life for several years.

Before Covid-19, Carolee was an active “Gold” level competitive figure skater in Ice Skating and a professional Ice Skating Coach. She has won several gold medals locally and internationally (In Oberstdorf Germany and Canada) in ice competitions in freestyle and artistic events. Due to Covid-19 all future events were cancelled so she ventured out and found happiness in skating outdoors on quads and inlines with new acquaintances. Skating during this pandemic has brought so much joy to her life because the skaters in the San Diego Community are all so welcoming and happy. Skating outdoors with friends is therapeutic and so much fun, it is joyful and a great escape from our everyday pressures. Carolee looks forward to helping skaters build confidence and learn new roller skating skills.

Derrick

Derrick was born in Atlanta, GA.  Now 27 years old, living in Southern California (San Diego) as an Active  Duty Service member (U.S NAVY), he has been skating for 6 years. Derrick is continuously developing his skills while teaching those around him what he knows.

Primarily teaching Jam and Rhythm skating, he focuses on fundamentals that will apply at all levels of skating. Derrick looks forward to working with all levels of skaters and getting to know everyone. His number #1 goal is to help you build confidence while doing what you love!

Photo: Kevin Neff (@kneff_photography)

Donna

Donna has been an avid skater for most of her life. She began skating for a youth speed skating team in San Antonio, Texas. In high school and college, Donna took to the ice to learn the art of figure skating. As a travel enthusiast, Donna has skated around the world in countries such as Italy, Romania and Mexico.

Today, Donna plays roller derby for SDRD and enjoys dance and street skating with her friends. She has performed with the skate team ‘Flashpoint’ at the Mother Goose Parade and enjoys teaching others about this unique and fun sport at Skate Quad SD events. Donna holds a Master’s in Education and is excited to be teaching on the track at Derby United.

Emily

Emily Rupar has been skating for 11 years, starting in 2009 playing roller derby for the Charlotte Roller Girls in North Carolina. She has moved to London and New York City where she honed her outdoor skating skills, skating with the Friday Night Skate group in London through the cobblestone streets and then in Central Park, mostly avoiding tourists on bicycles.

After moving to San Diego, she got more invested in the rink where she evolved her skills including dancing and spinning. Her goal was to learn how to groove to the music not just with her arms and upper body, but with her feet and legs. Emily will be teaching intermediate skating skills for adults – if you are comfortable moving forward on your skates but you want to learn: how to skate backwards with confidence and speed, master turning and spinning, balance and weight shifting to improve your dance skills then this is the class for you. She will teach you the basics of spinning and jumping and some fun “line” dances that you can do at the rink with a group.

Jerry

Jerry Beck is a veteran on roller skates. He started skating at the young age of 10 years old moving from freestyle to dance and competitive backwards skating known as Rexing. After dabbling with artistic skating he headed over to jam skating. Having dabbled in many disciplines of roller skating, Jerry ended up with a style where he feels most comfortable, synchronized freestyle skating.

Learn fun and creative skate moves from Jerry that are guaranteed to take your skating to another level.

 

 

 

Melissa

Melissa spent many of her early years at her local Bay Area roller and ice skating rinks, completely hooked on the feeling of freedom that only skating could provide. Back then, speed and fun were the only goals. Years later, she’s reconnected to skating as an adult, turning her focus to many different styles of roller skating; Rhythm, Artistic, Street – each demanding different skill sets and dedicated practice. 

As a college-level design instructor for 14 years, Melissa combines her passion for teaching and rollerskating by helping others in their pursuit of joy on 8 wheels. Nothing compares to the feeling of unlocking new skills and flowing with others!