El Mag d'Oz

Almost since the beginning of the school year, several of my students have been inviting me to go see them roller skate. Solsona has an official Club de Patinaje (Skating). This past Sunday they finally enticed me into going with a fancy poster saying it would be a performance of the Wizard of Oz. Kristian and I found our way over to the Pavelló Vell in time for the 6pm show. The show began as any normal roller skating show would begin - with Catalan pomp and circumstance and the proud presentation of the Catalan flag which presided over the entire performance.

It was a strange experience, mainly because I don't think I've ever heard of a roller skating performance (nor am I sure they have existed in the US since the early '80s). The club members ranged in age from very little to probably high schoolers. It seemed there were three levels of proficiency - and here is where it got good. Each level, A, B and C, had a song and one by one the skaters performed their routine to the same three songs, depending on their level. Over and and over and over. Oh, and did I mention it was also the same routine? Awesome. About an hour and a half into the performance (yes, I said an hour and a half) there was a thirty minute intermission(!). We're still not sure why. Then it started all over again for another hour and a half. There were four older skaters who had unique, and quite good, routines to different music, which was a welcome change. One of them skated with all her heart to "Pride (In the Name of Love)" by U2. If you can imagine U2 blasting out in a brightly lit gym in the middle of Spain surrounded by Catalans and leotarded and roller skated 12 years olds, you can appreciate our amusement.

Finally, at just about 9pm, the full crew hit the floor, in full Wizard of Oz garb and there was about a ten minute abbreviated Catalan version of the Mag d'Oz (the witch wasn't finished off with a bucket of water and there was no melting, just a symbolic, anticlimactic breaking of her broom) - and then the performance was over. It was certainly an experience - and my students were tickled pink that I was there. So for that, it was worth it. I'm not sure Kristian will ever forgive me though...

On the walk home, perhaps because the Great and Powerful Oz was angered by the misrepresentation, the sky was ominous. Is that a tornado brewing - or just a gigantic cloud of volcanic ash?