It was first suggested to Sébastien Foucan during the filming of Jump London. Free Running has grown to be descriptive of a sort of “cousin” activity to Parkour – Free Running is more expressive and creative in nature, with moves such as acrobatics, flips, and spins added for flair, creativity, or just because someone wants to. Founded by David Belle, its origins are in France and Sébastien Foucan gave it its English name.

Sebastian Foucan - the Founder of Freerunning

The main difference then between parkour and Free Running is that Parkour is defined by purpose “get somewhere quickly and efficiently using the human body”, and Free Running is defined by the activity or art of moving through your environment however you want, moving your way, following your own path, also adds acrobatic flair for aesthetic purposes.

Apparently London is one of the best places in the world for free-running. Free running is enabled precisely by the kinds of things of otherwise constitute barriers: fences, walls etc. The things that make a city orderly are also the things that enable a playful disorder. Unlike its cousin parkour, this sort of ‘disorder’ is done primarily for aesthetic, rather than practical reasons in parkour, any beauty produced is a by-product of a relentless focus on efficient movement.

This means that freerunning also is a public form of art, a temporary type of grafitti that uses bodies rather than paint.

To create graffiti, vandals use a variety of materials, such as automotive car paint, spray paint, crayons and permanent ink. Etching surfaces is another way vandals destroy property.

The word ‘Graffiti’ refers to images or pictures that are drawn in public places without securing the appropriate permissions. Although most people would associate graffiti with rowdy city youngsters, the truth is that graffiti originated in ancient Greece and Rome. Pictures of graffiti art show that this art form was even prevalent in ancient Egypt.

Graffiti- markings, as initials, slogans, or drawings, written, spray- painted, or sketched on a sidewalk, wall of a building, or public restroom. When people hear the word graffiti thoughts that come to their mind are vandalism, gangs, violence, hoodlums, and just plain trouble. The soul purpose of graffiti is everything but those. Graffiti is art.

Although most people do not see it this way, many do. The soul purpose of graffiti, aside from it being an artistic outlet, is fame. Being known in the streets, having your name all over the city, and making people turn their heads and open their eyes.

The aim or purpose of graffiti writing is to gain recognition. To get your “tag” up as much as
possible, and get your word around to everyone.

Graffiti art  itself is not appalling or atrocious but it’s how one makes use of it.

Whether your new to skateboarding or a pro you will always be looking for skateboarding trick tips. Here are four tricks and the tips to go with them to add to your other slamming moves.

Sam Beckett

#1 – Bomb Drop
This is a popular trick usually seen on the street but it is not uncommon to see them on the professional circuit or in competitions. Basically, the bomb drop is an alternative to skateboarding when flying down a flight of stairs. What you do when doing a Bomb drop is jump but instead of just doing skateboarding you jump with the board in your hands then whip it up to your feet, mid air.

Obviously this isn’t the safest trick, so start small, without too much height. Also wear a helmet. Thirdly, practice your hand and feet coordination skills; you’re usually given a split second alone to get your board from your hands and to your feet.

#2 – Boneless One
This is one of the corner stones of skateboarding tricks. There are so many variations of this trick. With this trick you start by taking your board from your feet just as you get of as well. Afterward, you leap with one foot then end by returning your board to its original position (under your feet) as you make a perfect landing.

Although it sounds hard, you can easily do it as long as you put in the work and practice often. The trick is so easy that it has faded away amongst skateboarders, particularly the younger boarders. Nevertheless, having a classic trick like this perfected is a good card to carry, as you can include it in one of your routines, to give it a something a bit different or extra.

#3 – Coffin
Although this trick has a pretty scary sounding name, it is still pretty easy to do, despite being a few stages higher than your basic turns and what not. Don’t worry, it is not a killer.

To start with, get a good amount of speed while just normally skateboarding. Position yourself at the front of your skateboard. Then take a seat in the middle of your board by bending your knees, whilst using both your hands to steady yourself by holding onto the sides of the board. Then lean back and lie prostrate on your board as if you were on a coffin. And that’s you, trick done.

#4 – Firecracker
Brighten up the streets with this entertaining trick. Just like setting up a fireworks show, you need to carefully plan this trick and the whole thing needs to be really precise. For this trick you need to a good flight of stair with lots of steps. As you go dow the stairs, you can increase your speed by deliberately leaning some of your weight towards the back of your board. This will cause the back of your board slap against the steps. This will hopefully sound like a fire burst from a firework. Consistency is the main element of a good firecracker.

To learn tricks and tips from a expert at skateboarding and halfpipe , visit freestyle-festival !

1) Freestyle Moves

To Perform freestyle on a skateboard means that the operator of the board is balancing or moving on the board, but not on all four wheels at the same time. As well, this could also involve grinding along the side or edges of the skateboard as well. Some of the more popular freestyle tricks that skateboarders perform are the 360 degree spin, which basically involves spinning around in a circle while on your skateboard. Other freestyle tricks include kick flips and manuals. However, when really defining what freestyle tricks are, there is no more stronger definition than the ollie, which basically was the first trick which took the skateboard from the street and into the air.

2) Aerial Skateboarding Moves

These are the fancy and daring stunts that you see skateboarders perform in specially built skate parks, half-pipes or quarter-pipes. Whenever you see a boarder fly through the air, while at the same time using his or her hand to keep the board pressed against their feet while in mid-air, that’s an aerial skateboarding trick. The origin of aerial moves started in the 1970s, when a young skateboarder named Tony Alva began experimenting in empty swimming pools. Today, there are many different kinds of aerials. That said, the most popular aerial trick is the 900, which involves having a skateboarder perform a two-and-a-half revolution while in the air. Difficult, but not impossible – only a few people have ever successfully performed a 900.

3) Flip Moves

When a skateboarder is performing a flip trick, not only is he or she elevating into the air, but they are also either kicking, spinning or flipping the board in a certain manner. Flip tricks are exceptionally difficult to execute because there’s a high degree of athletic skill and dexterity involved. You have to be able to get into the air high enough to perform the flip, and you have to manipulate your feet to actually flip the board over. Usually, flip tricks involve either flipping the board upside down or end-over-end. That being said, there is always room for young and daring skateboarders to attempt to create their own unique flip tricks.

4) Sliding and Grinding

If you’ve ever seen a skateboarder ride their board on a ledge or edge of something, but not necessarily riding along the actual wheels of the board itself, that’s either a slide or a grind, depending on what part of the board that they are using. Here are the primary differences between sliding and grinding:

• SLIDING: When the skateboard deck itself is coming into contact with the ledge surface, that’s a slide.
• GRINDING: When the skateboard truck (the unit underneath the board where the wheels are affixed) are contacting an edged surface, that’s a grind.

If you are already a pro at halfpipe or skateboarding then enter our competitions at Freestyle Festival 2009 at http://www.freestyle-festival.co.uk/competitions.php

If you are just a beginner then learn al the tips and tricks from the experts at the freestyle festival , for more information click here

BMX, Skate and Inline

B-Boys

Freestyle Festival will be running lessons on 31st Oct and 1st Nov

Have you always dreamt to learn and get the skate tips from the experts? Or understand and experience the freedom of freerunning from the founder, Sébastien Foucan?

Freestyle Festival will be running lessons on both days for anyone to participate in. We are running lessons in Skate, BMX, Inline, B-boy and Freerunning and Secret Wars graffiti tutorials.

Freestyle Festival has an outstanding music line up. Bands such as Starseed, Nixa and FranKo will be rocking out alongside the headline acts on the main stage inbetween the skate shows and competitions. Awesome hip hop DJs will be accompanying the B-Boys and the freerunners in their arena. In the Emerging Bands room, some of the emerging acts will be joining bands like Stealing Green, Imma and Where’s Billy.

Is your band up for playing on the Main Stage or the Emerging Acts Stage? Enter our Emerging Acts competition to win the chance of performing by public vote. Sign up by the end of July!

Franko

FranKo are a young four piece band from South London. They formed in October 2007 and have already made their mark on the London music scene, turning the heads of audiences and a lot of people in the industry. They’ve been gigging in and around London including at The Indig02 @ the O2, playing to a crowd of over a thousand. FranKo grabbed great attention from the press and radio media as well as appearing live on MTV. They’re currently working on their debut album with Jim Lowe (recent producer for Stereophonics) and Dario Dendi (who has worked with The Killers, Oceansize, Franz Ferdinand) which is due out early 2010.

Firetone

Award winning Firetone have built up a great reputation as an incredibly impactive live act. The band are building up an enviable reputation having played hundreds of gigs with some excellent bands, including multiple gigs with the likes of The Metros, My Passion, Linchpin and Fell Silent.

Headspace

Headspace are a three piece band from the South East, now based in Camden. Since forming in 2006, the band have been Indy Award finalists as well as having a song featured in the game Pro Evo Soccer 2009. These guys ooze rock’n'roll and swagger on stage so charmingly you’d think they were born cool.

The B-Boy arena is showcasing some of the best international B-boy crews who will battle it out for the main prize over the course of the 2 days. Each crew will be 4 on 4 and will be judged on their style and dynamics. Also on the B-boy floor, will be up-and-coming crews who have entered our B-boy competition through our website http://www.freestyle-festival.co.uk

B-Boys

Taking part in the half-pipe display and competitions are Sam Beckett, Sebastian Keep, Zach Shaw and Rich Parker, representing skate, BMX and inline over the 2 day festival. Mark Webb, Chris Oliver and Chaz Sands, amongst others, will be an awesome sight on the street course. See the event schedule to find out more about the timings and the riders competing.

On the street course there are jam format competitions for pro-level Skaters, BMXers, and Inline skaters who have applied through our website http://www.freestyle-festival.co.uk. First day is an open competition with the winners going through to the second day.

Sam Beckett - (Skate Vert Comp)

Sam Bosworth - (Skate Vert Comp)

Ben Grove - (Skate Street Course Comp)

Sebastian Keep - (BMX Vert Comp)

Ben Wallace - (BMX Street Course Comp)

Mark Webb - (BMX Street Course Comp)

Rich Parker - (Inline Vert Comp)

Chaz Sands - (Inline Street Comp)

The number one site for festival news, tickets, information & reviews but few sites, which bring the whole mix of freestyle festivals at one place.

A great new website www.freestyle.festival.co.uk was launched last week that calls all Music Acts, Skaters, BMX, B-Boys and Graffiti Artists.

It offers a platform to buy tickets and register if you want to perform or compete.

Next Freestyle Festival is scheduled on 31^st October – 1 November 2009, Alexandra Palace.

Alexandra Festival Segments guide

Freestyle Festival UK

Music Competition

Is your band up for playing on the Main Stage or the Emerging Acts Stage? Upload your band’s and your bands MP3 to this website, and enter our Emerging Acts competition to win the chance of performing by public vote. Sign up by the end of July!

Street Course

Take part in the pro-level entry street course competition for Skaters, BMX, and Inline and have the chance to win cash prizes and get to ride and learn with the pros- just fill in the entry form. Qualifying rounds on Saturday and finals on Sunday. Win up to £1000 and your chance to be Champion in each category.

B-boy

We’re looking for B-Boy/B-Girl crews from around the UK to take part in the 4 on 4 battles, competing for cash prizes, and the Freestyle Festival title!

Secret Wars

The graffiti artists from the famous Secret Wars competitions are at Freestyle Festival looking for more graff talent. In the form of graffiti battles, artists are invited to take part in the competition for cash prizes and invited to go forward to the next round of Secret Wars. Prizes are £100 and the chance to go head to head with the Secret Wars elite crew.

Learn Freerunning

Founder of freerunning, Sébastien Foucan, will be hosting the freerunning arena at the Freestyle Festival. He will be sharing his philosophy of the discipline through seminars and demonstrations, and giving the opportunity for attendees to learn and develop their own practice. 

Halfpipe

Taking part in the half-pipe display and competitions are Sam Beckett, Sebastian Keep, Zach Shaw and Rich Parker, representing skate, BMX and inline over the 2 day festival. Mark Webb, Chris Oliver and Chaz Sands, amongst others, will be an awesome sight on the street course.