WOODY S SKATE & PLAY A GR8 PLACE TO SK8
Remember Xanadu? You know, the cheesy cult ONJ film synonymous with bad ‘ 80s outfits, an even worse storyline and lots of roller skating? Well, if you’d like to work on your Livvie (or, for the boys, Gene Kelly) moves, get your skates on and get to Woody’s Skate & Play! This old-school roller-skating rink and entertainment complex may not be a neon-lit wonderland like in the movie, but all the essential ingredients are there: a decent-sized rink, pro shop, skates for hire (both in-line and the original four-wheelers) and top-40 tunes pumping on the stereo to help you perfect your disco-wheelin’ manoeuvres. Prefer to work on your dance-floor routine without the wheels? No problem The Disco Room invites you to get down and boogie in laser-light heaven sans skates. There’s also other fun to be had with extras like video games (Terminator 2, anyone?) and a computer gaming lounge for those who’d rather roll online. The refreshments are as old-school as a pair of quads: think piping-hot chips, doughnuts, popcorn and slush puppies as colourful as the fun-palace surrounds. Woody’s is also home to Hobart’s Convict City Rollers roller-derby crew, so you can occasionally catch some stripeytight action or join a fresh-meat’ course if you’d like to learn the basics of this turbo-charged sport. If you’re a first-time skater, this is a great place to start. Just remember that falling over is part of the fun, so pick yourself up and keep on rolling – nobody can stop you from living out your Xanadu fantasies. The all-singing, all-dancing Gene Kelly is best known for his roles in Hollywood musical films like Singin ‘ in the Rain, but he also dons roller skates in Xanadu. Quads are the original four-wheelers that were the only way to roll during the original skate-mania of the 1970s. Roller-derby is a team sport on roller skates. All-female teams with girls sporting short shorts and knee pads are all the rage these days.
