Along with providing young people a chance to show off their daring moves on wheels, Chicago’s roller rinks provided crucial spaces to build a sense of community during the late 1970s. Among these rinks, the Loop Roller Disco was one of the hubs of new music that reflected these bonds. The Loop offered a safe and family friendly alternative to the violence that flared up, especially in the surrounding Princeton Park neighborhood. Here, colored strobe lights illuminated the skaters along with the DJs who spun a mix of disco and R&B, all of which proved crucial for the development of house music. These beats informed the movements of the young skaters who, in turn, influenced the DJs. Sometimes different generations danced, including older steppers. The Loop attracted the attention of such local celebrities as legendary radio personality Herb Kent. Some Loop regulars have also recalled that Mayor Harold Washington reputably ventured to the rink to show off moves of his own.

– A.C. 

Caption: Former location of Loop Roller Disco.