Roller Disco Daze in Brooklyn

Hey everyone, welcome back to *Brooklyn Echoes*, the podcast that keeps the borough’s legends and memories alive. I’m your host, Robert Henriksen.

In the bustling borough of Brooklyn, New York, the story of roller disco—a vibrant fusion of roller skating, rhythmic dance, and pulsating disco music—unfolds primarily through the iconic Empire Rollerdrome (later Empire Roller Disco) in Crown Heights. While roller skating had roots stretching back to the early 20th century, its evolution into roller disco truly ignited in the 1960s and exploded in the 1970s, transforming a simple recreational activity into a cultural phenomenon that celebrated Black, Latino, and Caribbean communities amid the era’s social changes. This history centers on Empire, widely recognized as the birthplace of roller disco, where innovative styles, key figures, and a shifting musical landscape converged to create a movement that swept the nation.

### Origins and Early Foundations (Pre-1960s Context)

To understand the 1960s and 1970s, it’s essential to note Empire’s beginnings. Opened in 1941 by the Swanson family in a converted Ebbets Field parking garage at 200 Empire Boulevard, the 30,000-square-foot venue initially served as the Empire Roller Skating Center. The Swansons, who owned a flooring business, installed a state-of-the-art maple wood floor—dubbed the “Miracle Maple”—which provided an exceptionally smooth surface for skaters, setting it apart from other rinks. In its early years, Empire hosted recreational skating, beauty contests, and skate events, drawing families and couples for wholesome fun accompanied by live organ music playing everything from waltzes to boogie-woogie. Attendance dipped in the 1950s amid broader cultural shifts, but the rink joined a city-wide circuit of 28 venues for lessons and competitions. In 1956, brothers Henry and Hector Abrami took ownership, rebranding it as the Brooklyn Rollerdrome and introducing additional attractions like boxing and miniature golf, though skating remained the core draw. The following year, it hosted the first open New York State Roller Skating Championship, fostering a competitive spirit that would lay the groundwork for creative innovations.

### The 1960s: Emergence of Signature Styles and the Seeds of Disco

The 1960s marked a pivotal transition at Empire, where traditional roller skating began evolving into more expressive, dance-oriented forms that foreshadowed roller disco. This era saw the rink become a hub for Black skaters, who infused it with rhythmic creativity amid the civil rights movement and growing cultural integration. Key to this shift was Bill “Mr. Charisma” Butler, a Detroit native and Air Force veteran often hailed as the “Godfather of Roller Disco.” Butler first appeared at Empire in 1957, impressing crowds by skating to records like *Night Train* and introducing complex choreography. By the late 1950s and into the 1960s, he invented “jammin’,” a style involving intricate footwork, spins, and group synchronization, blending elements of jazz, funk, and R&B.

Butler convinced Gloria Abrami McCarthy—daughter of the owners, a champion skater herself, and future operator of the rink from 1980 to 1998—to launch “Bounce” nights on Fridays. These sessions showcased the “Brooklyn Bounce” (also called the “Wobbly Duck”), a signature Empire style characterized by bouncy, fluid movements that mimicked dancing on wheels. Empire became Butler’s home base for practice and teaching, attracting skaters nationwide and elevating roller skating from mere recreation to a performative art form. The rink’s inclusive atmosphere, without velvet ropes or VIP sections, fostered community, particularly for young Black participants exploring identity through movement. While disco music hadn’t fully arrived, these innovations laid the rhythmic foundation, with live organists gradually giving way to recorded tracks that hinted at the DJ era. Culturally, Empire’s 1960s scene represented a precursor to broader disco trends, emphasizing body movement and social unity in a time of urban change in Brooklyn.

### The 1970s: The Birth and Boom of Roller Disco

The 1970s propelled Empire into legendary status as roller disco’s epicenter, coinciding with the national disco craze sparked by films like *Saturday Night Fever* and the integration of Black and Latino nightlife. Renamed Empire Roller Disco around this time, the venue fully embraced the genre by replacing organ music with a DJ-operated sound system, blending R&B, disco, and emerging hip-hop. Audio engineer Richard Long, famous for systems at Studio 54 and Paradise Garage, designed Empire’s setup in the mid-1970s, amplifying the beats for rhythmic skating. DJ “Big Bob” Clayton, a skater and DJ for over 20 years, became a fixture, curating playlists that energized the floor.

Butler continued as a driving force, formalizing his role in 1979 as instructor, performer, and creative consultant. That year, Empire hosted high-profile events like a Casablanca Records party and the Billboard Disco Forum skate party, where celebrity Cher led the festivities and took lessons from Butler. Cher’s involvement helped bridge Brooklyn’s scene to Hollywood, even donating plastic palm trees for a California-inspired vibe. The rink drew stars like Prince, Grace Jones, Madonna, and Olivia Newton-John, who preferred its welcoming energy over Manhattan’s exclusive clubs. Competitions nurtured talents like Maurice Gatewood, Roger Green, and “Pat the Cat,” while skate guards maintained order amid exhilarating sessions for men, children, or exhibitions.

By the late 1970s, roller disco at Empire symbolized empowerment and joy for Brooklyn’s diverse youth, especially post-integration, offering a space for expression away from urban strife. It accommodated up to 2,500 skaters, with the “Brooklyn Bounce” and “jammin'” evolving into full roller boogie, influencing national trends and media. In 1980, a 20,000-watt stereo and disco lights upgraded the experience, solidifying its status. Empire’s cultural impact extended to films, music videos, and photography, capturing Black culture’s celebration in a segregated era’s aftermath.

Though Empire dominated Brooklyn’s roller disco narrative, the movement echoed in other local rinks, contributing to a borough-wide vibe of escapism and innovation. By the decade’s end, roller disco had become a global craze, but its Brooklyn roots at Empire remained the heart of authenticity. The venue continued thriving into the 1980s before closing in 2007, leaving a legacy preserved in exhibits, books, and memories.

If you like this podcast, Check out our new Brooklyn Echo’s Audio podcast at The Brooklyn Hall of Fame were we have been recording episodes to stream  at your favorite streaming services like Apple or Spotify.