Four wheelin’

MARYSVILLE — Helen Green glided elegantly across the hardwood maple floor.

She circled the perimeter of the Marysville Skate Inn roller skating rink, carefully timing each of her movements to the organ music. The song ended but Green, 90, stayed out on the floor. She took the arm of her frie

nd, 72-year-old Dale Fluaitt of Stanwood, and they skated synchronized dance choreography to another song.

They are among about 20 adults — many of whom are in their 70s, 80s and 90s — who skate every week at the Marysville Skate Inn.

Green talked Fluaitt into attending the weekly skate sessions in 2008. They both play the organ, met at a music lesson and became fast friends, he said. She told him about the skating group.

At the time, Fluaitt said he hadn’t laced up his skates in 43 years and he could barely stand up in them. A couple of sets of new wheels helped him fix that problem, he said.

The adult group includes recreational and competitive skaters who are taught by instructors Marlene and Jerry Bruland. Lessons are $5 for 15 minutes at any skating level and any age.

The Marysville Skate Inn at 7313 44th Ave. NE has offered adult sessions with traditional roller skating music since 1959 when the parents of current owner Dianne Grove opened the business. Dance skating requires precision and balance and an understanding of different tempos required for waltzes, tangos and foxtrots, said Marlene Bruland.

“When people get a little bit older they can’t do the jumping and spinning like in figure skating so they do dance skating,” she said.

Everything that can be done on a dance floor can be done on skates, added Mrytis Reed, 86, of Everett.

She and her friends were “rink rats” who skated four nights a week when they attended Garfield High School in Seattle.

“Then you get married and have kids and kind of forget about skating,” she said. “Then they grow up and you get back to skating. It’s the highlight of my week.”

Reed said she started taking group skating lessons in 1975 and has skated with friends, including Green, for decades at roller skating rinks that have since closed or stopped offering the traditional dance skating sessions. The friendships, music, and dance patterns keep her skating every week.

“I love skating to this nice music and doing dance patterns instead of just going round and round,” she said. “Every dance has patterns that you follow. Each dance has a certain way to go around the rink.”

For some, the adult skate session and the lesson that follows is a time to practice for skating competitions. Others have memories of past competitions but now they participate in the sport for fun.

Merle Claflin, 80, remembers winning a bronze medal with a partner at a skate competition when he was in high school. Roller skating is a good way to exercise.

“I just do it for exercise now,” he said. “Rather than standing on a treadmill looking at a wall I come out and roller skate.”

Seattle resident Dottie Shores, 89, said she tries not to miss a session at Marysville Skate Inn. She has skated since she was 14 and has met many people because of the sport, she said.

“So many of us have skated in different rinks and we’ve gotten acquainted,” she said. “We like to have new skaters. Every once and awhile we get a new (skater) and they seem to stay.”

Someday soon, Fluaitt and Green want to play their own organ music at the rink.

“It’s something we want to try out,” Fluaitt said. “I need to learn to do the exact tempos.”

Amy Daybert: 425-339-3491; adaybert@heraldnet.com.