Rolling into the 80s at Tivoli Turnhalle

The 80s themed event played scenes from films such as The Breakfast Club.
Photo: Taelar Pollmann · *The Sentry*

Office of Events and Partnerships hosted skating party

As Spring Break ended and the second half of the semester commenced, students were welcomed back with an afternoon full of roller skating, popcorn, soda, colorful sunglasses, and fanny packs. Rolling into the 80s was a new event hosted by the Office of Events and Partnerships, the same organization behind the numerous movie and open mic nights held on campus.

On April 1, there was nothing foolish about switching normal shoes for skates. There was no need for a DeLorean, as the Tivoli Turnhalle time travelled back to the 1980s. For those who did not want to don a pair of roller skates, classic movies like The Breakfast Club, were silently projected onto a large screen behind the popup roller rink while all the best jams, like “YMCA” from the Village People and “Another One Bites the Dust” from Queen, were pumped out of the speakers around the room to add a beat to skate to.

Jay, who would prefer to remain anonymous but was a highlight of the rink, commented, “I haven’t skated in years, so why not?” That same fact rang true with a lot of those in attendance but not with everyone. There were many pairs of novice skaters moving at a snail’s pace as they clutched their partner’s hands in an effort to not fall over. Since there was no pressure to compete with the others who had braved going onto the floor, all experience levels were able to have a good time.

The welcoming atmosphere had all but a few people out on the neon floor. Even when skaters fell, there were still smiles and laughter all around. Not only was the event stress-free but it was also a great way to exercise without having to go to the gym. Roller skating appeals to so many different types of people and burns about the same amount of calories as running.

“Sometimes it can be difficult to create a sense of community on a commuter campus in downtown Denver. Our office hopes the fun events we bring to campus will encourage students to get involved, build more connections, and improve the overall community among students here on Auraia Campus,” Jesse Credit commented on behalf of the Office of Events and Partnerships.

“There are only a few weeks of classes left to go in the semester and we still have quite a few events to enjoy if you have missed us this semester,” Credit said. “Our last tri-institutional WINGO event of the semester will be Wednesday, April 10 and is held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Tivoli Garage Lounge. Come down and enjoy some wings while playing bingo and other games. Our sister office, CU Denver Live!, is getting ready for their Battle of the Bands event. This event will be held on April 18 at Appaloosa Grill at 5:30 p.m.”