Chicks in bowls

Contact Sheet

Scrolling through my Instagram feed, I came across a woman named Michelle Steilen (aka @estrojen) doing tricks, grinds, flips, and handstands on roller-skates. At the time, I was shooting for different inline skating magazines here in the U.S. and Europe, but I’d never seen anyone doing the same type of tricks on quad roller-skates. I immediately started following her and a few other women who were doing the same thing as part of a group called Chicks in Bowls, which has chapters all over the world. It wasn’t until I moved to Tulsa a few months back that I experienced this movement in person, while checking out the skatepark at Gathering Place. Most of these skaters train at parks to stay sharp for roller derby—others just for fun. One thing they all have in common is their dedication to what they do, and their desire to motivate other women to try something different. I was lucky enough to get to know some of the local “chicks” who are a part of this global movement and experience what they do firsthand, and get some really rad photos along the way. Check out more coverage of what these skaters can do at chicksinbowls.com or on the Oklahoma chapter Instagram: @ciboklahoma.

Contact Sheet is a place for local photographers to share their projects. If you’re interested in submitting, write to voices@langdonpublishing.com. You can follow Greg on Instagram at @greg_king_photo.