Dance the Night Away – Ari Shark Interview

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With a new Loaded Boards video part out, Hasta Anochecer, and always involved in righteous projects up to his eyeballs, I thought it time to catch up with a certain all-round good-guy and shredder, Ari ‘Shark’ Chamasmany. I originally met Ari a few months ago at the SYCLD longboard dance event in Holland during his Euro adventures, and the photos accompanying this interview were taken during a rad 20 minutes of dicking around next door to the competition.

Hi Ari! Loving your latest video, it’s a powerful combination of graceful riding and inventive videography.

Glad that you were diggin’ that one. Christian Rosillo is a video wizard.

When were you in BCN, and what were your inspirations in making the movie?

I was in the beautiful city of Barcelona at the beginning of this past March. The goal proposed by the people who had originally sent me there, Loaded Boards, was to create some kind of usable video or photographic content with a one Christian Rosillo, a fellow Loaded badassador. I only had the better part of three days in Barcelona on this particular tour, so time was definitely of the essence. After a brief bit of discussion, Christian and I both decided to create a video reminiscent of “Los Pobladores”, an earlier video I shot with Adam Colton and Adam Stokowski in my neighborhood in Los Angeles. We filmed for two straight days from morning until evening in various locations around the city. Traveling via Christian’s vespa, we were able to film with a very run and gun style, rolling up on spots, getting all the shots we felt we needed, then zipping off to the next location. It was an absolutely fantastic way to see and experience the city of Barcelona, while also having the opportunity to create something awesome in the process. “Hasta Anochecer” was the end result, and a perfect representation of the fantastic time I had while I was there.

Where else in Europe did you check out?

“Shark’s Eurozone Tour” as it was so aptly named, had me visiting Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Den Haag, Paris, Barcelona, Lisbon, then back to Amsterdam, Istanbul for an eight hour layover, then back to Los Angeles. It went exactly how you would imagine a month long skate tour of Europe would go down, with a bit of hustle, and an untold amount of fun!

What do you think of the Euro longboard scene and how does it differ from where you usually hang?

Well, in a lot of the cities I visited, with the exception of Barcelona and Lisbon, there aren’t really many inclines. In Los Angeles, specifically Malibu and the surrounding areas, it’s all about the hill, going fast, sliding big, “riding gravity”, as it were. Alas in Europe, being mostly flat in all the places I ventured on this particular tour, dancing, styling, and generalized street steezin’ seemed to be everyone’s main squeeze. This of course to me was absolutely awesome, because it finally allowed me quality time with birds of the same feather. Crazy love for all of my Eurozone peeps!!!

You usually tie in your love of music to your travels, did you get to spread the funky joy in Cataluña?

I do indeed tie in my love of music to my travels, and this trip was definitely no exception. I’ve been spinning and quietly producing “HOUSE HOUSE HOUSE” house music! for the better part of ten years now. It’s been a long time obsession of mine that originated with a love for vintage synthesizers and drum machines, and grew into a savage addiction of collecting vinyl and playing my music to anyone willing to get down with a groove. It should go without saying, that any opportunity I get to combine my two passions, that being skateboarding AND music, I’m a very VERY happy Shark. So while on this tour I did get to play an epic club that was actually a boat moored on the river in Paris, and a righteous radio show in Lisbon Portugal, “Rádio a Nossa” that caters to house-heads like myself, I sadly just didn’t have enough time on this trip… With all the energy that went into shooting “Hasta Anochecer”, come end of day and I was absolutely exhausted. So while I may not have gotten to serenade the sweet citizens of Barcelona on this particular trip, rest assured, eventually I will!

What are your plans for the season, are you going to be racing more, are you involved in any events that you’d like to shout about?

Well, I’m definitely planning on racing a bit more in the coming season. So don’t be surprised to see me in leathers here and there. The next event I’m involved in will be Mike Girard’s Central Mass 6 over in Harvard Massachusetts during the beginning of August. I’ll not only be racing, documenting, and slide jamming, but DJing the big party for the event as well. So count on an appearance from the Shark out there. After that I’m back in Barcelona again at the beginning of September with Paris Truck Co. and some of the other members of the Resource Distribution family. Definitely looking to potentially get some other countries in on that visitation list while I’m out there, so there is plenty to look forward too!

Anything else you would like to mention?

I wanted to express a sincere thank you to Christian Rosillo and his lovely girlfriend Ruth Diaz for their incredibly generous hospitality, for picking me up at the airport, and for welcoming a stranger into their home. It meant a lot, and I’m so stoked to have made two fantastic new friends during those three action packed days in Barcelona. I also must give mention to the homie Axel Serrat, who I may not have had time to film with while I was there last, but still housed and fed me one night of the three! You’re the man now dog. Apart from that, I’m genuinely stoked to be able witness the continuing evolution of this industry. Things are getting really real out there for the greater global skateboarding community as a whole, and I’m properly hyped to see what happens next. Let’s party? Yeah?

Word! Hell yeah Ari, thanks for taking the time. Hope to catch you when you’re next on this side of the pond, I’m always down to help win the party.

\m/

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