By
Brendan Canfield
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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to
have no obstacles? Moving through the
environment with oneness of body mind and spirit
with out fear?
Parkour translated from French literally means: the
art of movement. And does exactly what is
mentioned above. It is also sometimes called Freerunning but the principle of free running is still
based in parkour of getting from one place to
another.
The discipline is moving fluidly in one’s
environment in a direct path over obstacles to get
somewhere while expressing one’s creativity in the
movement.
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This subculture is usually found in urban
environments and is somewhat similar to
skateboarding and stunt work that people see
in films and movies.
The Subculture’s goal and roots are freedom
and strengthening of one’s body and mind to
achieve greater potential.
The SLCPK is the local parkour subculture here
in Utah.
Here in Utah, the SLCPK usually practices and
trains at gyms to push their limits in relative
safety to become more agile and fluid in this
art. To use everywhere.
The SLCPK also plans jams for it’s members at
various places where there are a multiplicity of
obstacles to train and work with. Ex:
University of Utah, Galavan Center, SLCC
Taylorsville, Skate Parks, ect…
La Dam du Lac (Parkour “Mecca”)
Image taken from www.wbhsweb.com
Shortest Way Down Jump to Roll
Image taken from www.collegejolt.com
Image taken from www.tantek.com
Image taken from
www.criticalterrain.files.wordpress.com
Image taken from
www.sportsillustrated.cnn.com
Image taken from
www.upload.wikimedia.org
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One might think that they are crazy stunt junkies.
But they assure me and I believe that they know
what they are doing.
The interactions that this culture has with the
outside is varied.
The parkour community interacts with the outside
world with citizens and when authorities are
called from worried citizens to tell them about
their culture. They are friendly and willing to help
others perfect movement in this art if they are
interested or who are participants in this art.
The participants known as “Traceurs or Traceuse”
depends on gender. Even though the majority of
the SLCPK are boys there are however a few girls
that do this sport or so my informants tell me.
The transformations that parkour has had in Salt Lake City Utah has
been very quick because the idea of parkour is adapting to the
environment world wide. They have negotiated and diffused their
innovation into main stream culture without much conflict.
Apparently there was misunderstanding it slipped in with
skateboarding culture but it wasn’t about fighting against norms
but it was rather embracing of all things and was holistic. If there
were any changes in the environment they would question it and
would adapt very well to the changes.
They fit into the local and national culture of being active in their
environment and community and shares their wisdom with others
much like empowered citizens in city council here in the US.
I guess the masses of citizens are not very used to stunts preformed
by everyday athletic people here in Utah, There is little people
who would have the heart to stop them and are slowly but surely
accepting them into the culture and most likely envy them.
The gifts that the “Traceurs” would usually want are nothing too
complicated. Usually they would think that a good pair of running
shoes, or a flexible shirts and pants would be good gifts for them
from family members. They tell me that freedom truth and
wisdom are probably the best gifts they can have.
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Since the essence of parkour is about freedom of expression
and efficiency it is mostly praticed by teenagers, and adults
from 13-30.
Parkour is about empowering individuals independent of
race, sex, gender, beliefs, religion, age, or any orientation,
and because of this, parkour has become an international
culture in almost every right and through out countries
world wide by itself.
Parkour is also about embracing what is real and what
really matters: strong values and good beliefs of other
people throughout their lives. They believe that all people
are inherintly good and they believe that the world has
blinded itself to think otherwise.
Traceurs tell me that they have great love for their families
but are also interconnected though out their lives and they
understand that the their lives are summed up by it’s parts
and moments to the whole and they use this principle in
every aspect of their lives in their communications with all
people they meet and they live for and enjoy every small
moment.
Most of these Traceurs in the SLCPK are Christian
in nature but religious background has no real
relevance in their interactions with others of
different beliefs.
The main thing that attracts them to this culture is
the love of the freedom of movement and
expression and the desire to push one’s self to
the limit and to use these principals that this
discipline teaches them in their everyday lives.
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Images taken from
 wbhsweb.com
 collegejolt.com
 tantek.com
 criticalterrain.files.wordpress.com
 upload.wikimedia.org
 sportsillustrated.cnn.com
Material taken from and based from field notes of Brendan Canfield
interviewing David Fleming.
Used video for presentation
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhXCINN4SXE&playnext_from=TL&videos=0cSSk
MiATFY Owned by glyphmedia. Posted January 10, 2010. Used video June 18, 2010