Tracing The Origin [EN]

The reminiscence of the unforgettable journey. However, I had been thinking of making a slightly different video just after I made sure I was going to take my trip. I liked this thought so much that I got even more interested in it than in parkour itself. I had no intentions to shoot a lot of movements, put them all together in one video and let the others see new parkour spots and the way I move. So what? „Oh yeah, Slava, great movie!” and forget seeing it the next day. To show the others what I am capable of and let them write pleasant comments about my moves, hadn`t caught my attention either. Like I didn`t know that by myself.

I was thinking about a meaningful creation for me as well as the others. I wanted to convey my feelings, thoughts, to spread a message, to show something different, something rarely seen, something deeper, not so easily noticeable in traceur`s daily round. And I am so glad that I’ve succeeded! All those people wrote neither about stunning places nor how they would like to get there. My parkour wasn`t the main subject to discuss too. Talks were about utility, moral, positive thoughts, contemplation. That`s why I am so happy about it! I am happy because I wasn`t mistaken that physical parkour is not the uppermost! Traceurs’ attention was attracted not by the jumps but by the idea and it`s presentation, which influenced more than one person to write ‘thank you’. I felt as if I’ve done a good deed for me and others. It is probably one of the most meaningful things a man can do in his life.

About Parkour Without Parkour

Tracing The Origin – the movie without parkour and about parkour at the same time. It has been created on one more purpose. I was quite curious of how the audience would accept it considering the message and parkour itself which actually lasted scarcely about a minute of all 4:13 min and wasn`t as wonderful as French traceurs videos, 3Run Family tricks etc. However, it was rated really well! Through this little combination it became possible to get to know what traceurs from all over the world are thinking about, what is important for them, what are they taking notice of: some said that my parkour technique is good, but they missed complicated and dangerous situations. Others were impressed by the end. They didn`t even comment my technique. The rest emphasized the camera work, editing and matching music. Someone got lost in their thoughts, others showed a will to train. Whereas someone had a good time. Some posted banal comments: “I like it!”, “Very nice!”, “Keep it up”, whereas others revealed their opinions about the movie in more than just trite phrases. So many people so many points of view... Or otherwise – the person comments according to what he lives on.

Video Mania

But why the traceurs from all over the world release their samplers and upload them on YouTube so willingly!? I understand the beginning, when nobody knew about parkour, the new way of physical activity in urban conditions, when there was a need to introduce the art of movement to the world. Then visual material perfectly fitted to tell about physical and mental art of movement. That people wouldn`t think about parkour as a teenage game or a way to impress the people around. And what about nowadays? Why are we still filming parkour videos? Everybody knows what parkour is after all! What are the purposes of making them? To show others what we can do? To have our moves on 0:49 and 1:23 with smashing jump on 1:58 to be rated? Do we really have to film ourselves and show the world to find out our skills? As for me, this pk movie making fashion just adds another meaning to the main idea of parkour. That it is rising to the competition – who will jump further, who will twist nicer, who will repeat the same motion at the same place done by the well-known traceur, who will perform a totally new trick, which will be accepted by the majority as ‘That`s awesome!’ and be trained at a fast pace. It`s like the viewer should be attracted, engaged – I won`t jump over 1.5 m rail, because everybody can do this. Nobody will say that I’m a cool guy after that. You may feel strangely surprised, when seeing a prepared traceur, who moves impressively, but nearly at the top of his possibilities. Yes, it really looks stunning, indeed, but that`s all. I don`t feel a real life here, no practicality. A man`s body is really able to perform incredible things. It can appear in dangerous situation especially. But does it mean we have to reach the limit of our possibilities, to show off ourselves first of all, that we deserve to be named a traceur? I’m not talking about everybody, certainly not. But the tendency of parkour in the world, in my opinion, is exactly like this. Parkour is becoming an extreme, spectacular urban movement and is losing its philosophy step by step. Because the aims, thoughts at the time of moving (if it is really movement, not the tricks performed on one place) are different.

„I`d better call my friends, ‘cause I want to train, I want to learn new moves. I think we`ll meet at the same place, there’s some grass nearby, I could learn some flips too. “

„Run out to explore my district further, to find out new places, want to work somewhere on softer precision. And will do sets of planche, cause still feel myself slow on going up the high wall“

Intentions are different. Most of us need physically noticeable effect to see the progress. Fluency and grace of the movement are not so interesting to improve, because it doesn`t look so amazing. On the contrary we have to improve them! Everybody wishes to learn some flips and basic vaults and the faster the better. Why some acrobats who train in gym from the childhood unwillingly look at the acro outside? I don`t think they are less self-confident than we are, oh I don`t really think so! They realize something we don`t – it’s close to the truth. It is so easy to get injured, indeed! Twisted knees, torn ankle ligaments, crumbled bones, punctured palms, etc – sudden and patently noticeable result. To bruise a knee marginally, to hurt a palm a little when falling, slightly hit the marginally bruised knee, jump 5 times from 3 m wall on the concrete and decide that the heels are still painful so I won`t jump for some time – gradual and sufferable result.

Our Parkour Future

Will small contusions and strains be gone in a few days and the after-effect will disappear too? Or maybe not!? That’s what is on my mind recently. That’s what Tracing The Origin reflects. To hear about 5 slight traumas from different parkour practitioners in 2 weeks only confirms those thoughts. I am not sure about what I am writing of, because I can’t predict the future, though I feel, nevertheless, that our rapid progress can be self-destructive for us, self-destructive in the future. And again, that can`t be seen, touched or acknowledged. That`s why it doesn`t worry us, because we are young, strong and active and the world is under our foot. However, what will be after 10 years? Where will the world be? Where will we be? What will parkour be for us? Only memories from the youth? My thoughts exactly are, that the real traceur will be a person who after that time will be much better and stronger in his parkour than he is now. But he may not be like this. For the personal reasons (a job, family, other activities, etc) or because of these minor, untroubled traumas which will suddenly and obviously appear in the future.

We have the example – David Belle – the initiator of parkour who shows the high level of movement in his 34.

New Yorker Festival 2007, the kid: „How many bones have you broken in your life? “

David Belle: „None“

That is impressive!! But I would like to mention, that this traceur was taught about heroism and helping concepts from the childhood, was showed the examples of physical and mental ideal. He is practicing physical parkour expression for more than half of his life! Doesn`t it seem illogical and ridiculous that we want to reach similar goals in obviously shorter time giving it as less effort as possible? Is a bigger jump or a nicer move is the aim of our trainings? And how David Belle will land from 3 m high and how will we land? What if he trained physically, improved his body flexibility, strengthened his stamina for 5 years and safely, step by step moved in the city? David Belle had no example of the movement in urban structures, he had nobody to seek, nobody to base on, that`s why he just created and expressed himself. And this was protecting him, because you are really careful when you do something unknown. But what about us? Neither physically prepared, nor moving safely. We only watch the videos and run outside full of energy and self-confidence, but still weak...

We have lots of material. So much, indeed, that we don`t even know which one can be useful for an examination or which gives a totally different idea. That’s how it is, that we create parkour in the world by ourselves. And that is good! It’s just that the only way of representing it seems a bit outlandish for me. People admire spectacular views but they are getting them as well! Performances, movies, advertisements, consideration of competitions... Media is not so bad, however so little of it concentrates on spreading the parkour philosophy, ideology, that primary „development of a personality through the physical movement“ thought. So popularity, glory, money, traumas just get left out. Different priorities have different effects.

Coming Back To the Origin

Consider why are we practicing and what are the aims of our trainings? Why parkour is important for us and what the meaning we give it every day? And let`s spread that parkour we believe in though. Don’t let it become another extreme sport. Let it remain the way of moving freely, overcoming the obstacles in our life. In life, exactly! According to me, parkour shouldn`t be our life or a part of it, leisure time. Parkour should be our helper going through life. It has to strengthen our self-confidence, motivate to deal with problems, work on personal weaknesses. Parkour has to impart us the wish to develop our skills, communicate and express ourselves in the society, not to be afraid to trust in our beliefs, search, self-actualize and improve. Parkour has to be honest, outspread from the inside. It has to convey the state of a soul through the physical movement. And you know it on your own what a pleasure gives this movement...

“That’s the way of being faithfully TRUe!” (Deem - tracers.ru)