The Pitch
New Orleans Skate School (NOSS) provides a diverse roster of opportunities for youth and adults to experience the joy, community, and physical and mental health benefits of roller skating. NOSS focuses on making skating accessible to any resident of the Greater New Orleans region regardless of their economic situation, race, age, or gender with weekly classes, pop-up events, and traveling workshops offered on a sliding scale or no-cost basis. Their inclusive programming prioritizes safety while celebrating and fostering connections within the broader New Orleans skate scene.
Bobby Bonsey and Louise Neal
The Entrepreneur
Bobby Bonsey is a versatile dancer with 20 years of experience as a teacher and performing artist. From 2009-2013 he organized, choreographed, and directed flash mobs for various Fortune 500 companies and nonprofits. Since his move to Louisiana in 2012, he danced in numerous commercials, movies, and tv shows. In 2018, he won the Dancing Grounds Showdown for “best adult solo dancer” in the greater New Orleans area by tap dancing and break dancing on roller skates. He is also a professional photographer of 25 years and traveled extensively photographing and archiving the international swing dance scene. In 2020, Bobby co-founded New Orleans Skate School and currently oversees day-to-day operations, teaches the beginner and intermediate classes, and documents the local skate scene.
Louise Neal is an artist, designer, and musician working in various mediums. Originally a native of Seattle, she moved to New Orleans in 2013 after graduating with a BFA in sculpture from the Rhode Island School of Design. Over the past ten years, she has worked with various artists and art institutions, managing Hall-Barnett Gallery for five years, working as a preparator at the CAC and NOMA, and as a fabricator for local artists. In 2020, she co-founded New Orleans Skate School (NOSS). She loves applying her passion for visual design and illustration to NOSS, creating all the program’s branding and graphics. When she is not scheming up new roller business ideas, she is busy baking edible sculptures, playing with her rescue dogs and kitten, or fiddling with clay in her studio. She also plays violin in the orchestral metal band, Anareta.