Meet Tony Sailor | Professional Atlanta Style Roller Skater & Founder of Sick on Skates Crew

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tony Sailor and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tony, what habits do you feel play an important role in your life?
I tend to use fishing as a way of therapy and relaxation. I have a habit of trying to finish things early in the day, to give myself enough time to do other things. I try my best to not swear the small stuff and live my authentic self. And lastly, I try to laugh & smile more often. These are some habits that come to mind.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am Tony L Sailor Jr. I’m a Skate Enthusiast, College Graduate, Actor/Dancer/Entertainer, International Skate Instructor, Co- Author of Amazon #1 Best seller in 10 categories “The Evolution of Skating Volume 1”  a veteran who served in the United States Military for 22 years. 3 of those years in the Air Force and the remaining 19 in the Army. Prior to me joining the military I’ve always had a passion for the arts do to my attendance at Avondale High School of the Performing Arts in which kept me connected to entertainment, and roller skates. When I turned 16 I began to skate more and more in which I begun to see skating in many different ways to communicate my emotions and express myself in a positive manner, this surely kept me out of trouble. The music and southern experience during that era played a huge role in allowing me to incorporate & interpret the culture to gain an understanding to put it on display. This mindset attracted like minded individuals that I bonded with and together we helped improve our abilities to skate as one. By the time I was 19 this new focus pushed me to develop and create multiple skate routines, a skate team and ideas that pushed a new type of skate culture in Atlanta and surrounding cities. This developed into the Atl Skate Crew Culture. My goal at the time was to build a team that can skate on any type of surface, perform for any type of crowd inside and outside of the rinks, travel to other states during normal sessions and skate parties, and lastly prove to those in other skate communities or to those who opposed Atl skaters, that Atlanta Roller-skaters had a style that should get the same respect that Andre 3000 express during a B.E.T Award ceremony. At the age of 22 my desire for this has been shared and repeated through the years. Other crews began to follow that path and the culture began to take on a many avenues. Several opportunities came along that allowed me to share a once in a lifetime benefits. Such benefits inspired others to seek out those dreams as well weather as an independent roller skater or crew/ squad. I was able to continue this during several overseas deployments to include state emergency such as Hurricane Katrina.I began to heavily teach others on how to skate, instruct and create skate choreography along with teaching skate crew etiquette. In 2005 I also Founded a team of skaters called Georgia Rampage Skate Crew INC. This crew was the blueprint for things to come in the future. We were able to win trophies and become recognized as one of the best youngest coed crew in ATL. In 08’ 09’ I had to leave for military deployment. Upon my return the crew I hoped leaving in the hands of someone I trusted, had other plans that undermined the foundation of the goals achieved. This caused a great split however a new vision. I took a half year off from roller skating that year and one of my old skate mates Lanier Mangunuilt called and ask me to lace back up she was passing on a task that she stated she only knows one person that can pull this off by creating a skate team and performing for a client. I told her I will think about it. I thought back when I was deployed I got on top of a platform and began to skate. A few soldiers were walking by and stoped to watch me do my thing. One of them said “ Aye you pretty sick on them skates”. That statement stuck me for awhile, so when ask to put on a skate performance for a client, I already had our name Sick On Skates Crew. A new era and mindset began for me. That performance sparked bigger avenues. So far I have performed on multiple stages, festivals, competition shows such as “Americas Best Dance Crew”, auditoriums to include Hose Feed the Hungry of Atl, parades such as Sweet Aurburn Festivals, “Fight against Cancer” and Black History Month Parade & many outdoor events with local community churches and the YMCA. I’ve also been featured in several music videos, Stars, HBO and Netflix, live onstage performances for Hip Hop Urban 5th Honors Awards & Movies such as “ATL” were I helped with skate choreography and performed as the leader of The Preps. During the Covid Epidemic I helped Co-Author a book that became #1 Amazon best seller called “The Evolution of Skating Volume 1”. This year we had some big events that definitely impacted areas overseas. Sept 14, 2023 I took my crew and abilities to Barcelona, Spain to teach a Masters Class at one of the biggest skate festivals in the world known as “Skate Love Barcelona” this was such a great experience I was ask to return and travel abroad we also preformed on World of Dance in Atlanta. and our final performance will be at StateFarm Arena V-103 Winter Fest with DJ Kizzy Rock on the Freaknik Bass Set. Currently I spend my time teaching and instructing. January 2024 I plan to hold classes teach children and adults at Result Kids Club in Decatur.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well depending on the season in Ga, it will dictate those locations. Overall I like this restaurant called Milk & Honey in Snellville, Juicy Jerk in Stone Mountain, but home cooked meals are my favorite. Bowling, Skating, East Ponce City Market Roof top or a good Comedy Show. Atlanta always has an event so it all depends on the occasion.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
DJ Kizzy Rock (Musical Artist), Ryon Horne (Atlanta Journal Constitutions), Richard William’s founder (SK8TL) Kamille Gilmore of (Kameo Studio’s), Towra Joe of (Vertical Joe’s), Maurice Gaston of (Results Kids Club) Richard Houston of (Skate your Case Ent), Cherrise Edward & Preston Kidd founder Tear it up Squad, Pastor Corey Bing (Bread of Life Community Church), Pastor YaQuis Shelley (The Hand International & Branch Outreach Center)

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