Lister

By Karina Kold
Translated by Maria Lillegaard Hansen  

The abs are tightening, legs are trembling and arms and hips are swaying from side to side as Jens Meldgaard holds his balance at the four centimetres wide line fastened between two stumps of trees.

Orange Press paid a visit to the Movement Area at Agora C where it is all about finding your inner child through movement. One of the activities is called slacking – a form of advanced line dance.    

Slacking is for everyone

More people are jumping up on the polyester line. Concentrating. Balancing. Or falling down with a big laugh. Even though the chaps behind the event and www.slackline.dk are a bunch of handsome, muscular guys, slacking is for everyone. “Can I try?” asks a girl in a pair of shorts and a bikini. She lightly puts her right hand at Jeppe Skovgaard’s bare shoulder and steps up on the slack line. 

After half an hour of training and some basic guidance, she is walking the line from stump to stump fully concentrated and with a glint of triumph in her eyes. A friend walks by. “Hey, take a look at what I just learned!” she yells.    

Show them what you can do

Around their bellies, the guys have tightened a line to a couple of big red balloons. It is show time! Slacking is also about showing what you can do – and it is okay to show off a bit. “It is mostly for fun. Everybody has their own personal goals. And you experience a lot of small successes”, says Sabina Hansen and squats down on the slack line.  After several failed tries, Jens Meldgaard manages to jump from one line past the stump of tree and onto the next line. “Heyyy!” one of his friend appreciatively comments.  

A couple of metres away a somewhat drunk festival guest is giving it a try on shaky but very eager legs. Under each arm is a friend supporting him the best they can. Here everybody can get a helping hand. “Look at that girl over there. She really got good fast”, Jens Meldgaard says about the girl in the pair of shorts and a bikini. Jeppe Skovgaard gives a satisfying nod: “Cool.” One more festival guest has learned to slack.  

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