Contributed by
Skate Downtown Cincinnati
While the Cincinnati Bengals did not make it to the big game on Sunday, February 11, in Las Vegas, Cincinnatians were able to watch another Queen City athlete on the field, local pro rollerskater Dylan Morton.
Morton, a professional roller skater and Cincinnati native, was on the national stage alongside Usher during the Super Bowl XVIII halftime show. While most people were busy voting on the best and worst ads, there is one part of the broadcast we can all agree on: Dylan Morton made us proud!
Morton, a sought-after performer and skating instructor at rinks across the country, including Cincinnati Park’s outdoor rink in Sawyer Point and the Cincinnati Recreation Commission’s indoor rink at their Over-the-Rhine location, has been conspicuously absent from his usual schedule. For the past several weeks, Morton has been in Las Vegas working with noted performers to choreograph and prepare a skating routine for the halftime show event of the year.
From Rees E Price Elementary to the national stag, Dylan discovered his passion for roller skating at an early age. The rink is now his roadmap as his talent and dedication to this athletic art form has propelled him into the spotlight. He is now recognized internationally as one of the most promising pro roller skaters in the industry.
“We are thrilled to see Dylan representing our skating community and Cincinnati on stage during the game of games,” said Morgan Rigaud, community organizer of the grassroots skating group Skate Downtown Cincinnati. “His story of triumph is a testament to the determination that defines the spirit of Cincinnati. It is exciting to see the talent that we know from our local rinks on the national stage. We are beaming with pride.”
Morton previously performed alongside numerous billboard sensations and well-known skaters as they launched Flipper’s Roller Skating Boogie Palace in London in 2022. He’s also shared the stage with many other celebrity entertainers and has been both a choreographer and skater on the premiere season of a comedy series about friends who are active at a local roller rink, which appeared on Disney channel in 2023.
Morton has skated on stage with artists such as Mariah Carey and Pink in the Billboard Music Awards, European Music Awards and the American Music Awards. He is a Riedell Superstar and has collaborated with many other recognizable brands like Adidas. Trained in various styles of roller skating, including jam, rhythm, JB, Jersey, and partner skating, Morton regularly teaches lessons and leads skate workshops in Cincinnati as an active volunteer in the Skate Downtown Cincy initiative in partnership with Cincinnati Parks, Cincinnati Parks Foundation and Cincinnati Recreation Commission.