DAILY GRIND: Interview with Wings Chan
Skater and exotic dancer Wings Chan talks about starting out, online meanies and kink weekends
Growing up in Dartford, Wings Chan sought comfort in a group of emo kids hanging about the skateparks listening to music – as so many kids do. But Wings was destined to be memorable.
From a strict Chinese family, her decisions to become a professional exotic dancer while also being on flow as a skater, harnessing an ample online following, cost her a relationship with her parents. But her hard work in becoming the best she can be at her chosen vocations – and even owning her own business – cannot be denied. A fascinating character, so we got in touch to find out so much more.
Hi Wings! Thanks for chatting to us! We saw on your profile that you represent Altar Skate Shop in Dartford. How did that start?
When I was a teenager, I was one of those emos hanging out at the skatepark.
I met Chris Chambers [owner of Altar] there. And then he opened his local skate shop. I’ve always been supporting him and then, about a year ago, he asked me to join their team. But yeah, I’ve been friends with him for so many years.
The whole Dartford scene and the Altar Skate Shop is a big thing to me. That was quite a big part of my life.
Those younger days, the music, the friends, they so often stick with you forever, right?
Yeah! Originally, I didn’t go there to skate. It was more of an escapism because my parents are very traditional Chinese, so they’re really strict. I just went to the skate park to sort of escape from all the cultural differences. And I was, like, “Well, I’m at this skate park, I should start to learn how to cruise about”. But I didn’t really get into skating until I was about 20. That’s when I started to actually try.
Your profile also says ‘I can’t Skate’. How come?
When I first started skating, I didn’t pick it up as easily as my friends did. I really, really struggled until about 24. I remember people saying to me “Oh, you’ve progressed and had a jump in levels because we can all tell that skateboarding doesn’t come easy to you”. And it’s true. But I never really let that put me off because at that time it was the only thing that was important to me, even though I was bad at it.
Well, to go from there to being in a skate team is some progress!
Yeah, I’m really happy that I’ve been given these opportunities. But I feel like since I hit my 30s, the way that I think now is not that I’m striving to have all these things – I’m just enjoying it for what it is.
And I think with my level of skating, I would definitely say it’s below average, but I think that other skaters can relate to it and enjoy watching someone that’s not absolutely amazing. When you want to watch things, you want to find it relatable, to see if it’s something that you can achieve as well. Yeah, I like to think that I’m representing women out there to just say ‘Do it’.
Well, you don’t look below average to us… so what do you do with Altar?
I help promote them through my page. And currently we’re all trying to create some team skate days where we meet up and skate together and get some footage. There’s loads of things coming down the line that we’re all going to get involved in.
How do you work with Etnies?
I’m basically on flow for them. So they send me shoes and apparel. They’ve been supporting me for a few years. And, to my knowledge, they’re the only skate shoes I know that actually cater to my size. I have weird feet, they’re size 2.5! So, when they reached out to me, I was looking at the sizes and was, like, “Oh my god, the universe is on my side!”.
The person that I communicate with also knows I like to go camping in Cornwall and visit all the skateparks there. So he likes to get me camping gear that Etnies provide as well, just like everyday hiking bags, bottles and camping gadgets, which is really sweet. Then I’ll just shout their company out on my Instagram.
You have got a 28K following on social media – has that been a gradual thing over the years?
I was maybe nearly at 10k followers, which was gradual, and then one video went viral. And that’s where I got all my other followers. It has been very interesting and it’s a bit of a touchy subject. This one video went viral and it got a lot of hate as well, which then generated traffic.
I get quite a lot of hate comments. I think if that happened when I was in my 20s I would have been in pieces, but because I’m very confident now I just like to say “OK, whatever”. It’s very mean out there online.
What kind of hate comments – just people who don’t like your skating style?
People, usually men, get angry that I get publicity, I guess, because I’m not a pro.
They don’t like what I wear, either. I am not a T-shirt girl. I like to wear nice things. So I get quite a lot of hate comments on what I wear as well.
Oh well, let’s leave them to it. The other part of your day is focused on dancing and performing. When did that begin?
I started dancing about four and a half years ago, and professionally for about two years. I was training really hard for a couple of years in aerial- and pole-dancing. I was maybe going skating like once a month, so I lost a few tricks, but my passion at that time was to do dancing professionally.
And now I can do dance professionally, my love for skateboarding has returned and I have even got a mini ramp in my garden now, which is just so much fun.
So you’re always performing different disciplines and performing at events!
I am a multi-skilled performer. And I do strip as well, but I specialise in exotic dancing. Most of the gigs I get booked for are usually for queer or fetish kink events. But I provide acts or go-go dancing, things like pole-dancing, aerial hoop, burlesque, and do some acrobatic chair stuff.
With skating as well, you must have to keep fit!
If I’m performing aerial, it’s really tough on the body. So if I need a break, or I’m injured, I can work in the club. Also, and this is such a random thing, I actually have a kink dungeon that is on Airbnb in Brighton. And I hire that out. And I also do a bit of graphic design as well. It all depends on how my body is feeling because I would put performing first.
Hold on… a kink dungeon?
Yes. In summer it gets really busy because I’m by the seaside. I get a lot of people visiting from far away, coming to Brighton beach to have some kinky fun, so they come and stay in my dungeon.
It’s got a bedroom and another room that has a cage in it and then an en-suite as well.
OK. Interesting. I mean, we were just going to ask what your favourite trick is?
I do have a favourite trick. I never know what it’s actually called – when I’ve asked people, everyone will argue about it. It’s a ‘no comply, shove it, under flip’. And I love doing that. It’s so much fun, but it’s not as consistent as my other tricks. But as my tricks go, that is probably the most interesting.
Well, you’ve got plenty of other interesting things that you do!
Ha ha! Yes!
