| Edinburgh is known to the locals as "an old lady w' a | | | | Central to Parkour is an heroic ethic derived from the |
| fur coat and nae knickers" which describes this | | | | ideas of Georges Hebert and the Belle family, French |
| haughty, grey, beautiful city to perfection - the | | | | military visionaries who promoted the idea that |
| respectable and the disreputable have always lived | | | | strength and athleticism should serve mankind, not |
| here, cheek by jowl. But something's been giving the | | | | just glorify those who embody it. Danny brings the |
| old girl a bit of a thrill over the past few months - a | | | | ethic of Parkour to bike stunt riding: he loves his |
| dashing young chap from the far-away Isle of Skye | | | | sport, and through his words and the spectacle of his |
| has been making himself free about her person, | | | | riding itself communicates that love and a dedicated, |
| risking life and limb to conquer some of her | | | | resilient, "can-do" courage which are the very |
| less-well-known spaces. | | | | opposite of the egoism and exploitation which |
| Dave Sowerby has been filming Danny MacAskill's | | | | dominate commercial sport, where only money talks |
| amazing stunt biking across the city for many | | | | and the most money talks loudest. |
| months. Beautifully paced and edited, featuring a | | | | In this, as in all Parkour, watching is integral to the |
| haunting, spiralling Band of Horses soundtrack, these | | | | game. There would be no sport without the medium |
| short films showcase the artistry of their subject - | | | | of video - clever edits and angles amplify the sense |
| and if you're needing a little inspiration, they're | | | | of risk and interest as Danny - incredibly - |
| must-see. | | | | manoeuvres his bike across the spikes atop a |
| Parkour - "freerunning" in English - has been around | | | | cast-iron fence, pirouettes across a plaza or runs up |
| for over a hundred years. Originating in France, its | | | | a tree. I'm looking forward to seeing a lot more of |
| modern disciples run, jump, leap and apparently defy | | | | David's work in the near future. |
| gravity as they explore the vertical and horizontal | | | | Danny's had great sponsorship from Inspired, who |
| surfaces of the blighted urban landscapes which are | | | | make his frames and forks and no doubt underwrite |
| their habitat. The striking, exquisitely calculated stunts | | | | the costs of filming. It's surely a great investment for |
| make us see our cities as never before - it's a truly | | | | them but even more than that, it's a gift they, David |
| original and genuinely thrilling, grass-roots fitness | | | | Sowerby and Danny himself give the whole world. |
| movement which has inflamed the passion of urban | | | | Catch him now, on YouTube or at: |
| adventurers from Jakarta to Jersey. | | | | (c)2009 Alex Brunel. All rights reserved. |