From the moment the cast of Skate! zips out onto the rink at Playland Skate Center, there is an intense, joyful buzz created by a cross between the energy it generates and an ecstatic sentimentality as the audience is hurled back in time to childhood days at the rink. Anyone who has ever roller skated will, within the first five minutes of the performance, be seized with an urge to take up the hobby once again, to commit to skating every day for the rest of forever.

Forklift Danceworks artistic director Allison Orr is known for creating performances that are a mash-up between members of her troupe and all sorts of everyday folk who do not necessarily have formal or even informal dance backgrounds. In the past she’s produced shows featuring maintenance men, firefighters, Elvis impersonators, pregnant women, and visually impaired people and their service dogs. The idea of bringing her dancers together with Austin’s best, most dedicated roller skaters is nothing short of brilliant. And the execution is, in short, wonderful.

Two standout performers, in a cast full of wonderful skaters, are Michael “Mr. Rollerskate” Febonio and Jerry Wallace who, at 71, is the oldest member of the troupe. Anyone who’s skated at Playland in the past will recognize these dedicated skaters immediately.

What is it about skating that is so compelling? It might seem a little too academic or analytical to put it this way, but here is a truth about whizzing around in circles on wheels: roller skating is accessible to a huge cross section of people. Unlike, say, organized sports that require hefty membership fees, regular practices, and the risk of elitism (sailing, ice hockey and even soccer leagues come to mind), just about anyone with a few bucks and a couple of hours can enjoy the endorphin rush of flying on the ground that skating brings. That this joy is usually accompanied by pulsating disco hits makes it all the more enjoyable.

The cast of Skate! cuts across a broad demographic—all ages, sizes, ethnicities, and both genders are well represented. There’s speed skating, waltzing, couples dancing, break dancing, and even a faux brawl on wheels—fast, furious and hilarious—performed by members of the Texas Rollergirls. The music— from Michael Jackson to Queen to Abba to Nina Rota compositions—impeccably matches the moves.

And the audience, seated close enough along the edges of the rink to get a sense of borderline danger as the skaters zoom just inches away, is equally fun to watch. The crowd that gathered for the Thursday night performance included everyone from newborns to the very elderly—this is an excellent show for the family, and the price of admission includes a free skate afterwards. The only bummer is that Sunday is, alas, the final performance. It’s highly likely to sell out so advance ticket purchase is strongly advised.