David Belle at the New Yorker Festival

Posted by misterparkour on May 1, 2008

On October 7^th, 2007 David Belle attended the New Yorker Festival in New York City. A Parkour event/workshop was put on during which David performed and entertained extensive questions from the audience. Below are four videos from this event, and we have transcribed a few excerpts from David’s answers as well.

The first and second videos are short versions that include only a few clips from the event. They are succinct edits that feature some of the most important questions and answers from David. All the information in these two short videos are included in the longer versions, but we have put them here in case you do not have the time to watch the longer videos. The third video is 45 minutes long and is the “shortened, cleaned-up version of the footage shot by the New Yorker.” The last video is full length New Yorker version.

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“A lot of people in their mind think ‘If there is a problem this is what I would do, this is how I would do it.’ But the truth is they don’t really know. Parkour teaches you to be sure of what you are able to do.”

“All of the movements in Parkour come from the monkeys and the way they move.” (Alec Wilikinson speaking for David)

“I would like it to become a useful method for all risk jobs and professions, and teach the small ones to be self confident and to learn to be careful.”

“You need to know why it is you want to do it, is it for yourself? It shouldn’t be a sport that you do to impress other people. You have to be convinced that what you’re going to learn is going to make you better and give you confidence. Then after all the other freestyle stuff it’s because you feel good and you’re having fun. But never forget what is essential. You’re never going to see a firefighter who’s going to jump into a burning building to save someone and [see them] do flips and all that. In order to be essential, the more direct possible, to choose the shortest path and that’s what’s really important.”

“We are in a generation where we often tell kids ‘Don’t touch that, don’t go there, be careful,’ all these [people doing Parkour] are future fathers and they will be able to tell their kids what they can do, how they can be careful. Teach your children to be self confident and be strong.”

“For me there is one discipline that developed called Parkour. After that if some people what to turn it into a business and use other terms, use other wordings, other names, where we all do the same thing they are not different kinds of Parkour. Someone who can fight, a real fighter, can fight underground, small, big, everywhere. Parkour is the same you must adapt to everything that’s here, everything that’s around us, and adapt to everything you can do. They are not derivatives. And then acrobatics are different. You can do it here, but you can’t do it for one hour. But you can do Parkour and discover your surroundings for a long time. Whether it is Sébastien Foucan they know it. They all do the same discipline, they all practice the same discipline. Maybe by egos some will appropriate certain things. But for me it doesn’t bother me. I am happy to be here, happy to see every body. I realize that my father is gone. He didn’t leave me anything material, no house, no car no money, but he left me this art. And as long as I am alive I will try to transmit it to as many people as possible.”

“When you have an audience you want to surpass yourself. But you should be able to move as if you’re alone to remain true to what you can do. People can give you energy to move, an audience can give you energy to move. But it’s not worth taking the risk. You only have one life.”

-David Belle as translated by “Maggie”

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Three minute video featuring David performing and answering questions. Questions that David answers in this video include: “When you are walking around a city are you walking, are you jogging or are you always leaping off of buildings and over things?” and “Do you dream in Parkour?”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LREyzofKpT4

Five minute video featuring David performing and answering questions. In this video David answers the question: “What is your history with Sébastien Foucan who coined the term Freerunning, and what are your views on Freerunning?”

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7178666569064663025&q=David%20Belle%20New%20York&hl=en

This is a shortened, cleaned-up version of the footage shot by the New Yorker. It is 45 minutes in length. Minutes 1-11 feature David answering questions from the audience. Minutes 11-19 feature the Parkour workshop/training session that took place and this section ends with a short performance by David. The rest of the video (minutes 20-45) is solid questions and answers from David.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8399402550292339173&q=David%20Belle%20New%20York&hl=en

Full New Yorker Version

http://www.newyorker.com/online/video/festival/2007/Parkour