HolyStoked, a skateboarding collective goes live in Bangalore, India!

First HipHop and now Skateboarding, India provides an attractive demographic for brands looking to penetrate new markets. Levi'steams up with Holystoked, a collective of individuals formed to promote skateboarding in India on this three part documentary, "Skateboarding In India". Check out the first part below:

"The culture is growing but the streets are hard to skate"

So 24 skaters from the US, UK and Germany traveled to Bangalore, India to build the country's first skate-park. By doing so, not only are they introducing the youth to a new sport, but they are providing an outlet for youth, especially the underprivileged, a place to go learn something different and channel their energy. Check out what Eric Wolsky, the director of the series has to say about his experience:

How did this project originate and how did it come together?

Our Levi’s team in Europe worked with the 2er guys [the construction crew] on a build in Hannover, Germany, then that same crew met up with [two guys named] Shake and Soms from Holystoked in India. They wanted to get things going in India, and we were all down to make it happen. Holystoked had a vision, and we just wanted to help out.

What was your involvement in it?

I flew out to India about halfway through the project. Up front, we got it going, and I just wanted to be a part of the action. I’m not a builder, so I did things like shovel concrete, run to buy beers, and tie rebar together with wire.

What did you think about India before you started shooting? Did your feelings about it evolve while you were there?

Bangalore … crazy. I’ve never seen anything like it. Did my feelings evolve? Yeah, it was a super friendly place where we could hang out and feel local, even from out of the country.

What were the skaters’ reactions to India?

WHAT?!

What are the unique challenges of shooting there?

You have to talk to Simon and Mathias, who shot it all, but the fact is that there isnowhere to skate in India [made it difficult]. Footage was tough to get, but they nailed it.

How fast is skateboarding growing in India?

Follow Holystoked’s Facebook. They’re taking off. Building, promoting, and ultimately cultivating skateboarding there.

Did the building of the skatepark go smoothly or were there some bumps in the road?

Always bumps in the road. A park in two weeks, though? Those guys were amazing.

How many hours a day did the workers and skaters spend on the site during the two-week construction of the park?

All hours.

What were the reactions of the local skaters to it when it was finished?

The community seemed stoked (no pun intended). There were hundreds of people watching the sessions every day after it was finished. Confused, but stoked.

How is the park looking now? Are people skating it and is it being maintained well?

Holystoked is teaching skateboarding, English classes, and promoting skateboarding in a major way. Big ups to those guys. Just killing it.