Surfing Land: Building Your Community Through College Years.
Longboarding, Filmography & Creating Social Impact With Natalie Pluto.
Natalie Pluto, age 20, was born and raised in Washington, D.C., and currently resides in Los Angeles. Her two biggest passions are longboarding and filmography.
Pluto started skating about five years ago, and she specializes in freestyle dancing on longboards. She is currently sponsored by Travelol Longboard, Caliber Truck Company, and Skate Blood Orange Wheels. YouTube/Instagram has given her a platform where she can combine both of her passions for the world to witness.
She occasionally surfs, and by her own words, “longboard-freestyling” is not very popular in the U.S. Competitions held in the US are generally small, but some main international competitions are held in the Netherlands and once in China.
Given Pluto’s courageous talents, b.glenish! needed to know how she expresses herself, (and if we can learn to surf land, too. But probably not. We’re on the dreamer side of this conversation.)
Natalie, what is longboard freestyling? How is it different from skateboarding?
Natalie: “Longboards are simply longer versions of skateboards. Longboards are restricted to flat ground, while skateboards can be used on rails, stairs, and other obstacles, due to their smaller size. Despite that, longboards allow for more space and freedom for “flowy” and “flashy” movements without having to make complicated flips and jumps.”
According to her observations, skateboarding more popular amongst males, while the longboarding community is more diverse. Simply put, long and tall, or short and small, in Los Angeles — there’s boards for all.
What was it about longboarding that appealed to you, initially?
Natalie: “I was always into sports and athletics growing up.”
“I was introduced to skating through my brother, who gave his skateboard to me when he left for college. I was too young for my driver’s license, and used the board for transportation to and from school, and to visit my friends and family.”
“Now, the act of skating is just fun for me, and I enjoy meeting new friends throughout the entire skating community.”
Were there any obstacles or stereotypes you ran into as a woman in a predominantly masculine sport?
Would you have any advice to share for women who want to embrace skating activities, but are worried about judgement?
Natalie: “In my honest experience, I feel like everyone in this community is incredibly open-minded and accepting. Most of the time, I’ve received support and never any rude comments.”
“Some women may tend to feel nervous about receiving certain kinds of attention when entering a male-dominated sport like skating. To this, I would really say just go for it. It’s a very cool thing to step out there and try something new… It’s okay to get out there and just skate, and I think it’s awesome and very inspiring.”
“If you’re worried, bring a close female friend along for your first few runs. Laugh, joke things away, it’s not a competition between you and anyone else.”
Pluto mentions that there are a growing number of groups dedicated to creating a supportive community amongst female skaters, such as“GRLSWIRL”, a community full of empowering young women who support each other and host events and practice sessions. Pluto also recognizes that many of her female followers look to her to gain their confidence, and she is very glad to be in such a role.
How popular is longboard freestyle on the East Coast, where you’ve spent some time?
Natalie: “The longboard freestyle culture is very small or almost non-existent on the East Coast.” (When compared to the West Coast).
“The sport is definitely localized to Los Angeles. As I see it, traditional skateboarding is the most popular genre, followed by downhill longboarding then longboard freestyling.
Is longboarding your full-time career? You had mentioned your interest in filmography a bit, too.
Natalie: “I graduated from the New York Film Academy, Los Angeles in 2020. There, I worked on short films and music videos alongside my vlogs for my YouTube channel. Although I love to skate, I want to focus on film as a full-time career (and keep longboarding a hobby on the side). Right now, I am currently a freelance filmographer. I have some interest in acting, too, for later down the road.”
Internationally, where do you see the future of longboarding going?
Natalie: “People value community.”
“I would anticipate that the community is continuing to grow, especially as I have seen it witin the past year due to COVID. I absolutely love inspiring others, so I see myself being a guide or mentor for others as they take their first steps. In the future, I’ve thought about opening my own board shop, or starting my own brand as well.”
b.glenish! inspires readers to be themselves + live in full authenticity. When you have a tough day at school or in your personal life, what helps you lift your spirits back up?
Natalie: “When I’m in a funk, I definitely like to be outdoors and do something active, like skating and/or running. Listening to music and watching movies also helps lift my spirits and motivates me creatively. Socializing with and watching my friends accomplish their goals is also another thing picks me up and keeps me going.”
Pluto’s favorite movies are ones that involve both fantasy and reality. She likes when the film inspires her to think about certain plot details and themes, since they allow her to work on her own directing and screenwriting skills. Her favorite genres are thriller, horror, and action. She also notes Satoshi Kon, who directed animated films including Perfect Blue, Paprika, and Tokyo Godfathers.
With music, she enjoys mellow electronic music and indie rock.
COVID-19 has impacted everyone’s life in one way or another throughout the past year? How have you personally remained strong throughout such challenging times?
Natalie: “I was actually still in school when the pandemic started, and graduated in September 2020.”
“The absence of a traditional graduation ceremony, as well as being separated physically from my classmates and friends was tough, for certain. However, I’ve humbled myself in knowing that there are many other people in the world who have been going through much worse. Right now, I am looking forward to finding a career in the film industry, and moving back to the West Coast.”
“The pandemic has given me more time to work on creative projects that I previously did not have the time for, which has been a diamond in the rough.”
Our parent company is a Japanese skincare brand, but we also believe that beauty is not limited to what we see on the outside, but also to be fulfilled and living YOUR best life.
How would you define beauty, happiness, and wellbeing, on your own terms?
Natalie: “To me, kindness is a very important component of beauty. My mom taught me at a young age, to always be nice to everyone, even if they aren’t so nice to me. Spreading love and positivity promotes such a strong feeling. And to me, that FEELS like true beauty.”
You have a fairly impressive social following of over 40K. How did you establish your online community?
Natalie: “I would attribute my following to remaining connected to, and engaging with my followers, as well as general self-branding (consistency and authenticity). I really do value actual conversations and shared memories, over the number of followers that I have.
Regarding her current fanbase, she describes it as: “It’s like one big family that’s slowly growing and growing.” I am extremely grateful for the support I have and have received.”
Meet Natalie Pluto: Where to Follow Along With Her Next Adventure.
Pluto wishes the best in health and positivity as we stay safe and healthy during this pandemic. She also hopes to be able to visit Japan soon, as she is interested in Japanese culture (and Japanese food). Local L.A. Japanese restaurants are one of her favorite places to grab a bite in the city.
Below, we’ve round-up all of Pluto’s online platforms, and she welcomes evweryone to come and say hello, too.
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nataliepluto/?hl=en
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/c/NataliePluto/featured
TikTok (@nataliepluto)
Website https://nataliepaigepluto.com
