Andréanna Seymore uses photography as a means of inquiry into American social class, subculture, and counterculture. What motivates people to form individual identities and groups often considered apart from social norms? “Scars and Stripes” is an ongoing project, begun in 2008, that studies the burgeoning phenomenon of modern roller derby.

While this unique American-born sport has its origins in the 1930s, and enjoyed national popularity from the 1940’s through the 70’s, it predominantly had been a form of sports entertainment where the theatrical elements overshadowed the athleticism. This gratuitous showmanship largely ended with the modern flat track version of the sport’s reemergence in 2001. Modern derby is committed to “facilitating the development of athletic ability, sportsmanship, and goodwill among member leagues” with leagues governed “by the skaters, for the skaters”—the primary owners, managers, and operators of each member league of associations such as the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) and Men’s Roller Derby Association (MRDA) are the skaters themselves.

In part because of its non-discriminatory nature, roller derby is currently the fastest growing sport in America, quickly moving from obscure sub-culture to mainstream pastime with more than 675 teams in the United States, and nearly 1,200 worldwide. While the modern version initially featured only all-female teams; they now include an increasing number of male, co-ed, and junior teams, all sharing a strong “do it yourself” (DIY) ethic which uniquely combines athleticism and elements from punk, camp, and third-wave feminist aesthetics.

Fall 2011 saw the world’s first international flat-track roller derby World Cup in Toronto hosted by Blood & Thunder Magazine featuring WFTDA teams from thirteen nations—a culmination of a decade of dedication, sacrifice and passion on behalf of thousands—ten thousand or more—skaters, predominantly women, and the communities that supported them. Andréanna Seymore was the official photographer for the Team USA, the gold medal winners.

The DIY spirit that drives the sport allows roller derby leagues to create their own unique identities and adapt their structures to reflect their local communities. It attracts women and men from small towns and large cities alike, housewives and working professionals, and bridges socio-economic classes. With growth has come increased media attention, and the past year or two has seen major coverage from The New York Times, NPR, ESPN, CNN, amongst a great deal of local coverage across the country.

“Scars and Stripes” seeks to capture the entrepreneurial spirit that brings modern roller derby alive; the extraordinary bonds that are created among the participants, the invigorating and infectious fanaticism, the exploitation of sexual stereotypes, and our cultural fascination with extreme sports. Ultimately the project is about passion: passion for community, and for participating in bold activities; and how such passion finds a place in our everyday lives.