A jump in sales after New Year’s is common for Jumprope.com, as folks attempt to fulfill fitness resolutions. But this year, the online retailer is doing a double take at the bump and the catalyst: “Jump In,” a new Disney Channel movie about a young boxer who discovers he loves being in between the double Dutch ropes.
“I figured it would give us something,” said Irene Henderson, spokeswoman for Heartbeat Enterprises, which operates Jumprope.com. “I didn’t expect it so quickly.”
The movie — featuring Corbin Bleu, the best friend in last year’s Disney cross-marketing juggernaut “High School Musical,” and Harvey native Keke Palmer of “Akeelah and the Bee” — highlights the competitive side of a sport often dismissed as a playground activity. But the athleticism of the jumpers in the movie is stirring more than a few bodies to get involved, say instructors and competition organizers.
“Kids are talking about [the movie] on message boards and calling us asking questions about it,” said John Fletcher, operations manager of USA Jump Rope. Fletcher said most of the callers are interested in joining teams or starting their own.
As calls and e-mails stream in to jumprope groups, organizers are not only feeling the power of Disney’s marketing muscle, they’re also using the movie as an opportunity to introduce and explain the sport to those intrigued by its speed, grace and excitement.
“This will be another tool we can refer people to,” said Jean Hodges, secretary general of AAU Jump Rope. “Up until now, we’ve referred to the ESPN airings of the national championships, which have been televised the last 10 to 12 years.”
Hodges’ organization and others have touted the movie on their Web sites and in “e-blasts” to members, many of whom held viewing parties for the movie’s Jan. 12 premiere. USA Jump Rope members Marcus Taylor and Briana Felix performed as stunt doubles for Bleu and Palmer.
“There’s a buzz about it in the jump-roping community,” Fletcher said. “It’s a real visual movie … especially in the last 10 or 15 minutes, when they’re showing the competition. You can’t help but look at it. … When they show national competitions on TV, people always say to me, `I had no idea you could do that with a jump-rope.'”
That buzz started several months ago when Disney began airing music videos from the movie. Jump-rope organizers and retailers believe the fuss will continue as Disney repeats the movie, which drew 8.2 million viewers, making it the most-watched Disney Channel telecast ever. Last year’s premiere of the phenomenally successful “High School Musical” drew 7.8 million viewers, and that movie’s soundtrack ranked as last year’s top-selling album. Last week, the “Jump In” soundtrack debuted at No. 5 on Billboard, and Bleu’s “Push It to the Limit” was the No. 3 iTunes download. “Jump In” is scheduled to air several more times.
Columbia, Md.-based Heartbeat Enterprises typically sells about 10 ropes a day online, Henderson said. But after the “Jump In” premiere, about 50 ropes, mostly for double Dutch, sold through the Web site over that weekend. “Normally, we sell a lot of the fitness kit that consists of a rope, DVD and a manual,” she said.
“This is kind of different to see so much double Dutch going out the door.”
An AAU Jump Rope workshop held in Alsip the day after the movie aired drew about 160 participants — adults and children — five times the usual number, said Sheila Kellogg, coach of Chicago Heights’ Steppin’ Higher double Dutch team.
Kellogg has ties to AAU Jump Rope, the American Double Dutch League, and is president of the Illinois Double Dutch League.
“That’s huge for us,” she said.
Jump-ropes can be purchased online and at some sporting-goods stores. They’re generally made of vinyl cord, polyurethane beads or cloth.
Jump-rope history is a little fuzzy, but some believe the activity dates to ancient Egypt and China, when ropemakers who were twisting hemp would jump over them to retrieve strands, according to the International Rope Skipping Federation Web site.
In the 1600s, Dutch settlers brought rope-skipping to America, where it was mainly done by boys until the 1800s, when girls were also encouraged to take up the activity, the Web site says. Today, girls and boys participate in competitions. USA Jump Rope says its membership is about 60 percent girls.
Interest generated by the movie is leading Kellogg to keep open registration for her teams. “Every practice session, we’ve had new kids coming in,” she said.
Now that the spotlight is on jump-roping and the gymnastics-inspired moves top-tier competitors pull off, how will the sport’s backers maintain interest after the “Jump In” buzz wears off?
Five-time jump-rope world champion Rene Bibaud, who performs and instructs through her Seattle-based Ropeworks company, thinks enthusiasm and encouragement are the keys.
“It all comes down to a wonderful facilitator, whether that’s a coach, a teacher or a parent,” she said.
“I think what you’re going to see is more jump-rope performances at half-time shows and on TV. It’s kind of like skateboarding — a niche, alternative activity and as more people become aware of it, as it becomes more mainstream, you’ll have more opportunities to be highlighted at events.”
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Get in the swing. What you need to know.
Jumping rope is a low-maintenance activity. Comfortable clothes, such as shorts and a T-shirt, and some well-padded athletic shoes and a rope are about all you need.
Ropes start as low as $3.95 for a single made of 11/2-inch polyurethane beads, often used by children just learning to jump because it arcs better, said Irene Henderson, spokeswoman for online retailer Jumprope.com. Double Dutch rope kits — consisting of a pair of 14-foot ropes and a chart that shows the basics of turning and some tricks — start at $13.95 for vinyl speed ropes. A beaded double Dutch rope kit is $16.95, and a cloth rope kit is $18.95. Kids say cloth ropes don’t hurt as much if they hit your legs, Henderson said.
If you’re interested in competing — in either single rope or double Dutch — you’ll need to factor in fees for membership in sponsoring organizations, insurance and transportation, says Illinois Double Dutch League President Sheila Kellogg. Also, if you’re a parent of a competitive jump-roper, figure on volunteering time to help coordinate meets and ferry kids to competitions.
For more information on jump-roping, check out the following organizations:
– Illinois Double Dutch League: About 20 teams from the Chicago area and more than 200 participants. Contact Sheila Kellogg at steppinhigher@ yahoo.com.
– USA Jump Rope: Umbrella organization (based in Huntsville, Texas) for jump-rope in the U.S. Sponsors national and international jump-roping competitions in single, long rope and double Dutch, and regulates standards and procedures for competitions. Contacts: usajumprope.org, 800-225-8820.
– AAU Jump Rope: One of about 30 sports sponsored by the Amateur Athletic Union. Hosts clinics and competitions for singles, pairs, double Dutch and team jump-rope, leading to the AAU Junior Olympic Games, set for July 25-Aug. 4 in Knoxville, Tenn. Contacts: Dan Stanley, 407-828-4394, or aausports.org.
– American Double Dutch League: Promotes the sport of double Dutch and healthy life choices for young people. Based in Cherry Hill, N.J. Contacts: www. usaddl.org, 800-982- 2335.
— Maria Mooshil
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`Jump In’ follows winning formula
Disney Channel’s “Jump In” follows a formula, but like “High School Musical” it does it in an energetic, heart-warming fashion.
A recently widowed father who runs a Brooklyn boxing gym is grooming his teenage son, Izzy (Corbin Bleu), to follow in his Golden Gloves-winning footsteps. Izzy is dutiful in his training until he’s sidetracked by Mary (Keke Palmer), a neighbor whose double Dutch team is down a member. With Izzy filling in, Mary’s team gains the pizazz it needs to become a threat and Izzy finds he’s passionate about double Dutching.
But Izzy doesn’t want anyone to know he’s training with a bunch of girls. So the group practices at the crack of dawn at the boxing gym before it opens. When word gets out despite their secretive efforts, Izzy is crushed and bows out, leaving Mary and her team in the lurch. This all leads to a dramatic and surprising conclusion.
“It’s absolutely true to life,” said Jean Hodges, secretary general of AAU Jump Rope, of Izzy’s reticence about jump-roping. “The young men who are involved are a little in the closet about it. But when people see what they can do, they come out of the closet.”
— Maria Mooshil
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mmooshil@tribune.com
