Photographer Tim Durkan sees everything on Broadway — of course he has captured a photo of the Skipping Jestress (Image: Tim Durkan)
April Fools’ Day, the posters went up. She has a name. CHS had been watching Raven Scott do her thing around Capitol Hill since last year. Like many things weird and wonderful we see on Capitol Hill, we thought a little bit about her as she passed and then went about our own weird business. UPDATE: We have been informed that we should refer to her as a jestress — a female jester.
But after the April 1st posters — prank? marketing? both? — we decided to do more. Getting Raven Scott to hold still for an interview or even more photos has proved impossible. She seems perfectly happy to continue skipping across Capitol Hill without further explanation from your friendly neighborhood blog.
Instead, here is her interview from earlier this year with, of all things, the iskip “home of the worldwide skipping movement” site — How/when did you first start skipping as an adult?
As I stepped out the door on my first attempt at performing as a jester, as a street performer, it occurred to me that a jester should skip, or at least I, as a jester, should skip. So I went on about a mile or so skip through the local Saturday market, in Boise Idaho.
The next day I could not walk, or could barely walk. It took several days to recover.
Over the next couple of years I switched over my five mile run/jog to a five mile skip. I also realized that skipping, even without the costume was something of a spectacle, at least in Boise.
There’s plenty more here including her move to Seattle (two years ago), some health and equipment tips, and what it’s like skipping across Capitol Hill (it’s cool!).
And, of course, she says she believes skipping can change the world:
Yes, skipping and a sense of joy and silliness are very interrelated and if skipping could become a mainstream activity then I think it would promote joy, play and the silly sense of not taking things too seriously.
https://twitter.com/lolalaptop/status/652293338922508288
Oh I miss the Hill! I mean that in all seriousness.
I love stories like this.
Yay for the skipping Jester! Putting those sauntering jesters to shame.
Come on J – no Pulitzer for second hand reportage. We need you to get out and tell us about the real Jester ! Fresh quotes and a new angle…
I have not yet seen the skipping jester myself. I hope this jester, and others, continue to skip.
My kids LOVE it when we see her skipping about. I love living on the hill.
Thank you Raven for sharing your joy and energy with us and for brining this to Capitol Hill. Whenever we see you it totally lights up our days. We’re big fans!
And thank you CHS for the story because we’ve been wanting to know about Raven for a long time!
We this starts a trend!
I remember the first time I saw her. I am a big fan. Skipping is fun.
Seems like fun but also a lot of work!
Thanks for posting my video! Follow up: after she finished skipping back and forth in front of the flute playing dude, she went up and gave him a big hug!
Je Stress!