Kendama USA

Posts Tagged ‘dave mateo’

Kenyatta Williams is PRO!

We are excited and honored to announce Kenyatta Williams as the newest 2022 Kendama USA Pro! Kenyatta’s passion and dedication to kendama, blading, and helping others progress has made him a pillar in the kendama community. The San Diego native had a vision for Kendama where much like blading, you incorporate every part of your body with variations, combos, flow etc… and he made it into a reality, blending blading, fashion, technical kendama tricks, and dance through play; changing the way we all see Kendama. Join us in welcoming the steeziest kat in the game to the pro team; Kenyatta Williams.

“Kendama was so stiff to me so I approached it with the mindset to use angles, go outside boundaries, even kicking my kens! Everyday I told myself to do something i hadn’t done the previous day.”

Kenyatta continues to challenge himself and has motivated countless players not only through play, but by engaging players, organizing events, attending jams, competing, filming tricks & tutorials, judging tournaments and much much more. Kenyatta is an embodiment of what it means to be a PRO and share Kendama. We’ve been truly blessed to have Kenyatta as a part of our family and are excited for the next chapter!

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Logan Tosta is PRO | Kendama USA

Logan Tosta is a Kendama USA ProLogan Tosta is a Kendama USA Pro! Logan has been an inspiration since we met him back in 2013 during the KG Roots Tour in SF. It’s hard to believe he was just 9 when he gave TJ Kolesnik & Dave Mateo a run for their money in Games of KEN. We saw an amazing role model, ambassador, and potential champion of both the community and the sport and that’s exactly what Logan has become. Join us in welcoming a champion of Kendama to the pro team!

Logan’s style, energy, positivity, and competitiveness is a vibe that’s been felt worldwide. His near impossible and gravity-defying combinations continue to raise the bar and not only built awareness around the kendama as a whole but continue to motivate and challenge players everywhere. Logan and his family continue to support, organizing, and attend jams, filming tricks, demonstrating at schools, and simply sharing kendama everywhere he goes… we’ve watched Logan grow; not only as a person, player, and as a contributing member of the Kendama community and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.

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AGKO 2019 Recap

AGKO Girls!

I’m in a van full of Kendama players blasting early 2000′s Emo Punk music as we all take turns to yank spike a mini Kendama on our road trip from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. That’s how my weekend started leading up to the All-Girls Kendama Open!

I got to join my friends @kmarqued @null @null @null & @null on our journey to AGKO. We rented a van, stocked up on food & drinks, (a whole lotta SunChips), good vibes, and a playlist full of nostalgic music! The first hour or so we were stuck in classic LA traffic but it didn’t matter at all because we were all having so much fun already, and everyone was just so hyped to be together in one place! In the car we would lace tricks with a mini Kendama we brought along, and during our pit stops, we’d have a film sesh or just jam to stretch out our bodies. We would even practice the AGKO trick list. It was honestly a Kendama road trip that I’ve always wanted, and I already knew at that moment that it was gonna be such a fun and unforgettable weekend!

The following day was the big day. We had a whole day of free time until the competition, so we decided to check out Seven Magic Mountains and film some tricks there. I ran into a group of Japanese tourists and they noticed my Kendama, so of course, I got them to try it out. They all took turns trying to spike, and one of them already knew how to play and managed to lace Around Japan first try! I taught him how to Lighthouse and he managed to get it after a few tries! He was so stoked and it gave me so much joy!

We then headed to the venue Distrct Arts where I was welcomed by a whole lot of familiar and unfamiliar faces. It was such a crazy experience meeting friends I’d known for over a year online and also meeting people I didn’t know but was able to connect thanks to Kendama. I was also welcomed by organizers Haley Bishoff, Carolina Herrera, and Kevin DeSoto. Some of them I was meeting for the first time but was warmly welcomed like we’ve known each other for a long time. The whole room was just filled with such good vibes and it was so beautiful to see so many purple colors everywhere and I could feel so much love in that room.

As well as the main competition, 7 to Spike was also planned for the event. As I was registering for the competition, I suddenly decided to try out 7 to Spike. I saw the list of names who had signed up for it and I thought I wouldn’t be much of a competition to those people and I might end up embarrassing myself not being able to lace anything in such a freestyle situation which I didn’t have any experience in. But I knew it won’t matter at all as long as I have fun. It was also an opportunity I knew I won’t come across often, and I thought it would be the best way to celebrate Dave Mateo. Just going out there and having fun. And I’m so glad that I decided to do so! The whole energy I felt was incredible, I was honestly a little nervous and shaky going up there at first so I wasn’t able to land any tricks. But the crowd’s reactions to seeing what I was attempting gave me so much energy and helped calm me down. Everyone was so supportive and encouraging! I’ll never forget that energy I felt during that game!

The competitions were also such an amazing experience. This was my first ever competition and big event so it was even my first time watching a competition live! It was so exciting being able to support my friends compete in person! I was shouting and screaming so much with excitement with everyone that I was starting to have a sore throat! There were so many great matches and it was so inspiring to watch everyone compete! I wish I could talk more about the competitions and some of the matches I got to see, but the whole day felt so surreal to me that it’s all kind of a blur. But I remember every emotion that I felt. I remember somehow managing to lace tricks on stage that I really struggled with leading up to the competition and scooping up spikes which I was proud of. It was honestly such a privilege getting to compete against Nikki, Jenny, and Steph in the Open Division and sharing the stage. It was so calming getting to face my friends in a competition when I thought I would be so nervous, and genuinely getting excited whenever they scored a point against me! The whole competition was like a roller coaster of excitement.

For the final round, it was me against Steph. We had a very suspenseful match but I managed to take the lead with Opposite Hand Around the World as I scooped up a spike onto one knee. When I was announced as the winner, I honestly couldn’t believe it. I never would’ve imagined I would take the win at my first ever competition. Just being there in that place at that moment with all my friends was already a win for me. So it was all such a surreal experience that I will never forget and a memory I will treasure forever! I’ll forever be grateful to everyone who made this event possible and to all the friends I got to spend time with on this journey. It sure was such an incredible experience and I’m so inspired to play Kendama more than ever! I hope to make it out to more events in the future!

- Lisa Komatsubara @lnull

 

Check out the Kendama Lisa used to win the AGKO here!

 

AGKO Winners!

AGKO Winners

First Place – Lisa Komatsubara (center)

Second Place – Steph Lussier (right)

Third Place – Jenny Cho (left)

AGKO 2019

 

 

 

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Daunyé Synigal is TRIBE!


Daunye Synigal, a 21-year-old Kendama whiz from Modesto, CA, has been playing Kendama for seven years and is now on Kendama USA’s Tribe Team! Daunye was introduced to Kendama in Vacaville by a friend at their middle-school bus stop.

“I remember some of the kids at the stop being super hyped on trying it out. I thought it was a super cool toy that he stole from his older brother who was in high school. He soon showed me videos of professional/highly-skilled kendama players and told me that he was a part of a kendama team called Balanced Kendama Team (check them out on Youtube). It really interested and amazed me that my friend was on a team, especially considering everyone else on that team was in high school while we were middle schoolers. Their Youtube Edit had over 1000 views (in 2012!) and that made it seem super legit.”

The same friend gave Daunye his first Kendama which was a natty Sunrise Kendama which he played for 3 months before buying his first Kendama from Kendama USA; a Black TK-16 Kendama.

BONUS: My next three kendamas were a null, a blue on black triple stripe KUSA Tribute, and a Zack Yourd 2012 Pro Model.

Daunye is an all-around Kendama player who has an appreciation for all tricks and styles. He was sponsored by Dave Mateo onto the Tribe team. Daunye met Dave for the first time at a Learning Express jam hosted by Dave, and Logan Tosta in Roseville CA.

That event was an amazing experience for me. I won second place at a mini game and there wasn’t a prize for second place so Dave took it upon himself to give me his personal Grain Theory kendama. I was stoked!

Daunye helps host kendama jams at Japan Town San Francisco every Friday from 5-9pm called KG Fridays.

We jam inside the Peace Pagoda in the center of Japan Town Plaza and when the weather is bad we jam near the Kinokuniya Book Store inside Japan Town Mall. These jams are a homage to KG Tuesdays that KUSA’s Jake Wiens hosted for years.

Kendama USA - KG Jam CA Japanville Peace Pagoda

Daunye’s current favorite setup is anything with a Shift shape and a long string. ;)

Help us in welcoming Daunye to the team! We hope to see Daunye continue to spread the game, push his limits and those around him.

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Weekend In The Woods Recap

Weekend In the Woods was a huge success. The three days were filled with filming, competition and most of all FUN.

This year’s winners were:

  • Henry Roe – Beginner Champion
  • Parker Giovannetti – Intermediate Points Ladder Champion
  • Hartej Singh – Pro Open Division Champion
  • Logan Tosta – 7 to Spike Freestyle Champion

 

For more images from the retreat you can visit www.Weekendinthewoodsretreat.com

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Gavin Harvey is TRIBE!

Gavin Harvey - Kendama USA | Tribe Team
Please welcome Gavin Harvey to the Kendama USA family. We are proud to announce Gavin as Tribe! He is one of the most technical kids in the Kendama community. A few years back Dave Mateo first met Gavin at a small school event with Logan Tosta in Sacramento. Just like Logan, Dave believed that Gavin had high potential of being a great role model and leader for the next generation. Not only has Gavin rocketed his skill since then, he has also continued spread the love of the game through out Sacramento and progressed the players around him. Check out Gavin’s announcement video below.

 

 

We are excited to see what will come with your future in Kendama. Congratulations and welcome to the family. -Kendama USA Team
 

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New York City Sesh Recap

During one of our last nights in NYC we held a Jam at the Park Ave Atrium. Sheltered from the frigid air we linked up with some east coast players and had a blast. Shout out to KEN-YC and everyone who showed.

Here is a short clip Dave Mateo put together as well as a few fun pics of our time there.

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Dave Mateo Turns Pro for Kendama USA

We are honored, humbled, and excited to announce Dave Mateo as the newest member of the Kendama USA Pro Team. Dave brings a unique flow, energy, and style to the world of Kendama. Dave’s raw talent, passion, and dedication continues to be an inspiration to countless Kendama players around the globe. He has been a leading force for developing strong grassroots Kendama scenes, most notably in Sacramento and Las Vegas. He has also spearheaded multiple community projects, including the National Kendama Retreat.

Dave Mateo Turns Pro for Kendama USA

Since day one, Dave has been extremely generous and selfless in his approach to enrich and spread Kendama culture. His passion for Kendama is undeniable, and his signature style is unmistakable. Dave has been a key part of Kendama USA for several years now, helping both publicly and behind the scenes. He continues to challenge his own limits and is committed to pushing others toward their dreams. We’ve been truly blessed to have Dave as part of our family, and we’re excited for this next chapter to unfold. Please join us in welcoming Dave Mateo to the Kendama USA Pro Team.

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Event: Play Fair – New York City – February 13th & 14th

Come Jam with us at this year’s Play Fair in New York City!
The event is being held at the Javitz Center on February 13th & 14th.

Most of the Kendama USA crew will be there so come out, hang, and meet your favorite Pro!

Here is the schedule and who will be at our tent area on each day & session.

Saturday
9:30 AM -1:30 PM: Dave Mateo, Guy Wright, Wyatt Bray
3:00 PM — 7:00 PM: Jake Wiens, Kristin Olinyk, TJ Kolesnik

Sunday
9:30 AM -1:30 PM: Alex Smith, Jake Wiens, Kristin Olinyk
3:00 PM — 7:00 PM: Guy Wright, Wyatt Bray, Bryan Scagline

For ticket info please visit playfairny.com

The Javitz Center
655 W 34th St
New York, NY 10001
(212) 216-2000

The Javitz Center is on 11th Ave, between 34th and 40th streets, in Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan, New York City.

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Kendama USA Presents – Behind The Scenes – FlowIVamic DUO – MIXTAPE HERE & NOW

Take a trip and dig deep with Kenyatta Williams and Dave Mateo. Kenyatta had a chance to visit Dave in Las Vegas for his birthday. See what else the Flownamic Duo gets into. In FDIV you’ll find some other hobbies and some behind the scenes of what these two go through.

ENJOY.

Filmed by: Carolina Herrera, Kenyatta Williams, Dave Mateo

Edited by: Dave Mateo

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Kendama USA Presents – Flownamic Duo 3

Kenyatta Williams & Dave Mateo release a 3rd installment. Flownamic Duo strives for you to continue to Kaizen. Kenyatta and Dave give you complimentary versatility within each others play style in FD3 and continue to revolutionize Kendama for the love.

Enjoy FD3

Kenyatta WIlliams – “”

Dave Mateo – “The determination to land a trick in this edit was definitely there. There was plenty of struggle and pain for me in this one. In the end it was all love and fun. The final product Kenyatta and I delivered was worth going through it all.”

If you haven’t  seen Flownamic Duo 1 & 2 Check them out right here!

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FLOWNAMIC DUO 2

New Tribe team member Kenyatta Williams and Tribute team member Dave Mateo team up yet again. New Flow, style, and tricks to change the way you play.

“The second installment between the dup! Three night sessions and hours of blood, sweat, commitment and dedication went into this film. Both Dave and I feek this is the “hardest grind” for tricks since we’ve started playing Kendama! We are beyond stoked that FD2 has become a reality. The chemistry between us is unparalleled with two styles that compliment each other. We hope you enjoy Flownamic Duo 2.”

-Kenyatta Williams

“Flownamic Duo was immediately filmed right after the first. Kenyatta and I wanted to continue to change the way you played Kendama. To challenge and share more with one another. Flownamic Duo wont stop here. Be sure to enjoy FD2 and be ready for FD3. Im beyond stoked to collaborate with Kenyatta (Twiztakat) and look forward to what else we come up with. Enjoy.”

- Dave Mateo

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