The New York YoYo Club has been meeting every weekend year-round round for over a decade. With a core group of familiar faces, the club is always growing and provides folks with a fun and safe environment for anyone wanting to explore yoyo and other skill toys like Kendama! Many of their members play Kendama so they started a Kendama club as well! You can catch them at Washington Square Park between 2 -4 most Sundays. Stay updated with events and info by following the New York Yo-Yo Club on Facebook.
A little about the NYYYC, the club was founded 10 years ago by Bronx resident Joseph O’Neil with the goal of introducing people around the city to the fun of yo-yos and is run by President and state YoYo champion, Brian Melford. The club is spreading the Kendama love every weekend and they have helped dozens of players get their first Kendama and continue to introduce the game to anyone that will listen.
Be sure and check them out on IG or go to the next meetup if you live in the area!
@nyyyc
It’s been almost 3 years since Josh Kim picked up his first Kendama. Since then, Josh’s passion & determination to lace Kendama tricks has fast-tracked his skill progression and he is now on Kendama USA’s Tribe Team! Josh’s play style is fast & technical, so try not to blink when watching this edit. With trick combinations including but not limited to boarders balances, 123 variations, & even tightropes, Josh’s gravity-defying lines will definitely blow your mind.
Back when I used to yo-yo around 2013, I would always learn tricks from yoyoexpert.com. I saw they were selling Kendamas, so I watched my first Kendama video on the site, which was the Kendama USA 2012 Japan Tour. Still one of my favorite videos to this day. However, I did not get a Kendama until 2015 where just kept it on my desk, and did not start playing until February of 2016. My first Kendama USA dama was a black silk Kaizen Kendama. My current favorite setup is a Watermelon Slim X Dwesty Ken; throws absolute face melters.
A year later Josh met Wyatt at the 2017 Grand Central Station Jam, where he won a Spike-Off and almost bested Wyatt in a game of Ken. Wyatt saw potential in Josh and sent him a few kendamas after the jam. Since then Josh has helped host a number of events and plans on continuing to throw jams and events in the NYC area.
Kendama for me is just an amazing sport that I love. To be able to receive so much support from the community is phenomenal. Thank you to everyone who has supported me in the past, and special shout out to my day 1′s; my parents. Without them supporting me everyday I play, I never would be where am I today. So grateful to be blessed with this amazing opportunity to play for Kendama USA. Can’t wait for what happens next!
Kendama USA spent a few weeks in New York City this winter exploring the city, playing kendama, and of course – participating in the annual Toy Fair. In Episode 1 the guys are busy reppin Kendama at the tradeshow, visiting all the different booths, and finding all sorts of amazing toys. At the end of an after-hours spooner board session, an awesome candy company hooks us up with the motherload of sweets, followed by a sugar rush extravaganza.
