Yo! my name is joe o. I went to a JapanFest when I moved to North ATL from NJ back in 2012 and i've been to one meetup when i first started. I'm 29 now and have fun playing kendama in my freetime. It's so much fun learning new tricks and getting better. Kendama is a lot of things which makes it special. You can be vibing out to music & flowing to the beat. and slaying some bangerz and other times it feels like grinding out some trick. I'm impressed how you can start so simple and it scales in technique and creativity. I bring everywhere with me. i check phone,wallet,keys, kendama. lol. When i travel and am never bored and get to share kendama with random people. It's really fun trying to improve every day. The whole kaizen philosophy even carries into every day life. It's been positive. i post on instagram @joeo with clips of dama, dogs, and stuff. I've most enjoyed edits because it's kinda like your making a mini movie. Sometimes you want to add music, narration, the framing. It's even cool that DownSpike had an award show at MKO this year.
I couldn’t agree with you more! Kendama is absolutely addicting! I’m the same way when I leave my house to go anywhere I always check ( wallet, keys, phone, kendama lol)... I love how there’s no wrong way or right way to playing!! I love to just flow with it and clear my mind and just get lost in the honezone!! I love how kendama can be so simple and fun, but also has it’s challenges!!
Hi. My name is Kristina. I live in Canada. I first picked up a Kendama around Christmas time last year, found one at the dollar store and looked it up to find it quite amazing and fun. I wasn’t able to play much and have had slow progress as I have been struggling with an Achilles injury, but I enjoy it immensely. I have no Kendama community here and nothing close by as there aren’t really big cities very close. But being a teacher I am finding some interest from my students so I am hopeful I might be able to gain some fellow players. I find it so calming with its focus and being able to get it of my head and just play and yet sometimes frustrating lol when I can’t land stuff or can’t do it again if I do. But the amazing feeling when I manage to do a new trick/skill is awesome. It all combines to make it so great, plus they really are beautiful as well and I being artsy, I truly appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into creating a Kendama. Anyways, I haven’t really posted much on Instagram, a little camera shy and not very confident in that way especially on social media but there are some great people that are inspiring in what they do that I love to watch and cheer on. I hope I can learn and grow from all the knowledge and help of the community online as much as I can. Thanks so much for your efforts and sharing on this site.
@Kristina we've got a few folks here from Canada and @Lucas Canadian Kendama has been running some meetups in Toronto you might be able to check out depending on where you live. There are some good threads in the Beginners section where you might find some useful info for your students as well as related threads from other educators. Look forward to seeing you around the boards. Elementary School Kendama Club Georgia Kendama Radio: Why school banned kendama (and how to fix that)
Thanks so much. I have had some great tips on beginner resources and I have devoured a bunch of the beginner section. I love that companies and community players are posting so many great tutorials too. I live in Thunder Bay which is situated nowhere really near anywhere. Toronto is a short flight but almost 15 hour drive. We are less than an hour to the American border, but 4 hours to Duluth about double that or so to Minneapolis. Winnipeg, Manitoba is over 7 hours and about the same to Saulte Ste. Marie. Only little stuff along the way unfortunately. One day I am hoping to be able to hit some travel or an event. But for now, I have to try and spread the love and get some recruits! Thanks again for all the help and info and the warm welcome. I am excited to join the community and for the journey to come.
@Kristina That’s awesome keep spreading the love. And to bad ur so far away. But yeah all the best and glad ur on your Kendama journey. And thanks to @goenKendama for the shout out. Your the man Dama one everyone. And hope u all have a great holiday
Hello guys! I’m Codrin Joacabine and I am an 16 years old intermediate kendama player and dama-artist from Romania. I discovered kendama back in 2015, but I started playing in January 2017. Kendama is an important part of my life and it made me recongnized as an artist in this beautiful community! Dama or die boyz! Ig: @codrinjoacabine
Hey I'm connor I've been jamming kendama for about 6 months now I'm a Colorado native and a outdoors activist and have a wood working/construction background. I enjoy longboarding and just recently got addicted to kendamas by my friend Ian Gonzalez who was kind enough to give me my first. Now I have spent well over a 1000 dollars on my kendama collection! And am going to invest in a lathe to hand turn my own! @consman333 insta
Hi I am Levi and I got my first kendama as a Christmas gift. I haven't put it down since .I yo-yoed growing up so it feels very natural to me .
hello, my name is Christofer. I'm 31. started playing August 2018 but I've been interested since I've noticed it in blading edits. I'm from Bloomsburg PA and currently working on trying to find or start jam sessions in my area.
Hey Guys! My name is Joe Brackmann (@jojo_dama) and I have been playing kendama for about 4 months as of now! I live in the Chicago area and I would love to meet more of you guys!
Hi i am Kyriako from Athens Greece 42 and owner of a Vape Shop, father of Alex 8 and Elia 5. My first Kendama is a Krom POP and a KROM slaydawg and im in begginers class working on my spikes. Hope i find a local here no sessions or meetings in Greece. I want to buy them all is that alright or i am sick . Romania kendamas will save me. Hope i find some useful info here. Thanks for reading Kyriakos
Hello! I’m Neil. I’m pretty new to kendama but I have been yoyoing for about 7 years now. I got into kendama because I want to start up a skill toy club in LA. I wanted to start up a skill toy club because I used to hang out with yoyoers and and kendama people at the Duncan stand in downtown Disney when it was there. My favorite kendama brand is Dealwithit. My trick IG is @pineil13 Also you should follow @littletokyoskw ! Nothing much is up there now but it’s the page for the club I’m trying to start. Also should follow @saoshiba0079 ! He’s the person who got me into kendama and I’m also running the club with him at the Anime Jungle.
What's good DS!!!! I'm Kennedy. 25 years old, from Dallas, TX and been playing very casually for a couple years. Recently have been actually trying to progress and get involved in the community. Which sort of includes me trying to create a scene down here in North Texas. That is my goal! Glad I found this place for sure though.
@SouthsideKendama good to have another Texan on board. There are a few players in and around your area. Check out our Sessions board to track some down. They had yoyo/kendama comps in the metroplex last year but not this year and there are some roving players from Houston and Austin around too.
@goenKendama word, that's what's up. Id like to get some meet ups going around here, for real. As I understand, the Texas Kendama Group (I think is the name) used to hold meet ups in Grapevine I believe, but discontinued due to lack of attendance. Grapevine is a bit far from me anyways lol
Hi All, I'm Ewa. I'm Polish but I live in uk (Nottinghamshire). My kendama I bouth in Poland 5 years ago. Unfortunately after few days I put kendama to box, because I hadn't time for it and I "forgot" it. 2 days ago I felt that I need to curry about my toy
Hey everyone, I just wanted to introduce myself since this is my first time posting here. Name is Garrett and I've been playing Kendama since February. Been mainly playing alone (live in a city where no one plays) but have travelled a few hours a couple times to meet up with some people to sesh with. Working on my first "full length" edit now and super excited about it. I would love to have some more Instagram followers so I have more people tossing advice my way so ill post my IG below. So glad to be apart of this amazing community!! IG: @Okayestdama
Hey @TheOkayest welcome to DS. We had a Introduction thread going so I merged yours over here so people can say "hey." I see you found our Sessions board. There are a couple of posts over there from Texas players you might be able to connect with if you're traveling around; Houston, Austin, DFW.