Yo-yo choreographer Kevin Wu (right) demonstrates Chinese yo-yo with performer Michael Lee.
Washington University in St. Louis senior Kevin Wu went from Chinese yo-yo novice to choreographer in two years.
“The first time I saw yo-yo was at Lunar New Year and I was amazed,” Wu said. “I was impressed by the Chinese fan and the tinikling and all of the other cultural performances, but there was something about speed and the finesse of yo-yo that really wowed me. It’s like no other sport.”
This year, Wu assembled his own team of novices for Lunar New Year, the university’s annual celebration of Asian culture and art. Six of his 10 performers had never touched a yo-yo before Wu held auditions in October. To Wu, passion matters more than proficiency.
“Their biggest fear is that they will drop,” Wu said. “And they will. I tell them, ‘Don’t worry about it. What’s more important is to have fun.’”
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