Any tips on how to sustain kendama interest in others? Sure, people stoked when they first try it out and they get their first big cup and spike, but I notice that more often than not only a few people ever try to progress past that. I was thinking that we could have a jammer on standby for giving away to someone super stoked on the game so that they can continue playing. In addition to that, one could give them a link to more educational material like tutorial videos (Sweets, KUSA, and YoYoExpert) and kendama social media (DownSpike).
Sustained interest comes from within the individual and while you can perhaps augment or increase their opportunities to play and learn the final drive has to come from the person playing. It's a variation of the old saying "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink." The agonizing truth of the matter is many currently have, as expressed by a friend of mine, the patience of a spoon. Effort to learn and particularly physical effort to get that endorphin/dopamine ping when you accomplish something seems to be harder to extract from current generations when they can get that same effect from mashing their thumbs on a controller or cell phone screen. Had some conversations with guys at the JKA and KWC events and noticed that others have experienced the same things we've noticed in the Philippines; people tend to show up in larger numbers when there is free stuff given away but not when it's just a bunch of people meeting up to play. At one cosplay event in particular we were teaching anyone interested to how to play and a couple of people were watching for a while and then walked away without trying kendama. I overheard them say in a rather indignant voice "well if they're not giving away something for trying out that thing why would I play?" At the end of the day we can only do the best we can do to teach, challenge, and support new players. It's up to them whether to keep up with it. Interesting reading: Of Quests and Brain Chemicals: How the Best Video Games are Designed to Make Us Feel
I would nothing more than to spark some interest from close friends or students at the Tae-Kwon-Do school, but ultimately it takes a certain individual to stick with a skill toy. It's a shame, cuz I'd like some friends to jam with as that would ultimately make me better.
Yeah, I think the harsh reality is just that the gratification isn’t instant enough to interest the vast majority of people. To quote The Simpsons, “hard work makes us quit”
Along with it taking a certain kind of person, I also feel like it has something to do with the way you present kendama/the experience you give them during their first time. People like Wiens, Grove, and Reed Stark have a personality that I think does something to sustain an interest. Maybe it's because they're super positive but not to the point of it being overbearing that it gets engrained in their heads that kendama = fun and positive. I haven't seen Stark do it in person, but I know he must be getting a lot of traffic to sweets. Sometimes when I watch other people (I'm guilty of this too) introduce kendama, they do so in a way where it just seems like a casual hobby to do every now and then, or at least that's the impression they give off. I don't think its necessarily bad, but I don't think it sustains the interest in kendama, unless they're the kind of person who just gets stoked regardless.
supporting @goenKendama 's post, with a little addition to that... Besides if it's free, it's how much it cost. Pretty much everywhere in the world, if they offer you something you may like regardless of the price you'll still gonna buy it, BUT if you offer them something interesting & say a price or if they ask (i.e. $10, which the most cheapest dama in the ph) most of them will refuse & vaguely say that "It's expensive" even if it's probably way cheaper than what they usually have. Trend is not always a fad for every person or a certain group of people. Another thing i have in mind is the level of entry for any hobby. This pretty much sums up the considerations of starting a hobby like skill & how far their limits, financial assestment (like can they afford it), community or exposure (sometimes the less common one becomes unique to them & that makes them different from the others), & lastly is preference (whether if they consider to play for fun, testing, or pursueing it). with that said, i guess regarding kendama we could improve one of the considerations so the level of entry can be a bit more easier & can help others to start or continue
Speaking to the “kind of person” or personality, I think there’s a lot of truth to that. Probably more than any other reason. Some people will fail and think “nah, that ain’t happening. I’m doing this until I get it.” But others will fail and say “this sucks” and go back to video games or whatever they’re comfortable with. The former is the long term kendama player.
Unfortunately, there are fewer and fewer "long term kendama players" around. I also chalk it up to external factors, especially the perception of kendama as a children's toy. One example is Kaden Weller, aka the Tap King. A few months ago, he was breaking his own records on the most taps ever (I believe he peaked at 11 tap jug to spike). Now, his Instagram feed is empty, and rumour has it that he was pressured to quit by his peers and/or love interest.
A little off topic but...Kendama has something going for it more than any fad, fidget spinner, pog etc. I have it akin to the top, ball, yoyo. Due to it's ancient history element of play and identity with traditional Japan. So you will never have to worry about Kendama "fading away" Here is the thing though you either get it or not especially if you are an adult. To get good at Kendama it takes real time and this is usually self evident on the first time they try to do big cup or spike. So if you want Kendama to grow focus on getting kids into it and present it as an active alternative to video games.
I heard it was because he had to choose between baseball or kendama because of his parents, I'd be pretty shocked if he got peer pressured into quitting kendama, dude was a machine
On this ‘kind of Dama person thing’ I’ve found that how people are introduced to it really affects how it appeals to them later on, let me explain: When I was in high school I found my first Dama at a sweets booth at the MN state fair and I was impressed by what Brandon Meyer could do, I was involved with performing at school (musicals/choir), I was caught in the performance side of it, as a performer. That’s why freestyle competition is way cooler to me than an open division setting, it’s just how I think about Kendama. But that same pitch doesn’t work for someone who might be interested in the meditation side of it, or an athlete looking to gain hand eye coordination. If you took some time and used what your friends might appreciate most about it as the sales pitch, we might get a lot more people interested in it as a whole.