Today is the bitterest of bittersweet days. Today marks my last batch of shows and demos on this tour. There couldn’t be a nicer place to wrap up than at Disney World but, it just stings to know that it has to end for me.

The Heritage Tour has been nothing but, the best times in the best places with the best people. Before we even got out here, I considered Drew Tetz, Hank Freeman, and Takeshi Kamisato among my family. But, I like to think that getting out there and doing shows, demonstrating, blogging and throwing contests has let the rest of the world in on how special the bond within Duncan Crew is. There really is nothing like our crew anywhere and I appreciate it more now than I ever have.

We rocked our shows like we rocked every single stop on this tour. We showed the Disney audiences how much joy and love we have for our craft, them and each other. We went the extra mile to throw some special moments into our last shows. And we put the finishing touches on a tour we will be proud of for a long time to come.

A huge thank you goes out to all of the yo-yo legends, retailers, players and nonplayers that allowed us in your places and hearts, or came out to the demos and made this all very special. You are a part of the legacy we are building and you will be remembered.

Duncan Equals Love. Never forget that.

Some people make ripples, Duncan Crew makes waves. We had another great day of meet and greet demos as well as stage shows. We can feel the momentum building here in Orlando and it’s hard to ignore. Not only are we seeing people come by daily to check out our shows, we are getting real feedback and it is fantastic.

Today during our informal afternoon demo, we were visited by the general manager from T-Rex cafe. The staff and diners were so impressed by our miniature demo that he invited us back to the restaurant tonight. Making those kinds of connections is nothing short of miraculous. Sure, getting cool invites to awesome places is flattering but, knowing that someone really appreciates our work as yo-yo demonstrators is better than anything I ever could have hoped for. Of course, futuristic stage shows and massive fancy chocolate cake desserts are pretty great too.

I think I will accept that the life of a Duncan Yo-Yo Professional is filled with both.

That’s right! You thought it was over but, Duncan Crew cannot be stopped! We continued on with more demos at Walt Disney World and they just kept on getting better! Not only did we have the crew from the tour out with us but, we got the best backup anyone could ever ask for! Brandon Jackson came to Florida to help us represent and represent we did!

We took the power boost and made things more powerful than anyone could have dreamed. Each demo out here is more and more and more of what they need to be. More people getting excited about playing. More people digging what we do. More people getting involved and picking up yo-yos. And more fun!!

Like always, our demos don’t stop at our formal demos. We stopped into T-Rex cafe and blew the roof off the place today. We came in and had a fantastic dinner and before we knew it, people were asking if we were really Duncan Crew. We never disappoint and threw down for the people there and made believers out of staff and spectator alike. It’s the coolest life ever.

Earlier this week Hank had to leave the tour for a little while. We are super sad to see him go but, we are super excited for him because he is on his way to Tokyo, Japan to represent in international competition. Hank is competing in the 44 Clash and we wish him the best along with all of the other Duncan Crew members that are going to be there. It is a prestigious contest and only the best are invited. Extra love to you guys. We know you will do wonderful!

mad love to: Hank Freeman, Brandon Jackson, Fajar Siddiq, Chris Makita, Mimi Makita, Sean Perez, Bu-ko, Kohta Watanabe, Hidemasa Semba, Marron, Terry, and Kazuaki Sugimura!!!!!

Duncan Heritage Tour 01

Today was another super hit of a day. Takeshi and I met up with Hank and Drew early in the day to do some screen printing for the tour. For me, it was a great learning experience. I knew so little about the art of screen printing and I can now proudly say, I know a little. Hank has quite a few years experience at it so, it was cool to see him display high level skill in something other than skill toys.

After a quick stop by the Duncan office to stock the van with product, we were on our way to do a demo at the Big Fun store in Lakewood(Cleveland, Ohio). This demo was one of the coolest demos I have ever had the pleasure of being a part of, from the very first minute on site. We walked in the door and there were already people in the store showing an overwhelming amount of enthusiasm for life in general and of course, that enthusiasm spilled over into love for Duncan yo-yos. The best part is that the enthusiasm sustained for our entire time there.

We had quite a few great people come out and get excited about what we had going on. Phil from Papa Nick’s Pizza dropped in and was immediately so impressed that he decided that he would go back down to his shop and whip up pizzas especially for us. The pizzas were delicious and a little later in the demo Papa Nick stopped by and checked out some spintop and yo-yo throwing. He told us a little about Duncan demonstrators that visited him as a child before World War II and that definitely put some perspective on the Heritage Tour.

The rest of the demo was more and more rad happenings. We had every age group represented. Spin Tops were a massive hit. And,it just felt good to be there. You really can’t always put a finger on what makes these things so very good. You just know it when you feel it and being a part of it is everything that playing yo-yo can be.

We wrapped up the demo when the store had to close and we met up with more of our friends at a restaurant called Bo Loong and had a fine meal. It’s so nice to look back on memories mere minutes after they go down. A little later, Brandon met up with us and made our already classy van that much classier. He put a logo on the back window for the tour and it’s serious fancy.

Today we meant business and we showed it. Today marks the first day we were joined by Drew Tetz and were firing at full power. It felt good and will only get better as the tour rolls on.

We started the day meeting up with Brandon Jackson and Mike Burke to smooth over any details that needed to be addressed and stopped in for a quick hello at the Duncan offices. After that, we went directly into demo mode and had a great time. We did a television interview with WJW Fox 8 in Cleveland. They were super nice and did a spot in support of our demo today and the demos we have regionally for the rest of the week. No matter how many times you do it, playing yo-yo on television is way too much fun. I highly recommend it.

After we finished up the television shoot, we hung out in Coventry(Cleveland, OH) and connected with some of the locals on the street. I love how easy it is to relate to people by simply having a toy in your hand knowing full well that they have spent time with it at some point. It’s so nice and it definitely reinforces having faith in the goodness of people.

We then grouped up at Big Fun for our real deal demo. Big Fun is one of the coolest toys anywhere. Steve Presser (owner of Big Fun) is one of the most knowledgeable people I have ever met, when it comes to the history of classic toys and yo-yo is no exception. They had a good selection of Duncan Classic Line yo-yos on hand and even had some original 1960s Duncan Tournament “crossed flags” in stock. You never get to see them mint in package in a store anymore. It was pretty mind blowing.

Of course, the demo itself shaped up to be a fantastic time. We had some local twentysomethings come in and learn some basics, as they had never really learned to play. We had a feisty 3 year old that could already read and recognize the Duncan logo. We had some rad elementary school aged kids excited to learn about the five styles of yo-yoing and we had some surprises in store as many members of the Cleveland Yo-Yo Club came out and supported.(http://www.clevelandyoyoclub.com/) If you find yourself out here and want to get up with some players from the area and learn, teach or just hang out, look them up and stop on by. You won’t be sorry.

We hung out at Big Fun until it was time for them to shut down but, of course, just because the demo is over it does not mean that you have to stop having fun or demoing. right?

We went with a large posse over to a spot called Melt and I must say….WOW. It’s a cool place with some insane(good insane) food and the coolest staff any restaurant could ask for. We had a fine meal and eventually turned it into an impromptu late night demo. We continued with the teaching of tricks and the performing and general good times until the wee hours when we absolutely had to retire. It’s easy to see that when you show up nearly anywhere with a shirt that reads “Duncan Yo-Yo Professional” driving a van with a serious yo-yo related paint job, You Are The Event. Days like this are what legend is made of.

We kicked off the first day of the tour in a suburb of Cleveland,Ohio(Burton), at a genuinely old school event, the Apple Butter Festival. Nothing screams American roots like this sort of event. Old style craftsmanship creating and celebrating an old style food using old style tools and good old fashioned entertainment.

Takeshi, Hank and I were joined by the incomparable, Brandon Jackson for the day and it made for a great event. Hundreds of people showed out to check out the classic wares, enjoy the carnival atmosphere and play with some classic toys. We got a chance to get a great start teaching tons of youngsters and young at hearts to yo-yo. Some people came out already knowing quite a bit of how to play and it was really nice trading tricks and stories with the older folks. The impact that this tour is going to have is instantly obvious when a woman old enough to be my grandmother shows up and shows us that she still remembers the basic ten tricks and reminisces about her time Throwing Duncan as child. And it is definitely cool knowing that we are already providing the chance for many young people to tell similar stories years from now. A legacy like this is the coolest wave to ride.

Hank Freeman Dropping Knowledge

Later in the afternoon, Hank and myself cut loose a little and got the chance to perform a collaboration demo with the polka band(ChardonPolkaBand.com). They are some young cats that play some old timey music with authority. Not a single lazy note gets played and nothing but, the best times are had with them. They bring the party for sure. Check them out. You won’t be sorry.

In other old school events, quite a few kite enthusiasts also came out to the festival today. They were as much a spectacle in the sky as we happened to be on the ground. Quite a few current yo-yo players share this hobby and it was definitely cool to get some time to see their work up close. I have nothing but, the highest respect for passion and dedication to such a cool activity. When it comes down to it, things with strings are generally pretty hip.

Future Spintop Champ