Interviu cu Thorkild May - campion mondial Kendama

Campionul mondial Kendama si unul dintre arbitrii de la Kendama Video Contest 2016, Thorkild May, ne-a facut onoarea sa ne raspunda la cateva intrebari. Va invit sa le cititi si sa aflati mai multe despre joc, lifestyle si despre cum s-a raspandit pasiunea pentru kendama (asa cum o stim noi azi) in toata Europa.

Daca aveti posibilitatea, va invit sa cititi si versiunea in engleza, e mult mai savuroasa!

RO

• Cum ai aflat pentru prima oară despre kendama si in cat timp ai devenit “dependent”?

In 2009 la Roskilde Festival, am vazut un tip jucandu-se cu o jucarie inedita si am sarit din scaun imediat, mi se parea ca e atat de tare! Am facut cunostinta cu el si tot de la el am cumparat prima o kendama si am invatat primele trickuri. Aveam doar 17 ani si eram inca la liceu, asadar si pe prietenii din gasca: Isak, Mathias si Philip i-am molipsit imediat.

• De cat timp joci kendama? Ce te-a motivat sa continui in toti acesti ani? Joci si acum cu aceeasi pasiune?

Festivalul despre care vorbeam mai sus a durat in jur de o saptamana, timp in care ne-am imprietenit foarte usor cu Morten Lindberg, cel despre care spuneam ca mi-a aratat kendama pentru prima oara. In scurt timp s-a fomat o gasca de 5 baieti cu 5 “dame”, haha. 

Cand am revenit acasa, prietenii si-au dorit si ei o kendama. Pe atunci era aproape imposibil sa cumperi kendama online. Ei erau putin mai mari decat noi, tocmai terminasera liceul si voiau sa calatoreasca in jurul lumii. India, Nepal și Japonia erau primele vizate, asadar am pus un pariu: ne-am zis ca daca nimeni nu rezerva domeniul kendama.dk pana cand ajungem noi la poarta fabricii Ozora, il rezervam noi si venim acasa cu cateva cutii de kendame. Iubeam (si iubim si acum) aceasta jucarie atat de mult incat vrem sa impartasim aceasta pasiune si cu altii si sa le oferim posibilitatea s-o cumpere.

E intotdeauna o provocare sa joci kendama; oricat ai fi de bun, intotdeauna poti fi si mai bun! Nu poti niciodata sa o controlezi 100%, asadar scopul ramane mereu prezent. Pentru mine, personal, motivatia a fost mereu oportunitatea de a crea tricuri noi, de a fi creativ si de a concura cu mine insumi. 
Intotdeauna poti cunoaste oameni noi cu ajutorul kendamei, iar pentru mine cel mai fain feeling nu e atunci cand castig o competitie sau creez un nou trick, ci atunci cand pot impartasi aceasta pasiune, cand cei din jur ajung sa o simta si ei.

• Cand ai descoperit ca pentru tine kendama va fi mai mult decat o jucarie? 

Cred ca imediat cum am descoperit-o, am stiut pe loc ca are acel ceva pe care-l cautam.

• Top 5 kendame si trickuri preferate?

Uh, e o decizie grea, imi plac multe dintre modelele lansate de noi la Krom in ultima vreme. Daca ar fi sa aleg, m-as opri la Naked Pelle, Noia, Rosadama si seria Mahogany Deluxe. Si Viking-urile imi plac mult!

Cat despre trickuri, imi plac Turntable-urile, lunar-urile, juggle-urile, downspike-urile si toate variatiile de spacewalk.

• Ce sfaturi ai avea pentru tinerii din Romania iubitori de Kendama?

Oferiti-va provocari in fiecare zi si impartasiti-va pasiunea cu cei din jur! 

Mie, de exemplu, imi place mult sa meditez si asta ma ajuta atat in sport cat si in viata de zi cu zi. Va invit sa accesati heartfulness.org pentru mai multe detalii.

Pace si numai bine,
Thorkild

 

EN

• How did you first find out about kendama, and how many time did it take for you to get addicted?

Back in 2009 at Roskilde Festival, i was chilling real hard and I saw some dude walk by play around with this toy and i jump up the chair because it looks so dope. So he introduces me and i buy one of his damas second hand and teaches me some tricks. I was 17 and in high school. Always hung out with Isak, Mathias and Philip and they got hooked right away.

 

• How long have you been playing Kendama? What has kept you playing all these years? Do you still play with the same passion?

So this festival is a full week and we jam all the time. The guys who introduced us, Morten Lindberg becomes a good friend, so basically 5 guys to damas haha. I got addicted right away. We were competed small cup, big cup. I got 5, Isak got 7, i got 12, Isak got 20 GODDAMN! 

When we came back home the other guys wanted their own kendama as well. But back then it was almost impossible to buy online. They're a few year older than me and just finished high school and was about to travel the world. India, Nepal & Japan. So we made a bet. If nodoby registred the domain kendama.dk when the reached the Ozora factory visit, we would do it and get a few boxes of damas back home, because we loved and still love the toy so much, that we wanted to share this love and passion and keep supplying the demand, which was coming when we we're jamming everywhere all over the place. Spil kendama altid altid.

It's always a challenge to play kendama. No matter how good you are, you can always get better. You'll never master it. The goal is eternal haha. For me it's definately been a way to get some creative outlet in creating new tricks, a unique flow and a good way to compete with yourself. You can always meet new people thru kendama and what's even more satisfying than lacing a banger, creating a new trick or winning a comp, is to share this passion and see other people get that special feeling, that we all know so well!

• Tell us more about the moment you realised Kendama could be more than just a game to you?

That was pretty much the first second when i saw kendama. I just knew it was IT, something special, i've always been looking for.

• Top 5 favorite Kendamas & top 5 favorite tricks?

Uhm, we always have a lot of prototypes and new stuff in the works that i love.
But I my current favorites is Naked Pelle, Noia's, Rosadama and Mahogany Deluxes. Can be in a combos.
Love vikings too!

Turntables, lunars, juggles, downspikes and spacewalk variation,

• What would be your advice to young kendama players from Romania?

Challange yourself everyday, spread the love!

Another feeling that i love, is meditaiton, which helps me with everything in my life. Not only kendama. I would invite everybody in the world to try it out:
heartfulness.org <3

Peace & all the best
Thorkild