Chona Kasinger Yo Yo Tournament Gallery / Sara Urbaez / April 9, 2018 11:52 AM
Chona Kasinger01Thousands of competitive yo-yoers participate in contests in the United States each year.
Chona Kasinger02This particular event, the 2018 Pacific North West Regional Yo-Yo Contest, took place in Seattle in February and determined which regional competitors would advance on to the national contest in June.
Chona Kasinger03In the 26 years since the founding of the National Yo-Yo League—the organization that puts on many US contests—the yo-yo community has grown exponentially.
Chona Kasinger04The infrequent and audience-less competitions of the organization’s earlier years have transformed into flashier events, with divisions for the five styles of yo-yo play that have since come en vogue.
Chona Kasinger05Yo-yos have also evolved dramatically. “[Yo-yos] started out as a toy, and the makers of them were making toys. Now they’re engineers making sporting equipment,” says National Yo-Yo League founder Bob Malowney. “These are definitely different than your grandfather’s yo-yo.”
Chona Kasinger06Technological developments in yo-yo production led to the various styles of yo-yo play that fill the competitive landscape today.
Chona Kasinger07"In the old days, it was more of a test of coordination," says Malowney. "Nowadays, it’s a creative art, much like dancing or performance."
Chona Kasinger08At these contests, a panel of judges scores various aspects of a competitor’s routine, from the number of skills performed to the smoothness of their movements.
Chona Kasinger09"People perceive yo-yoing as this wholesome American pastime," says photographer Chona Kasinger. But shooting these kids as they practiced their for competition definitely elevated the activity in her mind.
Chona Kasinger10"Just walking around, I felt like I might get smacked by a yo-yo at any point," says Kasinger.
Chona Kasinger11The makeup of the competitors skews young and male; the lack of age diversity can be attributed to the amount of time and dedication that it requires to reach a high competitive level, but Malowney is still unsure why more girls and young women don’t get involved.
Chona Kasinger12Kasinger seeks out subcultures like the competitive yo-yo world in order to balance her more conventional commissioned work. "I say ‘yes’ a lot," she says. "Jell-O wrestling to CEOs, I kind of shoot it all."
Chona Kasinger13Relying on her flash in the crowded, poorly lit convention center, Kasinger’s photos highlight only the yo-yo and its player, mirroring the way each competitor’s nervous energy translated into a "very outward display of focus," she says.
Chona Kasinger14The United States is one of [33 countries](http://iyyf.org/member-organizations/) which hold national yo-yo contests. Other countries include the Czech Republic, Finland, and Singapore.
Chona Kasinger15"The thing about photography is that, on a human level, you’re the outsider," says Kasinger. "Being a photographer is being a professional outsider."
Chona Kasinger16“When these kids were yo-yoing, it seemed like nothing else in the world existed except for them and the yo-yo, despite the fact that the practice area was teeming with competitors, vendors, siblings, parents, and more,” Kasinger says.
Chona Kasinger17Since shooting this event, Kasinger has sought out other yo-yo contests, including the Florida State Yo-Yo Contest in St. Petersburg. She also plans to photograph the National Yo-Yo Contest this summer in Chicago.
