Over the last 23 years of being in the yo-yo community, I’ve had the opportunity to see, learn and experience what I enjoy most and what I value most inside the craft of yo-yoing and skilltoy play. Along the way I’ve met a variety of players who share very similar sentiments and/or aspirations within the same diaspora. These are some of those players.

Markmontrep is a crew of skilltoy players across a variety of different teams and locations with like mindedness in trick/element/technique sensibility. We all share overlapping notions about what we value most within skilltoy play and the culture that houses it.

Giusti Ghivarry

Where you are from: Indonesia
Age: 25
Preferred Throw: UNPRLD recognition and Duncan Orbital, any small to medium size yoyo
Music Preference: I like Jazz, pop and rock, but I also like to listen to other genres when i'm in the mood

"Personally I think of yo-yoing as a form of self-expression delivered in the form of tricks and combos. different people will give off different vibes even if the tricks are the same, and I think that's what makes yo-yoing fun in its own way."

Ilya Agarishev

Where you are from: Russia, Yekaterinburg
Age: 19
Preferred Throw Choice: Garret, Grail, Sparrow, BvM2, DLRN, Inevitable, Protostar, Code 1, Benchmark H
Preferred String: Kitty String Xlb
Music Preference: Hip-Hop(Travis Scott, Drake, Skepta, Og Buda, Платина)

"The process. The process of creating beautiful combos. That's it."

Zack Finch

Where you are from: Riverside, CA
Age: 19
Preferred Dama: Krom Jody Barton, GT-AE, or anything strung up with a
massive string and broad cups
Music Preference: Pop punk, hardcore, ska, jazz, and any great tunes I can find

"I look for uniqueness in my tricks above all else. I love combining
movements I've never seen together before, or creating new ones.
Trying different skill toys and trying to apply their ideas to each
other drives me to be a better player every day."

Anthony Rojas

Where you are from: Riverside, CA
Age: 29
Throw Choice: CLYW Dune
Preferred String: Kitty String Nylon 1.5
Music Preference: Something emotionally moving, whether it’s aggressive, melancholy, experimental, poppy, etc.

”What I value most about yo-yoing and skill toys are the worldwide communities (the people), and the open-ended approach you can take to enjoying your craft. If you want to innovate, compete, collect, or are just a fan, there’s always room for you.“

Justin Weber

Where you are from: Living in Brooklyn, NY, originally from Newark, DE
Age: 33
Throw Choice: Yeti and Canvas by CLYW, Euphonius by Anomaly, Anarchy by Mowl, Loop720 by YYF, Sundia Diabolos
Music Preference: IDM / Electronic, Jazz, Minimalist, and Indie Folk/Rock/Pop

”I love yo-yoing to music, incorporating lighting, costume, motion graphics and/or live projections –– basically any theatrical aspect to take it to an imaginative place.“

Kouta Oohashi

Where you are from: Nagasaki Japan
Age: 24
Preferred Ball: Russianball (but I like all)
Music Preference: ‘I like various things.’

”I think outside the box and it’s important to have fun.“

Shonuff Chris

Where you are from: Memphis TN
Age: 38
Preferred Kendama: Terra Perfect
Music Preference: ‘R/B Jazz everything really.’

”When it comes to preforming tricks I love to be stylish, smooth and above all unpredictable.“

Adrian Esteban

Where you are from: Living in Santa Cruz and originally from San Diego
Age: 23
Preferred Kendama: GT-2 or Jale Wiens Executive Model
Music Preference: ‘My music preference is broad but I'm especially about the weird sounds.’

”What I value most about tricks is that they feel as good as they look; really clever tricks that are done well bring me smiles.“

Daunye Synigal

Where you are from: Born in Modesto CA live in Vacaville CA and Work: San Francisco CA
Age: 22
Preferred Kendama: KendamaUSA Shift Shape
Music Preference: Jazz, Indie, Reggae, Hiphop, Electronic, RnB, Dance, and Funk

”I value kendama most because it is affordable, made from wood, portable, and a fun toy/tool in which you can challenge yourself everyday as I have for the past 8 years. I love that there are so many different styles including string, cup, juggle, tap, stall, flip, balance and spike tricks. I love ALL tricks therefore I have always done my best to have a well rounded play style instead of honing in on only a few types of tricks.“

Alann Herrera

Preferred string: MF Cumulus Foam
From: San José, CA
Age: 20
Throw Choice: CLYW x SF Pariah
Music Preference: ‘East Coast 90’s Hip Hop’

”I love having such a unique and versatile outlet of creative expression through yoyoing. What drew me into yoyoing is how other elements of my creative pursuits incorporated into my play style. Photography drew me to create visually appealing tricks; whereas, hip hop influenced how I flow and style my tricks. Seeing how everything comes together is what I appreciate the most about throwing.”

Ruian Chin,qín ruì ān and Ruiwen Chin,qín ruì wén

Preferred string: HKMT Equipment Arata String and OT String Normal
From: Beijing, China
Age: 16
Throw Choice: CLYW Chief, Borealis, Compass, Rihara Ore, A-returntops X Mudo splunkin
Music Preference: ‘All music that interest us'

”Fun is the thing that we value the most in making tricks.”

Tessa Piccillo

Preferred string: Kitty Fat
From: San Francisco, CA
Age: 23
Throw Choice: CLYW Wildfire, Kodiak
Music Preference: Shoegaze, Dreampop, R&B and Soul

”When it comes to crafting tricks I value uniqueness and flow in between elements the most.”

Mikhail Tulabut

Preferred string: Kitty String Regular or Slick 6
From: Chesapeake, VA
Age: 34
Throw Choice: Vigilante
Music Preference: Metal, Industrial, EDM

”Rhythm, natural movement, and originality. I always want something moving during a trick. Either the yo-yo, string or my hands. I also try to let the yo-yo move where it ‘wants’ to, instead of forcing it somewhere.”

Daniel Kim

Preferred string: Thick (OT)
From: Vallejo, CA
Age: 19
Throw Choice: UNPRLD Flashback
Music Preference: R&B

”I value tricks and movements that flow together to create an impressive visual. I also have a fondness for “clever” elements - those that make me go “why didn’t I think of that?”

Daiju Okamura

Age: 26
From: Japan
String Choice: MF Cirrus Foam
Throw Choice: Markmontclassic, 54, Deep State, Renegade
Music Pref: I like Indie Rock, Drugdealer, No Vacation, Pi Ja Ma and Valley boys

”I value simple structure and good feeling for my yoyoing. I like to keep my string tight and in control. I focus on using natural movements in my combos.”

Owen Ekblad

Age: 21
Hometown: Plymouth, Michigan
Throw Choice: Duncan Tourney, Duncan Butterfly AL, or YoYoRecreation ClashCube
Music Pref: Super into Pink Floyd, David Bowie, cheesy 70’s and 80’s pop, and I’m pretty into the modern hip hop scene. I’ll listen to just about anything, though.

”What I value most about yoyo: I value tricks full of subtleties and weird niche concepts. I’m into the types of tricks people are doing after the contest, after dark, outside with the smokers or in a poorly-lit hotel room with too many people in it. The kinds of tricks that make people laugh because they’re so bizarre, that’s the stuff I value most about yoyo.”

Darnell Hairston

Age: 22
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
Throw Choice: Turning Point Palpitation, Stardust - Déjà Vu, SF Yoyos CF, SF Yoyos SStatement, SF Yoyos PLSTC, CLYW AC2
Music Pref: Majority Hip Hop/Rap and Indie, but I listen to many genres and artists that draw influence from multiple genres to create a style of their own.

”What I love most is the oneness. You can embody a side of you within yoyo tricks and also be a creative as you want. Rebel... draw influence from any and everything in life and embody that within your tricks as if it were a dance, as if it were a song, because it’s art in the purest form... At least how I view yoyoing/yoyo myself.”

Coffin

Age: 27
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
String Choice: MF Cumulus Foam
Throw Choice: Og Freq.Mod, Nightingale, Hearse
Music Pref: I like very ambient music or very intricate almost maximalist music

”I value flow and unexpected movement, direction changes, plane shifts, chopstick hops, anything that in movement feels like the music its set too. Tricks that you can feel.”

Isaac Sams

Age: 23
Hometown: French Creek, West Virginia
String Choice: MF Draken
Throw Choice: Scales/Core Co Qubit
Music Pref: Any music with a hard hitting recognizable tempo. For example: Flying Lotus, Frank Zappa, Death Grips, and Nirvana

“Nowadays when I create a new element to base a trick from, I never consider it to be “finished”. Therefore, I may have 2-3 different outcomes for a single idea. I currently enjoy this method of free trick composition, rather than practicing combos and boxing myself in.”

Michael Kurti

Age: 22
Hometown: Flemington, NJ
String Choice: MF Amy & MF 65
Throw Choice: Gulch
Music Pref: I’m all over the place - I think I like a lot of todays’s hip hop/rap. Kodak Black and Jackboy are some of my faves. I’ve always loved Soulja boy haha - also into jazz a bit; music like Miles Davis makes me feel goood.

“Personally I’d love yoyo to see a bigger spotlight one day and I try to create my tricks with that in mind. I think anything that is appealing to a majority of people, regardless of skill level, is probably a good trick. I try to make my tricks based on a recurring theme (usually the theme is a certain element). Then i try to add variation to the theme with other elements that are fun intricate and use a lot of space. Also Love to see tricks that are awesome and pay no mind to the judging system haha.”

Will Prater

Age: 29
Hometown: Originally Romania. Raised in Eugene, OR from the age of 1
String Choice: MF Cumulus Foam
Throw Choice: Onedrop YoYos Parlay, Markmont. Classic or Overture
Music Pref: Down tempo, Ambient electronic beats, Hip-Hop, Electro

“With yo-yos, the number one most important thing for me is to HAVE FUN. Whether that means getting into a fully freestyle session, practicing a routine, or creating a trick/combo, I never lose sight of that detail. If I can tell someone is enjoying themselves while they're throwing, that always brings a smile to my face.”

Caleb Fischer

Age: 19
Hometown: Monroe, LA
String Choice: MF Copernicus
Throw Choice: ART DK, Freshly Dirty Rooster, Japan Tech FiReal (constantly changing)

“For me, what I value most in yoyoing is the endless amount of depth that is involved. There are many undiscovered concepts and styles in yoyoing, and finding something new is extremely satisfying. I also value how artistic it is, even though that isn’t how it is viewed by most of the community.”

Tobie Sagun

Age: 17
Hometown: Seattle, Washington
String Choice: MF Draken & Cumulus Foam
Throw Choice: SF Cadence
Music Pref: Jazz/Soul HipHop & Alt Rock

“I just like to pursue tricks and elements that I’m comfortable with. If you see something dope, don’t be afraid to take the opportunity to learn it.”

Drew

Age: 21
Hometown: Chicago, IL
String Choice: MF Cumulus Foam
Throw Choice: Onedrop Yo-Yos Cabal
Music Pref: Hip-Hop/EDM

“I feel like having a clear and smart flow with transitions, good poise and posture, and individuality are most important to me when freestyling or throwing a combo. I try my best to have a unique style and bring something fresh and concise to the table.”

Meep Montgomery

Age: 27
Hometown: Baltimore, MD
Throw Choice: Oh Yes Yo Hearse
Music Pref: Hip Hop - anything dance worthy

“What I value most about throwing is how it flows together. How well combos go together and how it looks to an audience in accordance with the music is really where it’s at.”

Joe Wilson

Age: 26
Hometown: Fairfax, VA
String Choice: MF Night Moves
Throw Choice: Recess Triple Double
Music Pref: Rap/Hip-Hop

What I value most out of Yo-Yo and tricks is that no 2 Yo-Yo players have the same style. Everyone can take the same tricks and put their own spin to them. I also value the connections you make from Yo-Yo.

Miguel Correa

Age: 33
Hometown: Dallas, TX
String Choice: MF Cumulus Foam
Throw Choice: Genesis
Music Pref: Shoegaze

“What I value most when watching or creating tricks is fluidity and uniqueness. Uniqueness doesn't always have to be something new, it can be something existing done in a new way. As long as it feels right, it is right.”

Make sure to follow the Video Page for clips of these sirs gettin’ busy.