By Tracy Lam
Derived from the Chinese yo-yo, the diabolo is a form of art and expression for senior Kaitlin Kogami. She was first introduced to the diabolo in the summer of 3rd grade when she was in Taiwan, as it is a big part of her culture. Soon after, she recognized her passion and with the help of a professional teacher, she worked to become the skilled performer she is now.
As with any activity, there is always more to learn and Kogami practices new tricks once a week with her performance group. Together, they perform at cultural events and occasionally at Segerstrom Hall. Her performances include group and solo performances and most of the time: a combination of both.
“Performing in a group is different because the simple tricks become more difficult since my partner and I toss the Diabolo to each other and coordinate everything. When performing solo, I get way more nervous because I know all the attention is on me and I have to perform many more tricks that are difficult on my own,” said Kogami. “I like to do a mix of both. It’s always more fun to do partner tricks, but we always have solos within our routine where we get to show off our individual talent.”
The group also engages in workshops for young students interested in learning how to use the diabolo.
“Teaching kids is pretty fun because they really like it and you can see the joy on their face when they play. I especially like when we hold their hands to teach them the technique,” said Kogami. “They are so cute when they perform the mini routines to their parents which we create for them and when we watch, we are so proud.”
The process of creating a full performance is a lengthy one. Kogami begins by repeatedly listening to her song choice to understand the rhythm. She then creates the routine in accordance with the beat according to the tricks in her previous performances that received the most applause. Her hard work pays off in the form of the awe-struck reactions from the audience which she received, for example, during her performance for the FNL Talent Show. Originally, she auditioned to make something memorable of her senior year, but what she ended up receiving was more than anyone could hope for.
“It felt good to win Crowd Favorite. It was the first time I performed solo for that long, so it was very nerve-racking but when I got on stage, I relaxed more and felt super happy to be able to entertain people,” said Kogami.
The diabolo is not just an activity, but a part of who she is. Kogami plans to continue performing in college and join Taiwanese clubs to learn more about her culture.
“To anyone interested in learning how to play the diabolo, it can be hard in the beginning, but if you keep on trying, eventually you’ll get it. Finding a teacher is really helpful and I am open to teaching others,” said Kogami.
