Monday, February 28, 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 5
5
Professional yo-yo artists spin off tricks of the trade
By BriAna Hess
writer@kanson.com
Kansas staff writer
As a professional yo-yo
spinner, 14-year-old Philip
Travalent can walk the Dog,
Spank the Baby and Shoot
the Moon. And those are
just a few of the tricks in his
repertoire.
Travalent, who lives in Kansas City, Mo., and his sidekick, Tyler Richenberger, 14, of Liberty, Mo., demonstrated yo-yo techniques, tricks and freestyle performances yesterday afternoon at HobbyTown USA, 2108 W. 27th St. The two, called the Gravity Squad, performed to promote the Yo-Yo Jams, a miniature yo-yo that Travalent helped design — one of the perks he gets as miniature yo-yo world champion.
in their hour-long display, the boys demonstrated three yo-yo throws, three different types of tricks, and team routines to techno music.
Travalent said that all of the tricks he and Richenberger performed were basic but that they had built on them. The two pulled a boy out of the audience and taught him four tricks in about 10 minutes.
Some of the tricks that impressed the crowd of about 50 were the Pickpocket, in which Travalent spun his yo-yo
into Richenberger's pocket,
and the Texas Cowboy, in which Travalent swig his yo-yo like a lasso around his head and then around his feet while he jumped.
Travalent said that after he learned basic tricks, such as the Gravity Pull, the Sleeper and Walking the Dog, he was able to try harder tricks and regenerating tricks, in which the yo-yo does not stop between tricks.
"Once you get really good, you can keep the yo-yo going for hours." Travalent said.
Travalent's manager, who also doubles as his mom, said the two boys met at the yo-yo workshops at Wind Wizards in Kansas City. Mo. Since then, Rita Travalent said the boys have become friends and were trying to launch their own entertainment business. She said that there were different skill levels and that once the kids reached professional spinner status, they started to teach others.
"The kids taught the kids and the kids ran it," she said.
As manager, Rita Travalen handles most of the sound's scheduling.
The boys said they have been spinning for more than two years. In August, Travalent received a Yo-Yo Jams sponsorship and since has competed in Hawaii, where he earned his world
Philip Travalent, 14, of Kansas City, Mo., performs tricks with one of his 250 yo-yos for a crowd of 50 at HobbyTown USA, 2108 W. 27th St. Travalent and his partner, Tyler Richenberger, a 14-year-old from Liberty, Mo., have competed around the world in yo-yo contests. Photo by Carolyn Mollett/KANSAN
Travalent is also state
champion in Kansas and Nebraska. His home state, Missouri, does not have a competition yet.
By Paula Spreitzer Special to the Kansan
Zen artist to unveil Japanese culture, art
The Spencer Museum of Art will offer a unique glimpse into Japanese culture when Japanese Zen artist Fukushima Keido Roshi demonstrates calligraphy at noon tomorrow at the Central Court in the museum.
"He does this demonstration in a very European-looking central court in the middle of Kansas, and you get a glimpse of Japanese culture that you might not even see if you were in Tokyo," said Andrea Norris, director of the museum.
"It's just something you wouldn't encounter."
Zen Buddhism is a practice of meditative soul-searching to find liberation from past habits and perceptions, which is reflected in the fluid brush strokes of the painting and calligraphy.
The Roshi, chief abbot of Tofukihuji Temple in Kyoto, Japan, leads 370 temples across Japan. This is his 12th visit to the University of Kansas, and it is part of the museum's current exhibit, "The Art of 20th Century Zen: Paintings and Calligraphy by Japanese Masters," which includes some of the Roshi's work.
Because Zen calligraphy is created while the artist is in meditation, it's not something
"When he does the demonstration, he meditates for about 15 minutes, and then he does the character and then he talks about it," Norris said. "His questions and answers are wonderful. He's very kind and funny and warm and very open to America."
that people do in public in Japan, Norris said. The Roshi began calligraphy presentations in the United States because he believes in their educational value, she said.
His visit will also include a lecture that discusses the historical perspective of the characteristics of Zen. The Roshi will also talk with an Eastern civilization and a Japanese religion class, said Carolyn Chinn Lewis, assistant to the director of the museum.
In addition, the Roshi will lead two groups in meditation at Robinson Center. Participants bring pillows and sit in position as the Roshi guides them through two 15-minute sittings and offers suggestions on how to get the most from meditation, said Norris, who has previously attended the beginner session.
The advanced session will be at 7 a.m. Wednesday at 207 Robinson, but students wishing to take that session first need to contact Andrew Tsubaki at 864-3534
The beginner session will be 5:30 to 7 p.m. tomorrow at Robinson. Both sessions are free.
"In this modern world, we need to stop all of our activities and look at ourselves, but before we can do that, we can empty our minds through meditation," said Tsubaki, professor of theater and film and director of international theater studies. "It's the practice of how to empty your mind and to concentrate."
Norris said meditation was not religious.
"It's about ways you can refresh yourself," she said.
The Etc. Shop
920 Mass. • 843-0811
STOMP
March 14 & 15
TOPEKA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Call 297-8090 (TPAG) or
214-4545 (Ticktamaster)
Buy tickets On-line: www.tpacctm.org
COFFEE HOURS!!!
ECM Center with doughnuts, bagels, coffee and tea 8-10 am weekdays study areas or conversation
--at
Hard Core Logo "R" Fri. & Sat. Midnight
Hollywood Theaters
All Show: Only $2 * Purchase Tickets at the SUA Box Office Level 4, KS Union
| Game | Start & Run | Duty |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 1 Pitch Black | (2.00) | 4.50, 7.30, 10.00 |
| 2 American Beauty | (1.25) | 4.00, 7.30, 10.00 |
| 3 Screen's Movie | (1.55) | 4.00, 7.30, 10.10 |
| 4 The Shuffle | (2.05) | 4.10, 6.50, 9.10 |
| 5 The Whole Nine Yards | (1.15) | 4.40, 7.25, 9.55 |
| 6 Hanging Up | (1.25) | 4.15, 7.20, 9.40 |
| 7 Wonder Boys | (1.20) | 4.00, 7.55, 10.45 |
| 8 Reindeer Games | (1.00) | 4.55, 7.45, 10.95 |
| 9 Snow Day | (1.30) | 4.50, 7.30, 9.30 |
| 10 The Sixth Sense | (1.35) | 4.50, 7.30, 9.35 |
| 11 The Beach | (1.45) | 4.50, 7.30, 9.35 |
| 12 Boiler Room | (1.40) | 4.30, 7.10, 9.50 |
this summer, pack your underwear, your toothbrush and your [guts].
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Apply for Camp Challenge at the Army ROTC Department. Then start packing.
ARMY ROTC Unlike any other college course you can take.
For more information, call Captain Ron Tucker at (785) 864-3311, Univ. of Kansas
| | Sat & Sun |
| :--- | :--- |
| 1 The Green竿 Rules* | (4:30, 8:00) |
| 2 One Dime Rules* | (1:45, 7:50) 9:30 |
| 3 The Hurricane | (1:50, 4:35) 8:00 |
| 4 Short竿 Rules* | (2:00, 4:00) |
also... Girl Interrupted *
$5 advanced student tickets $7 at the door. $10 advanced non-student $12 at the door children under the age of 1 are free
Tickets available at the SUA Box Office, Level 4, Kansas Union and Liberty Hall, 642 Massachusetts St.
7 PM SUNDAY MARCH 5 2000 HBIRTY HALL
— 7:05 9:35
4:30), 8:05 —
4:40), 7:10, 9:40
Call or stop by today!
2:01 W 25:th, 9:43 *Behind Food 4 Less* - 842-1455
★ NO VIP ★ PASSES ★ SUPERSAWERS
SHOWTIMES FOR TODAY ONLY
841-PLAY
1029 Massachusetts
Time: 10 am - 2 pm
Location: Kansas Union 4th
Floor Lobby
Events-
Proudly Presents the
Monday February 28th & 29th Information Table
The Asian American Student Union
We Buy, Sell & Trade USED & NEW Sports Equipment
Friday, March 3 $ ^{4 - 8} $ Asian American Student Leadership Conference
Wednesday, March 1 - Different
Language Name Writing
Time: 10 am – 2 pm
Location: Wescoe Beach
Time: 8 am - 3 pm
Location: Kansas Union (4th,
5th, and 6th floors)
Monday, March 6 - Origami Folding
Saturday, March 4 - hereandnow theater group performance
Time: 6 pm – 8:30 pm
Location: Woodruff
Auditorium. Cost: FREE
Time: 10am - 2pm
Location: Wescoe Beach
Tuesday, March 7 - Guest Speaker renowned artist Linda Nishi
Time: 7 pm
Location: Spencer Museum of Art Auditorium
Friday, March 10 -
Henna Tattoos
Time: 10am - 2pm
Location: Wescoe Beach
Saturday, March 11
A Taste of Asia.
Admission: Only $5 / person or
$8 / couple in advance only.
Tickets available at SUA Box
Office or from an AASU officer.
$7 / person at door.
785. 843.8808
- Sample Asian cuisine from various Asian countries. 5:30 PM
- 7:00 pm at the Ecumenical Christian Ministires (ECM).
- 7:00 pm at the Ecumenical Christian Ministries (ECM).
- Cultural performances and Fashion Show of different Asian countries. 7 PM (KS Union Ballroom, 5th floor).
DANCE PARTY!: Upon completion of performances - 11:30 PM (KS Union Ballroom, 5th Floor). $4/person, FREE w/ admission to A Taste of Asia.
Funded by
Got Questions? Comments?
AASU - www.ukans.edu/~asu
or 864-3576.
Student Senate
HEADMASTERS
AVEDA. CONCEPT SALON
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
RECYCLE your Daily Kansan
The University of Kansas School of Fine Arts
Lied Center Concert Series presents
STUDENT
SENATE
Tickets on sale at the Led Center Box 3516
www.ukans.org/tickets
Ticketmaster (785) 234-4545
ar (816) 931-3330
www.ukans.org/~lied
All tickets half price for students