Mastering Chinese yo-yo is no easy trick

Albert Kung doesn't like to brag, but the 12-year-old Lexington student can perform a mean "whip" and "hook" with a Chinese yo-yo.

But even after taking classes for more than three years, Albert says he still gets nervous when he puts on a show in front of a crowd like the one he will face Saturday at the Chinese New Year celebration in Lexington.

"Yeah, I get nervous, but the crowd usually likes it and they get really excited," said Kung, one of 10 students who take a weekly class at the Greater Boston Chinese Cultural Association in West Newton with teacher Judy Ting.

The class performs several times a year at events and celebrations like the Chinese New Year, which today marks the beginning of the Year of the Rat. Each performance lasts about 10 minutes and features group, duet, and solo tricks.

Originally, Chinese yo-yos were made of wood or bamboo, but today most feature two plastic wheels joined by a metal rod. A string attached to two sticks helps the user spin the yo-yo. Performers spin and toss the yo-yo at different speeds, in different directions, and in and around arms and legs.

One of Kung's favorite tricks is the whip. For the whip, the performer tosses the yo-yo into the air, wraps the strings around the axle, and releases quickly in a whipping motion.

Ryan Lee, 11, of Lexington, likes to perform the under-leg, which involves moving the strings and yo-yo under the leg. Ryan started the yo-yo three years ago and practices 10 to 15 minutes each day.

"I like how it's very energetic and how it's really fun," Ryan said. "There are a lot of challenges."

Not only is it fun, he said, but it helps improve his coordination and connects him to his Chinese culture.

Ting said her yo-yo class has been gaining in popularity. Ting, a Taiwan native who lives in Wayland, said she has been teaching in the Boston area for about 10 years. Most of her students live in the western suburbs, including Acton, Lexington, Newton, and Wayland.

Ting said it takes two to four years to be able to perform the yo-yo well. She said it's great exercise for children and is a fun way for them to learn about Chinese heritage.

A yo-yo-like toy was first referenced in literature from the Ming Dynasty, which stretched from 1386 to 1644.

Ting said the toy was invented by farmers in northern China who were looking for ways to pass time in the winter months.

"We want to keep the culture," Ting said. "Around this area, I don't think a lot of people know about this and can teach it.