Diabolo
Performer, teacher
What is the diabolo?
Also known as the Chinese Yo-Yo, the diabolo is an hourglass-shaped toy that spins on a string connected by two sticks. You can do lots of tricks with it like throwing it up in the air or spinning it on your finger!
What do I do?
I picked up this hobby when I was six years old, and I love learning new tricks and performing. Since then I have performed this art form at 75 cultural events, competitions, fundraisers, and athletic events, winning state competitions and performing in front of audiences numbering more than 8,000! I love sharing the diabolo with others too, and I’ve taught hundreds of students in New Jersey, North Carolina, and China.
Learn more about me and the diabolo
Highlights from basketball game showcase
My best performance, ever
Other performances
Check out my friend and I earning 1st place at a Doubles Chinese Yo-Yo Competition, and other videos on my diabolo YouTube channel. For a complete list of my 75 performances, check here.
Teaching the Diabolo / Chinese Yo-Yo to others
Few things have shaped my life more than playing the diabolo. I found something that I truly loved doing, something that I did because I wanted to, because it made me happy and made me feel like I could do a lot in this world. I wanted to share this joy with others, and one of my biggest teaching experiences has been at the Duke Engage volunteer program detailed below:
I’ve also previously taught at Duke Splash, an educational initiative that allows middle and high school students learn a variety of topics taught by passionate Duke students. I taught classes at multiple events (2014, 2015, 2016) and also helped coordinate all the volunteers. While in high school, I also taught the Chinese Yo-Yo class at my local Chinese School. My favorite part of teaching is seeing the glimmer in the kids’ eyes when they land a new trick for the first time, because it reminds me how those same moments of joy for me many years ago that showed me I could be good at something and gave me the confidence to pursue my passions and be the person I today.
