Waypoint: Jakarta
In this editorial, Jonathan Sitanggang and Ahmad Kharisma share personal reflections on the players involved - how they’ve grown, what makes them unique, and why this moment mattered.
The project came full circle on April 27th, when the video premiered at South Jakarta Yo-yo Concepts - shared back with the very community that shaped it.
Edited by Coleman Weimer and scored by Lydia Pineau
Fajar
Unfortunately, I’m not close enough with this guy to describe him :”) — Kharis might be the better person for this.
Fajar might not be the most ambitious person in yo-yoing, but he always supports and attends events. I first met him in 2010 when he came with his high school yo-yo club (yes, that high school had a club and brought a lot of players to contests). As an elementary student back then, it felt really warm and welcoming to be surrounded by kind high schoolers — including Fajar.
Ray
Ray’s always inspired me with his unique style since my early days in yo-yoing — probably one of my favorite Indonesian players to watch. He’s not super active in the scene these days, unfortunately, but I still meet him for coffee occasionally since we’re in the same line of work.
Ray is like a big brother to me in yo-yoing. Back then, it wasn’t common to see highly innovative players in Indonesia — but Ray had a completely different approach to yo-yo.
FYI, he invented the slack-to-wrist-mount concept that a lot of people use these days:
We lived far apart — I’m in Jakarta, he’s in Medan (2 hours by plane) — so we didn’t meet often. But we sometimes sent unlisted videos to share ideas. Whenever Ray came to Jakarta, we’d make time to meet and trade tricks:
Later, Ray went to Australia for university, so it became even harder to meet. But when he came back to Indo, we managed to travel together — like that hilarious trip to Bintan after AP, or the time we judged the East Indonesia Yoyo Contest in Sulawesi. The contest was one day, but we spent a week exploring — beautiful trip.
These days, we’re both back in Jakarta trying to do our best in life. We don’t meet up often, but we know those memories are precious.
Ahmad
During my first contests — when I was still new to the scene and didn’t know anyone — Kharis spotted me from afar, came up to me, and said, “You’re the future, man. You’ve got potential.”
Those words meant A LOT to me, especially coming from someone I idolized so much as a kid (and still do, to be honest). That interaction was incredibly impactful. I think Kharis is the most humble person I’ve ever met — genuine, supportive, and a great representative of the Indonesian community. He welcomes people so wholeheartedly.
Sello
A super unique yo-yoer — he only throws frontstyle, which results in a lot of unorthodox elements. He’s very community-oriented too. Not many people his age would step up and lead a yo-yo community, but he’s been working extra hard to make events and meetups happen, all while balancing school. I really respect him for that!
Sello started yo-yoing after the 2015 boom, but we really started talking after I came back to the scene in 2023. He has a unique trick style due to his front-throw habit. I think he’s one of the few people who can present yo-yoing as a lifestyle — like when he landed a banger trick after being announced as the best student during his high school graduation.
He’s now leading the South Jakarta Yoyo Club, which had been inactive for a long time. Reviving meetups and organizing cool contests are part of his mission now. I’m super happy to see younger players getting involved in the “organizational” side of the scene.
Iman
I spent a lot of time with Iman in my early yo-yoing days. Safe to say my style evolved the way it did because of him. He introduced me to videos of players like Zach Gormley, Shinnosuke Miyamoto, and Charles, and we’d nerd out over tricks together. That eventually shaped how I think about making tricks. Iman’s someone who loves to teach and share — he even worked as a yo-yo demonstrator — and he helped teach a big chunk of the next-gen Indonesian players how to yo-yo.
Iman was one of my trick-trading buddies around 2011 when we used to attend yo-yo gatherings in Central Park. Fun fact — he taught me the frontstyle combo that scored well back then.
Yoga
I’ve been hanging out with Yoga ever since he started showing up at yo-yo meets. His flow and style are so unique and instantly recognizable. I hope the younger Indo generation (or anyone, really!) can take inspiration from him.
I’m honestly not sure when he started yo-yoing, but we started talking after I came back in 2023. He’s great with tech and comp tricks, but what surprised me is his focus on picture tricks — a style most people have abandoned. We also share a similar taste in music, especially Indonesian indie. I was so happy when he did a freestyle full of picture tricks at Expressiyon (the contest I organized), using one of my favorite songs.
Rigel
He first showed up during the Blazing Teens yo-yo boom around 2015–2016, and surprised us all with a 5th place finish at Indonesia Nationals in 2023. Since then, he’s been putting out really clean routines. He’s super fun to hang out with — really sociable and loud — although I need two days to recharge my social battery after hanging out with him, haha.
Rigel is like a little brother to me. I looked after him when we went to Malaysia Nats — he’s super funny and ambitious. He said that would be his last serious contest because he had to prepare for university entrance exams. He got 3rd place, and a few months later, got into his dream university. I told him never to declare quitting — just play if it feels good. I was super proud of the freestyle he did to one of my favorite songs.
I remember Kevin and I singing along while watching it.
Joseph
A super talented kid from the same era as Rigel, I believe. He’s really humble and kind — but his tricks? Wow. He hits high-layer hooks like it’s nothing and casually drops bangers. He can also do soloham while solving a Rubik’s Cube, which is insane.
Joseph also came from the 2015 yo-yo boom, but I didn’t really know him back then — too many kids to keep track of.
I really started noticing him after his “university time skip” at Indonesia Nationals 2023. His trickset matches the current meta, which is rare in the Indonesian scene — he landed some multi-layered hooks. He didn’t make finals due to a few misses, but I know he’s on the right path competitively. He made the top 10 at the 2024 Nats, which is a big step up. Can’t wait to see what he brings this year!
Jonathan
Jo said we first met at a local contest in 2011 — but to be honest, I forgot that moment.
The first time I really remember him was at a Jakarta contest in 2014 where he placed 3rd. His tricks were well above the average Indonesian player at the time. It made me so happy to see a little kid (well, I was still a kid too) be that good.
We chatted a bit and shared some tricks offstage. I was a judge at that contest. When Jojo performed, I felt like he truly put his heart into it. Some people just go onstage and hit tricks — but this boy hit them with spirit.
I remember thinking: I’d be proud to be surpassed by a local player one day.
At a 2017 local contest (which I also judged), Jonathan placed first with a fire freestyle. Not only was it heartfelt — his tricks had evolved. I knew he’d eventually surpass me.
Now it’s 2025, and we all know his name — Jonathan Sitanggang. He’s put our scene on the map. Not only has he surpassed me, but he’s become one of the most creative and competitive players in the world. I’m super proud.
Kevin
Also a player from the Blazing Teens boom. I love watching this kid grow — he frequently practices at my place and sometimes shows up unannounced (I once woke up to him already sitting in my room). His passion and drive for yo-yoing are contagious, and I think it inspires a friendly rivalry among his generation. A lot of the younger players keep asking me how they can beat Kevin — KEEP TRYING AND DON’T GIVE UP, Y’ALL!
I first met Kevin when he was in elementary school, around 2016. Honestly, I didn’t pay much attention to him then — there were so many kids who were way better at the time, lol.
At AP 2019, Kevin wasn’t yet a top contender in Indo, but he passed the prelims. I was like, “Who is this kid?! How do I not know him?” That’s when I started taking notice.
During COVID, a lot of promising players quit — but Kevin didn’t.
In 2023, I returned to the scene after five years studying in Turkey. Jonathan and Daeven told me about this one kid who never quit and got really good. I was like, “Hmm, okay, let’s see.”
At Indonesia Nats, this Kevin kid beat me — he placed first in prelims.
This kid is legit. Now he’s aiming to do well at international contests too. I’m excited to see where his journey goes.
Athallah
Another multi-talented player — he’s both an Indonesian traditional martial arts (Pencak Silat) champion and a cracked yo-yoer. We went through Indonesia’s Got Talent together back in 2022. Even before that, he was on TV shows and in the news, introducing tons of people to yo-yoing.
Lately, he’s been getting more motivated in yo-yoing again after focusing on his martial arts competitions. Be on the lookout for him — he always surprises me with new tricks whenever we meet.
Athallah has always been a standout. From mastering my tricks to performing on TV shows, he’s been a familiar name in the scene. He’s not a kid anymore and is starting to grind the competitive circuit. I heard Jonathan’s been mentoring him lately — so I’m excited to see what he brings to Nats in 2025.
For more on the Indonesian community, explore the Field Notes: Ahmad Kharisma
Last year after EZONE in Sapporo, Japan, Harrison sat down with Ahmad to discuss his journey into yo-yoing, the Indonesian yo-yo community, and his aspirations for the future.