Dama in the D 5/4-5/5/24
Michigan's oldest and biggest, one of the longest running kendama events in the Midwest will be returning with a bang on May 4-5 2024. Whether or not you've attended the event in the past, whether you're a newcomer to the community, a complete outsider, or a seasoned veteran, it's something you'll want to experience. This year has some new surprises for spectators and competitors alike, so tell your whole crew about the dates, and start planning your trip if you haven't already! It's a welcoming environment for everyone, regardless of kendama experience/skill level, age, gender, etc.
As it has been for the past several years, Dama in the D 2024 will be a two day event. May 4th and 5th from 10am-6pm each day.
Pricing for attendees is as follows:
SPECTATORS will be asked to pay $5 per day, so $10 if you attend both days. You will receive a wrist band once you pay, and it is recommended to keep that on throughout the day. Day 2 wrist band will be a different color, and you will be asked to pay the entry fee once more.
For COMPETITORS, the entry fee is $20 regardless of the division you sign up for. Your wrist band will be a separate color from spectators. There are beginner, intermediate, and advanced speed ladders, as well as AM Open, and Open Division. Day 2 will also feature an Invitation Freestyle Competition with pre determined competitors.
*NOTE TO COMPANY REPS: If you are a sponsored player OR company owner, your team gets to have the entry fee waived for up to TWO players. If you have a team in attendance larger than that, any players beyond those two will still have to pay to compete. EVEN IF YOU DO NOT PAY, all competitors still have to register at the front desk. No matter who you are.
***Despite the fact that 10am is the official start time and doors are open to the public at that time, official competition won't be underway on the first day until 11am. This will give event organizers, sponsors, and vendors time to set up and get situated before the party really starts!
Without the support from our sponsors and vendors, we really wouldn't be able to keep making the event happen, so we are eternally grateful to them for being on board with this giant kendama party year after year. Infinite shout outs to these people. Here is a list of our sponsors so far:
Glow Fish Studios
Downriver Kendama Team
Krom Kendama (vending)
Grain Theory (vending)
Lotus Kendama (vending
Kendama Depot (vending)
Acid Labs (vending)
Sosu Kendama (vending)
Sundune Kendama (vending)
Bevel Worship (vending)
Kendama USA
Sweets Kendamas
Sol Kendamas
Findlay Hats
Woodsman Customs
Terra Kendama
Deal With It
Evo Kendamas
Rage Quit Apparel
Here's what you can look forward to on DAY 1:
10:00-11:00am: doors, and registration for all divisions opens up, this is generally our set up time for company reps that will have a table and have been confirmed as a vendor. BE SURE TO ARRIVE FOR SET UP AT 10AM if you want to pick your spot.
11:00am-12:00pm: registration for beginner speed ladder closes (11am), there will be some announcements, mini games for prize winning opportunities. Anybody in attendance can get in on mini games for chances to win kendamas or other cool stuff, then beginner speed ladders will play out to completion and prizes dispersed to the podium
12:00pm-1:00pm: registration for intermediate speed ladder closes (12pm), before kicking off the intermediate ladders, there will be some special video premieres and announcments! THEN, mini games, intermediate ladder plays out to completion and prizes dispersed to the podium
1:00pm-2:00pm: registration for advanced speed ladder closes (1pm), announcements, shout outs, mini games, advanced speed ladder plays out to completion and prizes dispersed to the podium
2:00pm-2:45: Immediately following the conclusion of advanced ladders, there will be a product toss, then a break for lunch. We want to give people enough time to go to a nearby store or restaurant to pick up food and eat it before we jump back into things. Feel free to stay or go during this time, there will be a 15 minute grace period after, then kicking off the double elimination AM Open bracket at 3pm. Your last chance to register will be during the lunch break, and STRICTLY AT 2:45pm, registration for the AM Open will close.
3:00pm-however long it takes: the double elim AM Open bracket will take up a good portion of our remaining time for day one. Depending on when it finishes, we are going to come up with some spur the moment mini games/contests that anybody can enter, and win some bigger than usual prizes from the regular mini games. To close out the day we will run some freestyle demos, make some more announcements, and give a run down on what to expect for day two!
For now, here's what you can look forward to for DAY 2:
The main event(s) happen on day 2. Day 2 is what ropes in some of the best players in the country, sometimes even from outside of the country. Day 2 is a day of competition for the most experienced players that attend our events. It is important to be on time and really as early as possible to ensure your day as a competitor runs smoothly as well as keeping things smooth for the organizers. As a spectator, this is also the most exciting time to be there in terms of high octane competition.
10:00am-11:30am: registration remains open for the double elim Open division bracket. Some vendors who may not have set up on day one will have time during this window to set up their booth as they see fit. There will be some announcements and more general run down on how the day should play out. During these 90 minutes a lot of people will be arriving at different times, but while we give people time to get there and get set up, we will be running one or two smaller side tournaments with different kendama related games/rules.
11:30am-1:00pm: Our eight player Invitation Freestyle Competition will go down. The format of freestyle is slightly different than we've done before, but we will keep it a surprise. These are some of the best players to ever attend kendama events in the United States. It is highly recommended to prioritize this time as a spectator or fellow kendama player. It is going to be wild! Concluding the contest, we will be distributing prizes to the podium, and I promise you the prizes at the event this year are better than ever. You won't want to miss it.
1pm-1:45pm: registration for double elim Open Divison closes (1pm), this will be your last chance to register, NO EXCEPTIONS. During this time, since there are only two things to focus on this day, our lunch break will come earlier than on day one. We will come back ready for a mini game or two, short warm-up period, and then kick off the Open Division by 2pm.
2:00pm-5pm (or however long it takes): Double Elimination Open Division bracket will be played out to completion. This is what people practice for the hardest. It is not recommended to show up without reviewing the trick list and giving yourself a fair amount of time to practice it. The stakes are high and the prizes are big. Good luck. Prizes will be distributed to the podium after a brief celebration period/photo op!
