PROFILE
A group of freestyle football players who perform freestyle football performances, lessons, and video production mainly in the Kanto area, they have participated in various tournaments and contests in Japan and abroad since their formation in 2010, and have achieved brilliant results. In recent years, their activities have attracted a lot of attention, and they have contributed to raising awareness of freestyle football through numerous appearances in magazines, TV shows, commercials, and other media. The group currently has six members, with LYU on the left in the photo as the leader, and EASY on the right as one of the founding members.
Twitter:@artistare_lyu
EASY Instagram:@easyta / Twitter:@easyTA
The fascination of freestyle football is undeniable.
Place the ball on your head and hold it perfectly still. It looks easy, but it is surprisingly difficult.
First of all, can you tell us about ArtiSTARE, the freestyle football team you both belong to?
LYU:The core of our activities as freestyle footballers is to showcase our creative performances and tricks using a soccer ball, which are different from those of ordinary soccer and football. Recently, the number of players like us who are active in the world is increasing, and the diversity of football sports derived from soccer is spreading, so recognition is gradually increasing.
EASY:We both played soccer in school, but at some point in our lives, we both encountered freestyle football, became fascinated with it, and decided to become freestyle footballers. We originally belonged to different teams, but since 2010 we have been playing together in our current team, ArtiSTARE.
LYU is the leader of ArtiSTARE. On this day, she was dressed casually in a fleece parka by Banana Republic.
What was the impetus behind the formation of ArtiSTARE?
LYU:In sports, there are always winners and losers, and freestyle football has not only that, but also the side value of creation in terms of expression. There have not been many teams that can pursue this kind of performance that only they can do, without being overly focused on the competition, so the main reason we decided to start our own team.
EASY:I was not a good enough soccer player to win a regular spot in my junior high school club, which had about 14 members. However, I was able to grow in a different way in freestyle football. I think one of the reasons for this is that there was a place where people who had their own expression and originality were valued.
EASY is wearing a check coat and high-necked sweater by Banana Republic.
Despite its active movement, it is a conservative style.
What are the main activities of ArtiSTARE?
LYU:I am invited to freestyle football-related events to perform, give lectures at schools, etc., and, of course, participate in competitions as a player. In Japan, freestyle football has not attracted much attention yet, but in Europe and South America, it is a major sport that has become as popular as soccer in some countries.
EASY:Another major feature of our team is that we produce videos within our team. In this day and age, with the development of social networking and YouTube media, it is easy to transmit video works in the public arena. Thanks to this, it has become an opportunity for people to know not only about ArtiSTARE and its individual members, but also about the sport of freestyle football itself.
Standing on one hand and holding a ball between both feet, this acrobatic trick is LYU's specialty.
Do you have any tricks that you are good at?
LYU:In my case, I used to learn how to dance, so I do acrobatic tricks that make use of my physical abilities. I am good at flipping my body up and down while lifting, and placing a ball between my legs in mid-air. This technique requires basic lifting stability, a well-balanced torso, and basic muscle strength, so it is also very difficult. This makes it easy to understand and convey to the audience, and it is very exciting at events.
She keeps the ball by bending her body over to the limit. This is a trick that only LYU, who has dance experience, could pull off.
LYU:Another trick I am good at is to catch a ball with my chest and keep it there while bending my hips and knees as much as possible, in a posture like the letter C in the alphabet. This is a difficult trick to perform unless you have a flexible body and a strong lower body that can support an unstable upper body.
Place the ball on the side of the head and rotate the body in a circular motion while keeping the head centered.
Like other tricks, this one is more difficult than it looks.
EASY:I use the side of my head to place a ball on top of my head. I do not just stand there, but I try to make it original by using an unstable position like in breakdancing. This is a posture that would never be possible in normal soccer, but it makes it more difficult and gives the audience a surprise.
An evolution of lifting tricks performed with nimble movements. You can't help but watch.
EASY:The other trick is an arrangement of lifting where the player touches the ball with the ball on the axle by changing legs in mid-air, which is recognized as a somewhat basic trick in the world of freestyle football. The timing and handling of the ball are very important, and it is an acrobatic and fascinating technique.
It's hard to tell from the pictures, but the tricks themselves are so instantaneous that it's hard to tell what's going on at first glance (laughs). Incidentally, as you mentioned earlier, in recent years, various companies have become sponsors, supporting players' clothing and gear and even hosting tournaments.
LYU:As the mindset of diversity permeates the world of sports, and various derivative sports are emerging, freestyle football is a prime example. In addition, there are cases of active professional soccer players turning to freestyle football after retirement, as in the case of beach soccer and futsal, and I feel that the population is increasing year by year due to its close relationship with soccer.
EASY:Also, the information age has increased the number of opportunities to come into contact with and watch freestyle football, and this is a major reason why awareness of the sport is growing. If you search for related words on the Internet or Instagram, you will find many videos and photos. And unlike soccer, it can be started by a single person, even if you are not good at team play or don't have a large field to play on. I think such ease of use has lowered the hurdle.
The "Rapid Movement Chinos" the two are wearing, while adapting to active movement,
It is characterized by having a beautiful silhouette.
I see. Can you tell us about the future of ArtiSTARE as well as the two of you?
LYU:I hope to grow as a football player without being confined to freestyle. I am still a soccer boy, and I think about football every day since I first encountered the sport (laughs). I would also like to continue to actively participate in tournaments, establish my position in the country, and contribute to popularizing freestyle football as the leading freestyle football player in Japan.
EASY:I would like to continue to aim for recognition in competitions without changing my current style. In contests with rules, the winners and losers are determined by strategic composition of tricks and choice of techniques, so I want to do my best to achieve results with originality in my freestyle football performance.
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