About Danny Severance
Daniel “Danny” Severance (1992–2013) was an American yo-yo player from Delaware and the younger brother of Tyler Severance, founder of Recess International. He came up through the yo-yo club at Mitchell’s Trains, Toys, and Hobbies, where Friday night sessions with his brother became the foundation of a deeply creative practice. He played primarily 1A and 5A, though he was equally comfortable on responsive stock plastic as on unresponsive metal — a fluency that struck veteran players as genuinely uncommon.
Danny rarely entered formal competitions and had no interest in sponsorships. Ed Haponik of Werrd described him as “one of the most naturally gifted yo-yoers of his era,” comparing a first-hand experience of his playing to hearing blues legend Robert Johnson perform live. Steve Brown of YoYoNews wrote that Danny “had more creativity than he ever knew what to do with,” and that when he chose to channel it, “the results were stunning.” His trick “Bucket Repeater” (1A) was featured in Studio Sessions 3 and has been cited as among the most influential repeater concepts of that era.
His preferred throw was a purple Glass Eye Duncan Freehand Zero with plain white caps — a setup that became a symbol of his memory. He appeared on YoYoRadio in May 2013 alongside Jonathan Robinson. Community members who knew him remembered his generosity: he was quick to share tricks, ask about others’ families, and freely offered hugs. He was described in remembrances as a “lovable troublemaker” and a “mustache rocking originator” — someone who had no need to be anything other than himself.
Danny Severance died on December 19, 2013, at age 21. In April 2016, his brother Tyler released a limited run of Anti-Yo YWETs powder-coated to match Danny’s favorite Freehand Zero colorway, with proceeds donated to the Out of the Darkness suicide prevention fundraiser. Duncan Toys released a tribute Freehand One in November 2022 under the “Danny X Duncan” banner. His trick vocabulary continues to circulate in the community through tutorials and the players he inspired.