The Yonkers South Broadway Business Improvement District held a Double Dutch Expo last week in Lincoln Park, with the community joining together for a good, old-fashioned, late-summer evening jump rope competition. For those who have never tried it, jumping rope Double Dutch style requires a great deal of coordination and timing.
Two Yonkers police officers from the Third Precinct, Dan Drago and Vionett Martinez, joined in the fun and showed their dexterity, with Martinez winning the mini-battle between the two.
This was the first Double Dutch Expo for SBBID, and the evening weather was perfect for the jumps, the flips and the competition, which featured that National Double Dutch League. The performance by the two members of Yonkers; finest went viral, and resulted in interviews given by both Martinez and Drago on Fox television.
The first interview on Fox, and the video from the Yonkers expo, sent it across the country and around the world.
The two officers were interviewed in Manhattan for the Fox & Friends Morning Show this week.
“Capt. McCormack told me about the Double Dutch expo, and I love to jump Double Dutch so I jumped right in,” said Martinez.
Officer Drago called himself the Rocky Balboa of Double Dutch, and both officers did it again on live TV, with Martinez jumping along for almost a minute, and Drago going for about half that time.
“We are thankful to be here,” said Drago, who used to be partners with Martinez. “Officer Martinez challenged me at the street fair, and I couldn’t say no. I was a jumper from my younger days but not this style. I’ve only been Double Ditching for the days.
“It’s great to show the community that we are just like everyone else and like to have fun. We didn’t think it would get this much attention, but part of the reason why it did was that our city embraced it and it went viral. It’s good to take a break and have fun with the community.”
I think it’s safe to say that officers Martinez and Drago have started a tradition in Yonkers, together with SBBID.
