From 2007 to 2010 I participated in numerous SLAM competitions, sharing the stage with some of the best slam poets locally and nationally. I grew from a young writer-poet who knew absolutely NOTHING about the competitive side of poetry to a slightly older one who had learned quite a bit through her travels; slam rock-stars, ma’ams, veterans, and friends; and countless ‘bouts.’ I learned how to engage an audience in 3 minutes and 10 seconds (sometimes less) through words and body movement. I learned how to synchronize those words and body movements… How to be comfortable and confident in what I was saying… How to place nervous energy into the performance of my pieces… How to NEVER take pulling the 1 or 2 too seriously. Lol! I became fairly decent at slams, winning a few here and there. What I did not learn, however, was how to engage my audience beyond this.
In slam there is no talking, no introducing your poems or the inspiration behind them. You do not have to find commonalities between poems to link poems in a 3-round bout, you just spit and sit down, spit and sit down, spit and sit down. On the other side of slam, there are features. Features can range anywhere from 20 minutes to 1 hour and are very different in that you have to do more than JUST poetry. There’s the in-between/ the monologues/ what you’ll say to your audience before and after you’ve recited your poem so not to bore them, and this must be just as engaging as the poem itself.
I was asked to do a 20 minute set last Friday at an event in Stone Mountain, Ga. The event was DOPE! My performance was pretty good… well, that’s what everyone told me. Lol! If you ask me, it “felt”, hmmm... okay (I’ve yet to watch the video recording of it. There’s just something about watching myself that is a bit unnerving). It was the in-between/ the monologue, etc. that kinda threw my mojo off in the beginning. One would think that talking to a group of people—especially for someone whose performed in front of various size crowds—is fairly simple. It’s just talking, right? WRONG. I waited ‘til the last minute to prepare. Rushing through my talking points while taking shower, getting dress, curling locs. Needless to say, I stumbled through the in-betweens at the beginning of my set. It wasn’t bad, but it was noticeable.
On the other side of slam, features aren't JUST about the poem. It's also about how personable you are with the crowd--whether or not you can connect with them in some form or fashion beyond 3minutes and 10seconds. I think many slam poets forget/ don't realize this.... that this too is apart of the performance, and is the piece apart of the whole that makes for a great set. And it still requires preparation & practice as well. After all, you are still on a time constraint--wouldn't want to go off into a rant.
As I lay low from the slam scene for a while, I've come to realize that this side of poetry is a little different than what I'm use to, but I'm looking forward to growing and learning more--again through travels; spoken word artist/poet rock-stars, veterans, and friends who do this on a regular; and countless of opportunities!
So, (*raising wine glass*) here's looking to the other side of slam. ;-)
Coming from a poet/performance artist myself, I must say that was an excellent way to explained the difference between the two. Not to mention that standing and just talking in front of a crowd is still an issue I deal with also.....but we'll get it.....keep spitting A.P.
ReplyDeleteThanks @ Mondu. And, indeed we will get it together as time progresses. ;-)
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ReplyDeleteWelcome to the other side of slam a place that few make it to and others soon discover that past 3:10 they fall mute. Slam has its strengths, it teaches one to write a very concise thing, it teaches people to grab an audience and take them places in 3:10 or under. Slam makes you a strategist and a technician of sorts; and it asks you to be a poet or at the very least a descent conjurer of rote movement over often times predictable subject matter regurgitated with great force, outlandish volume and manufactured emotion (If you cry every time u read that poem? And you've been reading that poem for ten years then you may need to seek therapy beyond the stage). While feature length performances 15 min, 30 min, an hour ask you to be a poet, a psychologist, a preacher, a comedian, a philosopher, a story teller, etc. and it asks u to be all these things with no poem to dress it up in, no rhythmic metaphor to couch your language, you have to strip it down and really give them you. It's an art all unto itself (ask Cola Rum, ask Asia, ask Dana Gilmore, ask Carlos Robson, ask Bluz, ask Theresa Davis). No matter how good or dope you are no one is going to pay or listen to a poet spit straight poems for an hour (unless you are Maya Angelou, or Nikki Giovanni, or Sonia Sanchez and even they don't do that) which for a slam poet would be 20 poems (I know a slam poet that did 17 straight at a college. Half his audience left on the tenth poem. He was not asked back)I was there Friday night and saw your set April, welcome to the other side you are well on your way.
ReplyDeleteI am so proud of how much you have grown over the years. I truly love your blog and await to read the next. I feel your poems bring life to the realness of life, love and how beautiful it really is to be natural. I love you and wish great prosperity in your future.
ReplyDeleteLean not to your own understanding But God's
You are graceful, your movements and tones are reminiscent of a caribbean story-teller. I love the way the accent creeps in-like your facial expression- comforting. I feel welcome in your space when you are on stage, or in a living room spitting. You have always managed to capture my attention when you speak or spit. Keep going...I'm enjoying watching you on your journey!
ReplyDelete@ Jon: "Slam ... asks you to be ... at the very least a descent conjurer of rote movement over often times predictable subject matter regurgitated with great force, outlandish volume and manufactured emotion." LOL!!!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I could listen to Maya Angelou spit straight poems for an hour. There'd HAVE to be commentary. IJS. ;-)
On another note, I thank you. I'm really looking forward to it. The newness of this whole thing makes me nervous and excites me at the same time. I have to admit, however, I used you as a role model and also Theresa remember the countless of practices (monologues included) you and she went through for the "Whish You Were Here."
Thank you SO MUCH @ Micko. I love you lady!!!
ReplyDelete"You are graceful, your movements and tones are reminiscent of a caribbean story-teller. I love the way the accent creeps in-like your facial expression- comforting."
Hmmm; wow. It really is a bizarre thing Ozara: how that accent creeps in. I used to tease and say that it was my roots... the anscestors sneaking up out of me (from the carribeans and even europe). I'm actually starting to believe it, though. I truly cannot explain that. I'm glad to know, however, that someone like yourself thinks so fond of me. It's been implied in the past (in SLAM) that I was being deceptive and misleading to my audience whenever that happened.