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ACC's Second Annual "Poetry Slam 101"

Evening to Focus on Bringing Poetry from the Page to the Stage

(October 26, 2007 - Littleton, Colo.) Poetry lovers and poets of all levels are invited to a fun evening featuring the winners of the 2006 National Poetry Slam Championship, a hands-on workshop on "The Art of the Spoken Word," and a poetry slam competition open to all poets at Arapahoe Community College (ACC).

ACC's second annual "Poetry Slam 101," will be presented by ACC's Writers Studio on Thursday, November 15. The three consecutive events will occur in ACC's Waring Theatre in the College's Main Building at 5900 South Santa Fe Drive in Littleton.

So what is a Poetry Slam? Poetry slam is the competitive art of performance poetry. It puts a dual emphasis on writing and performance, encouraging poets to focus on what they're saying and how they're saying it.

"To me, the best poetry slams are competitions that yoke quality poetry with dynamic delivery," explains Dr. Kathryn Winograd, who is an award-winning poet, full-time member of ACC's English faculty and coordinator of the Writer's Studio. "The highlight of our Poetry 101 evening will be a workshop and special performance presented by members of the 2006 Denver Slam Team, which defeated 73 teams and 500 poets from all over the country at the National Poetry Slam in August 2006."

"Poetry Slam 101" begins with the 45-minute "The Art of the Spoken Word" workshop at 6 p.m. The $5 workshop (which includes the cost of attending the performance afterwards) is open to poets in the public of any level.The workshop will focus on transferring poetry from the page to the stage. Specifically, participants will discuss the specific advantages and limitations of speaking poetry out loud while suggesting various techniques and approaches to maximize the impact of poetry reading and performance.

At 7 p.m. the past champions and members of the current Denver Slam Team will deliver a 45-minute show in which they reprise some of their award-winning performances that earned them their title as national champions. Recalling the past national victory, one of their two coaches, Ted Vaca says, "They had transcended. . . .they were no longer just poets or performers - they were from another world, angels of a higher understanding delivering the word of the cosmos." Adds Westword reporter Jared Jacang Maher, Denver's team "won with good, strong poetry, not just yelling or ranting, but with the gift of true lyricism."

At 8 p.m., The Writers Studio's "Poetry Slam 101" will begin. Those wishing to participate are asked to sign up at the door and to contribute to the "Pass the Hat" fund for the grand prize.

"We encourage anyone looking for fun performance-oriented entertainment to stop by and enjoy Poetry Slam 101 on November 15," concludes Winograd. "Come revel with us in the joy of the spoken word!"

For more information please contact ACC's Writers Studio at 303.797.5815 or writerstudio@arapahoe.edu.

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