Wordlympics through the eyes of a pro
John Akpata
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Poet champtions from left to right: John Akpata, Steve Sauvé, Elissa Molino, Ritalin The Cerebral Stimulant, Owen Hewitt, Bryan Parnell, Q The Romantic Revolutionary, Matt Peake.
photo: Aaron McKenzie Fraser
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XPress columnist reports on, takes part in, international slam poetry contest
Poets from Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, Halifax, France, the U.K. and the U.S. will descend on Ottawa this week for Spoken Wordlympics, Canada's first international poetry slam. They'll have three minutes to drop their best a cappella for a panel of judges and a vocal audience. Slam is hip-hop, comedy, romance and drama performed by some of the world's best, with no holds barred. Ingrid Joseph, aka Oni the Haitian Sensation, one half of the festival co-ordination team, told me recently, "Organizing this festival has become my life. I would not do it if I did not love spoken word so much. It has always been my intention to showcase spoken word around the world in the biggest baddest way." There are 80 poets and 50 volunteers, national media, and substantial sponsorship.
Darek Dada, the other half of the co-ordination team with Joseph, had nothing but praise for the "amazing Wordlympics crew," who has been responsible for organizing and billeting dozens of poets, and other volunteers who arranged for merchandise sales, food and alcohol services, and registration and ticket sales. "We are all anticipating the start of this unprecedented celebration of performance poetry."
Ottawa's Capital Slam, one of two local teams competing this year, is ready to win it all and team member Steve Sauvé is hyped to bring his comedy rants to the show. "Slam is the rock and roll of poetry-anything goes." Ritalin is ready to crush the competition with his edgy hip-hop flow. "We have some of the best poets
in the world and Ottawa has a rare opportunity to see them perform together on the same stage." Also part of Capital Slam is Bryan Parnell, who has been a nomadic musician and poet for five years, writing and performing in Vancouver and New York. His rural twang hip-hop style and sharp writing cannot be missed. Q the Romantic Revolutionary has a voice smooth and soothing, and has been performing in Ottawa and Toronto for four years. To her, the festival is "an opportunity to view the raw beauty in talent that exists in this country."
Ottawa Fringe, the second local competitor, includes Matt Peake, who won the CBC Poetry Face Off in 2002 and has been performing for three years. Matt's cubicle rage and stinging sarcasm "will change the perception that poetry shows are boring," he said. Teammate Owen Hewitt is a feisty Irishman with a theatre and improv background. He is not afraid to use the dark chapters of history to perform his gritty poetry. Doretta Charles has been a performer and entertainer since the age of six. She mixes singing, comedy and romance. To her the festival provides "freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom to enjoy different cultures, ethnicities, religions, lifestyles-all under one roof."
And yeah, I'll be there too, the 2004 CBC Poetry Face Off winner, with political rants and complex hip-hop wordplay.
All events happen at the National Archives and Library, 395 Wellington Street. Tickets available at 614-9087. See the full program at www.wordolympics.com.
2004 INAUGURAL SPOKEN WORDLYMPICS
OCTOBER 7 TO 10
NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND LIBRARY
SHOWCASES $7, COMPETITIONS $12,
BOTH $15, ALL-INCLUSIVE PASS $40
OPEN MICS ARE FREE
I think these kinds of events give poetry a whole new life and shows people that poetry is not static. Also in a situation when there is competition and preassure people sometimes come up with amazing materials and hopefully this will be the case.
Also poetry isn't just about love, it can be nitty gritty and focus on real tough issues and in these types of contests it is the thought provoking lyrics that get the crowd going and not the lovey dovey stuff.
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Khader Ali
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{3 votes}
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Now this is an article that relays poetry through a comedic, realistic, surreal, and even satirical venue. These must be the poets who wanted to be actors but had too many intelligent words that would confuse a hollywood audience. This is an expression of words....through stand up.
Joseph and Dada congrats on the organization of such an event....I am sure it will be a success. It has all the attraction of a ringside event. Pass the beer!
Ottawa's Capital Slam with its rock and hip/hop gets a vote from me without me actually seeing them.....sounds intriquing to see poetry in a rock or hip fantasy. Parnell the musical poet....alas lyrics with poetic intentions...is not all music some form of poetry. Hewitt performing gritty poetry.....some one has to do it as Charles manages to woo the crowd with her freedom of speech antics on society and life.
This would most definitely be something on the 'to do list'.....seeing poets in their outer form as most poets stay closed in their inner and write and compose poetry in their own private space thence unleasing the works to the outside world....here is a showcase of the poets who have an entertaining outer layer that will shine at this event probably with flying colours.
Thanks for even thinking of this idea.......beware all you inside poets as the lyrical sounds will be viewed upon instead of read.
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Jennifer Berardini
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{22 votes}
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| The voice of great poetry in Ottawa! |
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In a slam, poets present their work as part of a cabaret show through a number of rounds using the impact of their words to outdo the opponent. What must be quite interesting is to see the audience deciding which poets finally wins the contest !
It is going to be a great opportunity to find out more about contemporary poets from Canada, U.K and France, whom will be sharing, an unusual distrust of words and the language they work with these days.
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Valerie Augier
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{11 votes}
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I've recently returned to Ottawa after a three year hiatus. I didn't know that there was this kind of event here. Slam! Beat! Rhyme! Sublimelearnolddogfancy. Rock and Roll and poetry do meet, but not tonight. It's all words and it sounds all-engrossing. A good venue for writers that might otherwise be shut away and unheard.
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Skeleton James
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{2 votes}
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