BDB Bertsolaritzaren datu-basea

Introduction ...xv
How to Use This Book ...xvii
Companion Book ...xvii
A Note from the Publisher ...xix
Acknowledgments ...xxi
Chapter 1: What You Think You Know May
Not Be Slam ...3
The Big Definition of Slam Poetry ...4
What Slam Is and Isn’t ...5
Poetry and Performance ...7
Where Art Thou, Slam? ...7
Finally...Attention and Respect ...8
Staged Bouts for Audience Appeal ...8
Sowing the Seeds of Slam ...9
“The Points Are Not the Point” ...10
Who’s the Best and Who Cares? ...11
Striving for the Best of Both Worlds ...12
Performance Poet as Audience Servant ...12
New Life for a Dying Art ...13
If you remember anything, remember ...13
Chapter 2: Getting into the Spirit of Slam ...17
Spoken Word’s Long Tradition ...17
Battling Bards ...18
Oral Tradition’s Dark Ages ...19
Spoken Word’s Rebirth ...20
Slam Takes Center Stage ...21
Who Inspired This Madness? and Why? ...22
Slam Poetry Goes National ...23
Slam Poetry Goes Global ...24
Slam Poetry Here and Now ...24
The Spirit of Slam: Poetry for the People ...25
Breaking Down the Color (and Collar) Barriers ...25
The Culture of Democracy ...26
If you remember anything, remember ...26
Chapter 3: Slam Competition—Rules, Regulations, and Other Formalities ...29
It’s a Game, Stupid! ...29
The First Slam Competition ...30
Who Says Who Wins? ...31
The Basic Rules of Slam Engagement ...31
Perform Your Own Work ...32
Three Minutes Is All We Can Stand ...33
No Props, Costumes, Trombones, or Other Carry-On Luggage ...33
Scoring: 0 to 10 (or Down to Minus Infinity) ...34
The Mean Chicago Rules ...35
The Official Emcee Spiel Used at the National Poetry Slams ...36
Slams Are Open to All ...36
All Styles, Forms, and Subject Matter Are Welcome ...37
The Prize Is Not the Point ...37
The All-Important Audience Is Always in Control ...38
If you remember anything, remember ...39
Chapter 4: Penning the Powerful
Slam Poem ...43
Once Upon a Slam —Storytelling ...44
What’s Your Point—Oratory, Poetics, or a
Laundry List of Love? ...47
Pop Ideas and Newspaper Politics ...48
Write from Experience ...48
Seeing Is Believing —Concrete vs . Abstract Language ...49
Slam Examples of Concrete Language ...50
Abstract Language ....51
Exercises ...52
Flaccid Phrasing ...52
Exercises ...53
Too Smart for Your Performance ...53
It’s Gotta Sound Good, Too ...54
Rock to the Rhythm ...55
Exercises ...56
Old Testament Stanzas ...57
Exercise ...59
If You Must Rhyme ...59
The Hip-Hop Line & Rhyme ...61
Caution on the Motion—Too Much Rhyming Commotion ...62
No Sermons, But If You Must Preach ...62
All Forms Can Slam ...65
If you remember anything, remember ...66
Chapter 5: Confronting Stage Fright— Overcoming the Fear ...69
What Is Happening to Me?!? ...70
Slay the Confidence Busters ...71
It’s Not Natural...It’s an Art ...72
Is That Text Well-Prepared?...73
Visualize Success...73
Practice, Practice, Practice ...73
Shift Your Focus ...74
Breathe Already! ...75
Please Release Me ...75
Tricks (or No-Brainers) of the Trade ...76
Not Recommended ...77
Celebrating Your Slam Virginity, and Then Losing It ...78
Confessions of a Virgin Virgin —Joel Chmara ...78
Confessions of a Virgin Virgin—Mary Fons ...79
Accumulate Stage Time ...80
If you remember anything, remember ...82
Chapter 6: Slammin’ Fundamentals ...85
Engage ...85
Entertain ...87
Affect ...87
The Entertaining Fundamentals ...88
Vary the Volume ...88
Exercises ...89
Classroom Activities ...90
Tweak the Tempo ...91
Exercises ...92
Classroom Activity ...92
Articulation ...93
Exercise ...94
Classroom Activity ...95
Breathe Deep and Pause ...95
Exercise ...96
Classroom Activity ...97
Look ’Em in the Eye ...97
Exercises ...100
Memorization ...100
How We Make Memory Deposits ...102
Total Recall ...103
The Memorization Curve ...104
Exercises in Flexing the Memory Muscle ...105
If you remember anything, remember ...105
Chapter 7: Body Talk—Shake, Gesture, and Move ...109
Warming Up ...110
Exercise: Shake Out ...110
Exercise: Breathe ...111
Exercise: Vocal Warm-Upsv ...111
Classroom Activity: Warm-Ups ...112
Elements of Movement ...113
Exercise: In the Bubble ...114
Exercise: Catching Butterflies ...114
Exercise: Imagine the Stone ...115
Exercise: Paint the Reading Room Red ...117
Laban’s Eight Efforts ...117
Exercise: Applying Effort to Your Words ...118
Classroom Activity ...119
Down to Specific Body Parts ...120
Working Out the Kinks ...121
Posture and Stance ...123
Crossing the Boards ...124
Dos & Don’ts of Movement ...124
If you remember anything, remember ...126
Chapter 8: Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse ...129
Establish a Rehearsal Regimen ...130
Set a Rehearsal Schedule ...131
Rehearse in Layers ...131
Spice It Up with Some Variation ...132
Finding Voice, Tone, and Mood through Rehearsal ...132
Discovering a Poem’s Voice (Character) ...133
Exercise: Exploring a Poem’s Voice ...133
Discovering a Poem’s Tone (Attitude) & Mood (Emotion) ...134
Exercise: Exploring a Poem’s Tone and Mood ...135
Discovering the Situation and Identifying the Unseen Audience ...135
Exercise: Exploring Situation and Audience ...136
Classroom Activity ...137
Practicing Your Approach: Stepping Up to the Mic ...138
Make the Right Approach ...139
Use Your Nervous Condition to Your Advantage ...140
Hitting Your Mark ...140
Exercise: Practicing Your Approach and Stage Movements ...141
From Closet to Mirror to Tape Recorder to Friendly Ears ...142
Through the Looking Glass ...142
Audio Replay ...143
Video Replay ...143
Recruiting a Critique ...144
If you remember anything, remember ...144
Chapter 9: Shaping a Performance and a Few More Skills ...149
Mastering the Art of Seductive Revelation ...149
Enter and Open with a Flair ...150
Exercise ...152
Hold ’Em ...153
Mixing It Up ...155
Something Up Your Sleeve ...155
From Knee-Slappers to Sidesplitters ...156
Spectacle and Visual Accessories ...157
Musical Accompaniment and Sound Effects ...157
The Edge ...158
Closers ...159
Underpinning It All: Style and the Subject Matters ...160
All Forms Can Slam —Take Two ...161
Avoiding Common Performance Clichés ...161
Performing in the Zone ...162
If you remember anything, remember ...163
Chapter 10: Where and How to Gig Around ...167
All the Gigs You Can Do ...168
Open Mic Search ...168
Bookstore Readings ...170
Don’t Forget the Slams ...171
Performance Venues of Every Variety ...172
Nightclubs, Saloons, and Other Informal Venues ...172
Late-Night Theater ...173
Slammin’ in the Schools (Educational Outreach) ...173
Do-It-Yourself Venues (Create Your Own Show) ...174
Performance Poetry Etiquette 101 ...174
Look & Listen & Get to Know ...175
Behave Yourself, Be Courteous, & Do Your Job ...175
Audience Etiquette ...178
If you remember anything, remember ...179
Chapter 11: Book Me! Please! ...183
Thinking Like a Marketing Mogul ...184
Hitting the Campaign Trail ...185
Press Pack ...186
Page One and Only One! ...187
In-Depth Résumé ...187
Look at Me! ...188
In the News! ...188
Finally My Poems! ...190
Audio Component ...190
The Do-It-Yourself Audio Method ...190
Getting a Little Sound Advice ...191
Studio Time ...192
The Clock’s Ticking ...192
Aftersounds—Editing and Production ...193
Roll ’Em: Filming Your Act ...194
Built-In Opportunities ...194
Call the Pros ...195
Establishing a Web Presence ...195
Blog ...197
Launch a Website ...198
Populate Your Website or Blog with Content ...199
Promote Your Website or Blog ...200
Explore Social Networks ...200
Share Podcasts of Your Performances ...201
Post Video Clips on YouTube ...202
Low Budget or All-Out Glitz? ...202
Putting the Tools to Work ...203
If you remember anything, remember ...204
Chapter 12: Getting the Word Out: Publicizing Your Performance ...207
Know What You’re Promoting ...208
Marketing Materials: Forms That Fit ...209
Making a Name (and Logo) for Yourself ...210
Cheap, but Effective: Flyers and Postcards ...212
Not as Cheap, but Very Effective: Posters ...213
Garnering Some Free Press, Radio Time, and Exposure ...214
Generating Feature Stories, Interviews, and Media Attention ...214
Step 1: Write a Press Release ...215
Step 2: Send the Press Release ...216
Step 3: Call ’Em ...216
Work Your Angle ...217
Press the Airwaves ...218
More Methods for Getting the Word Out ...219
Managing Mailing (and Emailing) Lists ...219
Press the Flesh ...221
Paid Ads ...221
Cool Calls ...222
Website Appeal ...223
Never Underestimate Word of Mouth ...223
If you remember anything, remember ...224
Chapter 13: Taking Your Show on the Road ...227
Tour Planning 101 ...227
Step 1: East Coast? West Coast? No Coast? ...228
Step 2: Book a Big Gig ...228
Step 3: Find More Dots (Gigs) and Connect Them ...229
Step 4: Route Your Tour ...230
Step 5: Filling in the Gaps ...230
Step 6: Get a Ride ...231
Step 7: Find a Place to Sleep and Shower ...231
Step 8: Promoting Your Tour ...232
Step 9: Before You Start the Engine ...234
Schmoozing the Bookers, the Waiters, the Ticket Takers ...234
Slams and Their Masters ...235
Nightclub Owners and Their Managers ...236
Buttering Up the Booking Agents ...237
Concert Halls—Performing in the Big House ...238
Don’t Get Set Up to Fail ...240
Getting Paid ...242
If you remember anything, remember ...244
Chapter 14: Old-School Advice: Act Professional ...249
Oh, Behave! ...250
Keep It Down During a Performance ...251
Don’t Pull Focus While Others Are Performing ...251
Don’t Glower ...252
No Hoot-and-Holler Cheerleading ...252
Keep Conspicuous Negative Opinions to Yourself ...253
It’s Not Your House ...254
Would You Talk That Way to Grandma? ...255
Be Courteous: Nobody Likes a Jerk ...256
Final Reminders—Last Bits of Advice ...256
Be Prompt: Early Never Hurts ...256
Offstage Preparation: Recap Getting the Nerves Out ...257
Primping for the Stage ...258
Hawking Your Wares ...259
Respect Your Audience and Your Fellow Performers ...260
If you remember anything, remember ...261
Appendix A: Slammers: Performance Poetry ...263
Poetry Collections ...263
Audio Recordings ...264
Anthologies ...264
Publishers of Slam Poetry ...265
Agents ...266
Appendix B: Books on Poetics & Performing ...269
Appendix C: Slammin’ Websites ...271
Appendix D: PSI–Certified Slams ...281
About the Authors ...297