CT Team
Festival
Description
Brave New
Voices includes youth open mics, an adult reading that features professional
poets and performers, (inter)-national community building
and networking, panel discussions, workshops lead by professional writers
and educators, and The National Youth Poetry Slam.
A Poetry
Slam is an Olympic-style poetry competition where poets compete on teams in
rounds with scores awarded by five judges.
The
National Youth Poetry Slam Festival uses The Poetry Slam as a tool to bring
together the top young poets from around the country to share
their work with their peers and a larger audience. Run like an athletic
tournament there are team “try-outs,”
strategies
implemented during the Slam and an adult “coach” who mentors the young
writers.
Participants
Across the
country teenagers participate in poetry slams organized by teachers,
schools, local poets, community organizers and youth workers. Although
the slam is a competitive event, where participants and organizers pour in
hours and days of effort and dedication, competition
is de-emphasized and commitment to craft and growth in the writer and person
are encouraged.
From these
local slams, 4-6 of the top poets (13-19 years old) will be selected to
represent their city at Brave New Voices.
More than
200 young poets will participate in this year’s event, held in Los Angeles.
We also will involve 500-1000 students
from
throughout Southern California in the weekend festival. In 2004, we have
made accommodations for 32 total teams,
including 4
from throughout Southern California. This means there are 28 slots for teams
from around the country.
We will do
our best to accommodate all who register, but if there are more than 28
teams, we will work out a formula
so as to
best accommodate geographical diversity.
Preliminary Event Schedule
Wednesday, April 14
Introductory open mic
Upon arriving in Los Angeles, all of the team poets
and their adult partners get a chance to meet and greet in the best way we
know – through an open mic performance.
Thursday, April 15
Workshops
and Panel Discussions
Semi-finals
National Youth Poetry Slam
During the
day, the young poets have a chance to dive more fully into the art form, and
get to know each other as writers. At night, we get into the semi-finals of
the Poetry Slam. Each team gets two bouts to perform in.
Friday, April 16
Workshops
and Panel Discussions and other Programs
Bridging
the Beat
Friday, we
have more workshops, panel discussions, open mics and other programs that
allow the young poets to interact with professional writers, local youth
from Los Angeles, and each other. That night, we settle into for a powerful
lineup of local poets and performers who will model for the teenagers what
possibilities they can reach in their craft.
Saturday, April 17
Coaches &
Organizers Brunch and Planning Meeting, 10am
Los Angeles
Tour
Grand Slam
Finals, The National Youth Poetry Slam
The
culminating event of the weekend will provide an opportunity to showcase
some of the most talented young writers in America in a one thousand-seat
theater. After taking in the city on a tour facilitated and directed by Los
Angeles youth, we highlight the top teen poets in the country. Meanwhile,
the organizers have gotten together and begun planning for next year.
Sunday April 28
Good-bye
Brunch
After some food and
good-bye hugs, it’s off to the different corners of the US. For Los Angeles,
there is a whole new audience, structure and energy to build long-lasting
youth poetry programs.