Slammin’ Night in Toronto
There are those of you who, like me, will be stuck in Toronto for Reading Week (the Canadian equivalent of spring break that happens in mid-February), actually attempting to do some reading instead of gallivanting around Cancun or Punta Cana. It’s not all bad though: there’s always something exciting going on in the city, and this Reading Week, that something exciting is the Toronto Poetry Slam.
Slam poetry is very much a spectator sport: the audience has a large part to play in the proceedings, and the Toronto Poetry Slam attracts not only some of the best spoken word poets in the city, but quite a fun audience as well. I had the opportunity to sit down with Dave Silverberg, founder of Toronto Poetry Slam and ask him a few questions:
What is a poetry slam?
A poetry slam is the competitive art of performance poetry. Poets take the stage, deliver original pieces, and judges from the audience rate them using score cards. Poetry slam has been around for exactly twenty years, starting in Chicago at the Get Me High Lounge. It’s groundbreaking, high energy, and a unique blend of poetry, hip-hop, performance art, and interactivity.
How does spoken word poetry at a slam differ from traditional poetry readings?
It’s all about the energy and audience reaction. At a slam, the audience is encouraged to hoot, holler, stamp their feet, boo, cheer, gasp and swoon. At a poetry slam, the pieces are usually more performance oriented, often memorized, and rarely airy and light. The best pieces have a lot substance that make you want to stand up and cheer!
How did the Toronto Poetry Slam begin?
I started TPS because I noticed no monthly slam catering to a poetry-hungry city. Toronto needs a monthly slam, and the response I’ve been getting since I began in November has been very encouraging. Toronto wants a slam, that I know for sure.
What can we expect at the next slam?
That’s the beauty of slam — they’re unpredictable. You never know who will take the stage, what kind of poets or beatboxers will perform. Definitely, people can expect some amazing spoken word talent this city has to offer — but what people can expect for sure is a high-quality guest feature: Brendan McLeod, from Vancouver BC, has competed internationally and is a slam poet whose poems touch on topics as wide-ranging as growing up religious to meeting a grizzly bear. He’s worth the price of admission alone!
The next Toronto Poetry Slam takes place on February 24, 2006 at the Victory Cafe and starts at 9pm. Dave does suggest getting there early, because it does fill up pretty quickly. Poets hoping to compete should arrive by 8:30pm.