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THE AUDIENCE WAS SLAMMED - WITH WORDS, THAT IS! -
AS HOLLYWOOD'S TEAM WINS FINALS
AT 15th ANNUAL "NATIONAL POETRY SLAM COMPETITION"
(Los Angeles) August 13, 2004 . . . The joint was jammin' when the top
poetry and spoken word talents in North America and Europe brought it to the
15th annual National Poetry Slam Competition, held in St. Louis on August 3
- 8. After four days of fierce battle, the title of national champion went
in a decisive win to Hollywood, whose poets "slammed" 69 other teams
consisting of some 270 poets.
"Slam poetry" is the competitive art of performance poetry, in which
multi-member teams perform original work without costumes, props or music.
Judges base scores on content, artistry, and the all-important element of
audience reaction.
The six members of the winning Hollywood team -- slam-master Shihan Van
Cleef, Javon "The Golden Child" Johnson, Omari "The Wise O," In-Q, Rives
"The Storyteller," and Gaknew - are all regular performers at Los Angeles'
popular Da' Poetry Lounge, the largest weekly open mic' poetry and
spoken word series in the nation. Held free of charge Tuesday nights in the
Greenway Court Theatre at Fairfax and Melrose, Da' Poetry Lounge
is hosted by Shihan, who co-founded the venue together with other local
artists, and in association with Greenway Arts Alliance, a nonprofit
professional theatre company based in the Fairfax District and dedicated to
fostering the arts in its local community. "For four straight years, poets
representing DPL have stood on the finals stage at Nationals," states
Shihan. "That puts into perspective the talent we have as a community."
Last month, "Poetry Is The Point: A Slammin' Fundraiser" for Da' Poetry
Lounge, rocked Raleigh Studios with a gala night of poetry and music.
Co-sponsored by Greenway Arts Alliance, the event was supported by an
all-star line-up of Honorary Co-Chairs that included Denzel Washington, MC
Lyte, Angela Bassett, Queen Latifah, Norman Lear, Danny Glover and Simmons/Lathan
Group.
A fixture on the LA scene for eight years, Da' Poetry Lounge was one
of the inspirations for Russell Simmons' phenomenally successful Tony
Award-winning show, "Def Poetry Jam on Broadway," which has branched out
into a Peabody-winning HBO TV series and a national tour. Shihan and his
DPL co-host and co-founder, Poetri, will both be part of the 2004 tour
when it kicks off in October, playing Australia, New Zealand, Curacao and
Puerto Rico, in addition to many U.S. stops.
In its eight-year history, Da' Poetry Lounge has become an important
forum for non-judgmental self-expression in a safe and energetic
environment, making a huge positive social impact on the community.
"DPL represents truth," explains Shihan. "Regardless of what truth
you're looking for, you can find it at Da' Poetry Lounge."
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