Anyone who has attended a poetry slam knows that it offers a unique experience, filled with melodic lines with rhythm and rhyme and make the mind ponder.
Poetry-N-Motion LLC is offering the community the opportunity to learn more about slam poetry history, competition basics, and how to write and perform.
The Detour Slam Academy held its first workshop on Aug. 17 and will run four more workshops over the next four months. Workshops are held at the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, located downtown at 301 Hay Street from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Dates for the upcoming classes are Sept. 21, Oct. 26, Nov. 16 and Dec. 21.
Workshops are open to community members 13 years old and up. Classes are $20 per class and registration can be done online at http://detourslamacademy.eventbrite.com/. Leading the workshops is award-winning poet, slam poetry veteran, and local poet extraordinaire LeJuane Bowens, or as he’s known in the community, L.J.
L.J. has been writing and performing poetry for quite some time, explaining, “I've been writing all my life and started doing poetry professionally in 2007. It's definitely been a blessing to do so much with this art form. I've been lucky enough to do work with the Wounded Warrior Project, the National Endowment of the Arts, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.” Poetry-N-Motion is an extension of L.J.’s love for the art form.
“Poetry-N-Motion, LLC is a company that not only specializes in spoken word and poetry but so much more. Through the gift of spoken word and writing, we engage our community through empowerment and personal development.
"Our specialties deal with writing workshops, mentoring, and also event hosting/planning. Our mission is to serve as a change agent to provide an alternative for individuals who are faced with challenging situations where a different outlet can be utilized to decrease and/or diffuse emotional distress. Our target audiences are youth, veterans, community leaders, and aspiring artists,” he said.
The Detour Slam Academy is a product of a call from the community and looks to not only teach the skill of writing and performing but also learn the origins of this powerful poetry style.
“I've had a lot of people asking me about poetry slam. What is poetry slam, how does it work, etc.? After taking some thought on it all, I put together a five-part workshop series that will go from August to December… the Detour Slam Academy is a workshop series that focuses on poetry slam along with how to write/perform for a poetry slam competition.
"Things discussed during the academy include the history of slam, effective storytelling, page to stage, and more so that people can go into a poetry slam knowing the basics as to competing into a slam without knowing anything,” he explained.
The next class on Sept. 21 will cover Effective Storytelling: How to Write For a Poetry Slam and covers how to specifically write for a poetry slam and talk about the techniques for effective storytelling.
There are no requirements for the class other than bringing a pen and paper — or an iPad or tablet whichever is preferred.