2009 ABQ Youth Slam-Off, Friday Feb 27

from "MAS Poetry de ABQ" <maspoetry@yahoo.com> via ABQ Slam list:

2009 ABQ Youth Slam-Off for youth poets from the Albuquerque Metro , National Hispanic Cultural Center - tomorrow, Friday Feb 27 @ 7 pm

The ABQ Youth Slam-off an open poetry slam for poets, MCs, and spoken word performers ages 13-19, co-produced by ABQSlams, Warehouse 508 and the DCYPC (Duke City Youth Poetry Collective). "ABQ Unidos" is also being sponsored by the N4th Arts Center.

The 7 pm Slam-off will take place in the NHCC's Bank of America Theater. Sign-up starts at 6:15 p.m. Come early: only 20 spots are guaranteed

Admission is free, but donations will be accepted before, during and after the show.

The ABQ Youth Slam-off will pick the top five ABQ Metro-area youth spoken word performers, who will then represent Albuquerque at the international BRAVE NEW VOICES poetry slam conference in Chicago, Ill. in July 2009.

The slam will follow all standard slam rules except time limit – poets:

• must recite original poems in each round (up to three rounds possible)
• cannot use props, music or costumes
• have three (3) minutes to do their poem plus a 20 second grace period. After that, they will be penalized half a point (0.5) for every ten seconds they go over.

Five judges will be chosen randomly from the audience and judge the poems on a scale of 1-10. The high and low score will be dropped and the other scores combined for a final score.

The ABQ Unidos team is also looking to raise $5,000 to pay for the trip to Chicago as well as accommodations in the Windy City while at Brave New Voices. Donations can be made online at ABQSlams.org or by contacting ABQSlams slammaster Kenn Rodriguez at 505.379.2666 (call or text). For information, call/text Kenn Rodriguez at 505.379.2666 or email info@abqslams.org.