Sunday May 1: 2011 ABQ YOUTH SLAM-OFF

A fitting last day of National Poetry Month: looking ahead to the future, reminding you that poetry in not limited to just one month of the year. Tomorrow, youth poets from all over the Albuquerque Metro area will converge on the National Hispanic Cultural Center for their poetry slam championship, 2 to 5 pm. (NOTE: Due to circumstances beyond our control, we'll be starting at 2 pm, not 1 pm, as previously announced). Even if you can't attend, please support the team by helping them get to California. See the bottom of the page for details ~ and watch this blog because this won't be your last reminder.

The ABQ Youth Slam-off is an open poetry slam for poets, MCs, and spoken word performers of all stripes ages 13-19. Co-produced by Warehouse 508, the DCYPC (Duke City Youth Poetry Collective) and the NHCC, the event is sponsored by the Santa Fe University of Art and Design.

Interested performers and poets should arrive early as there are limited spots available. Sign up will start at 1 pm. Admission to this event is FREE!

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 San Francisco in July 2011

The slam will follow all standard slam rules except time limit – poets must recite original poems in each round (up to three rounds possible). Poets cannot use props, music or costumes. Poets 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 time. 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 also needs to raise $5,000 to pay for the trip to California to Brave New Voices. Tax-deductible donations can be made by contacting Kenn Rodriguez, Programs Coordinator for Warehouse 508, at 505-353-2231 (call or text). For information on the Youth Slam-off, call/text Kenn Rodriguez at 505-353-2231 or email kenn@warehouse508. org.