My Colby-Sawyer Experience
"I'm interested in the theories behind communication and the channels that people use to communicate..."
-Brian Campbell, Communication Studies Major
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NEW LONDON, N.H., Feb. 14, 2005– Colby-Sawyer College will present a Poetry Slam hosted by spoken word artist Charlie Bethel. Bethel, who has written performance poetry since the age of 12, has made a name for himself in the competitive New York slam scene and has continued to captivate crowds and classrooms around the country for the past ten years.
The performance will take place at Colby-Sawyer College on Thursday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m. in Wheeler Hall at the Ware Campus Center. This event is sponsored by the Word Order club and the Cultural Events Committee. Admission is free and the location is handicap accessible. The public is welcome to attend and participate in this event but only Colby-Sawyer students will be eligible for cash prizes.
In 1984 Chicago poet Marc Smith was searching for a way to showcase the art of poetry. He started open mic nights at a local jazz club for spoken word performances. Two years later, Smith convinced a local club to host a weekly poetry competition and the Uptown Poetry Slam was born. The format encouraged audiences to cross the line dividing spectator and performer.
Today poetry slam audiences and judges often make their feelings known by the snapping of fingers, stomping of feet, hooting and hollering or—for the unfortunate poet whose work has been deemed unsatisfying—booing. What has evolved from Smith's humble beginnings is a national forum in which artists who believe poetry should be spoken out loud can hone their craft.
Although some people associate slam poetry with hip hop, the style of poetry can range from love poems to social commentary, comic verses to personal confessions. Poets are judged on how well their performances convey the emotions of their respective works.
"The poetry slam is a fresh, hot art form,” Bethel said in an article on Alternet.org. “Slams are hitting young crowds, pulling kids in who would normally hate poetry.” At 19 Bethel was a finalist in the “Battle of the Bay” poetry slam in Berkley, Calif., the region's largest poetry slam event. The following year he moved to New York City to attend New York University (NYU) and earned a spot on the New York City Youth Speaks slam team. It was here that Bethel refined the art of performance poetry. The team, writing collaboratively, placed in the top three at the National Slam in Ann Arbor, Mich.
“When you see someone who can just speak it, whether it's fast, rhyming lyrics or slower and more eloquent, there is so much power in that,” Bethel continued on Alternet.org.” When people exhibit that much power, you want to try doing that yourself, and having some of that power for yourself.”
Since graduating from NYU, Bethel has taught various poetry writing workshops in New York City, begun recording with the hip hop group Building Bloc and currently teaches hip hop poetry for the Children's Aid Society in Manhattan. He also brings the art of poetry to local schools through Youth Speaks. His writings have been published in A Gathering of Tribes, the Gallatin Review and NYU Inc.
For more information on slam poetry, visit poetryslam.com or attend a free screening of the film “Slam Nation,” on Thursday, Feb. 17, at 7 p.m. in Colgate Hall, Room 304. The film, a feature-length nonfiction narrative, follows New York City's novice team and more than 120 spoken word artists on 27 city teams to compete at the National Poetry Slam in Portland, Oregon. This event is sponsored by the student club, Word Order, and the Cultural Events Committee. The location is handicapped accessible.
Colby-Sawyer, founded in 1837, is a comprehensive liberal arts college located in the scenic Lake Sunapee Region of central New Hampshire. Students from 23 states and five foreign countries learn in small classes through a select array of programs that integrate the liberal arts and sciences with pre-professional experience. Visit us on the World Wide Web at www.colby-sawyer.edu.
Colby-Sawyer College, 541 Main Street, New London, N.H. 03257 (603) 526-3000 (phone)
