It’s time to free up your schedule, Phoenix: Individual World Poetry Slam season is finally here. This fall, the Valley will host this internationally-recognized event for the first time in the city’s history, finally putting Phoenix on the map as a hotspot for poetic culture.
The Individual World Poetry Slam, known as iWPS, is a three day competition centered around the art of spoken word, the poetry slam. Competitors hail from countries all over the world, including Canada and Britain, for their shot at the title. Yet, out of the 72 international poets who perform in Phoenix at the Marquee on Oct. 11, only one will be named champion.
“iWPS is the Super Bowl of slam, so this will do to the arts scene downtown what the Super Bowl does to football in Glendale,” iWPS volunteer coordinator and journalism and mass communication sophomore Hattie Hayes said.
The event’s kickoff took place last night at two downtown local venues, Space 55 and The Trunk Space, where a group of 20 semifinalists were split in half in order to narrow down to the 12 who will participate in the finals at {9} the Gallery this Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m.
Those 12 who emerged from the semifinals are, in order of their lineup for this Saturday: Emily Cimino, Richard Morris, MC Tristan Marshell, Jeremiah Blue, Beth May, Joy Young, Valence, The Klute, Frankie Marchi, Eirean Bradley, Lauren Perry and Myrlin Hepworth. From this group, only one poet will serve as the Phoenix representative for October’s finals.
During the upcoming international competition, the arts district in Phoenix will host poetry workshops, open mics and other poetry-related events. Among these are erotic poetry slams, haiku death matches, and even nerd slams, during which contestants must answer a piece of trivia in order for their poem to be heard.
“We’re so happy that the people of Phoenix can finally come to witness the raw talent of slam poetry and really see where the future of their voice is going to come from,” event coordinator and host Aaron Hopkins-Johnson said. “I would love if, after this is done, there is a whole renaissance of Phoenix poets so that people can see our struggles and lifestyle as we live in here. That would make me very happy.”
For those interested in attending the Oct. 9-11 world competition, season passes are available for purchase at iwps.poetryslam.com. Reach the reporter at aplante@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @aimeenplante
