http://bullcitypoetryslam.com/slamacademy.html

We are happy to announce another segment of the Slam Academy series. This is the 3rd installment of a series of writing and performance workshops for anyone who wants to improve their writing and learn to bring those words to life on stage. These workshops are supported by the St. Joseph's Historic Foundation Hayti Heritage Center and are an initiative of the Jambalaya Soul Slam. The Hayti is home to the Jambalaya Soul Slam which occurs monthly and produces the Bull City Slam Team, the triangles adult regional and national competing poetry slam team.

On Saturday April 24th, we will have two great workshops. At 10am the Sacrificial Poets, the triangle's international youth poetry slam organization, will conduct a youth writing and performance workshop. The workshop will be for youth 13 to 19 years of age. Then at 1pm there will be a writing and performance workshop for adults facilitated by Jambalaya Soul Slam founder and Bull City Slam Team coach Dasan Ahanu. The adult workshop will also be co-facilitated by national touring poet, writer, actress, and producer Mekkah. Mekkah will be the guest feature at the Jambalaya Soul Slam Grand Slam Finals later that night.

Slam Academy
April 24th
@ The Hayti Heritage Center
804 Old Fayetteville St
Durham, NC

10:00 am - Youth Workshop with the Sacrificial Poets
*ages 13 to 19 welcome

1:00 pm - Adult Workshop with Dasan Ahanu and Mekkah
*works in progress are welcome

Bring whatever you use to write and whatever you write in and come enjoy the fun! New, budding, or seasoned writers are welcome.

Contact Dasan Ahanu at 919-295-0176 or email at dasan67@live.com

For more information on the Hayti go to www.hayti.org or contact Janella Sellars at 919-683-1709 ext. 28

Jambalaya Soul Slam Presents....Grand Slam Finals 2010

We are extremely excited to bring you our Grand Slam Finals on April 24th at the Hayti Heritage Center. The following 12 incredible poets are prepared to wow you with their performances: G, Zak Kane Corsi, Axiom, Kane, Lizh, Trina Thoughtz, Will McInerney, El'Ja, Jru, Yogii, Potts and Naturally Alise. Poets will be competing for a spot on the 2010 Bull City Slam team, a cash prize and the title of Grand Slam Champion. As a member of the 2010 Bull City Slam Team the poets will get to compete in the Southern Fried Regional competition in Knoxville, Tennessee June 2-6, 2010 and the National Poetry Slam in St. Paul, MN August 3-7, 2010.

As if this line up isn't exciting enough we have an amazing feature from Charlotte by way of Brooklyn, NY Kendrea Griffith aka Mekkah. Her literary and visual art are living scrap books of an urban-gypsy documenting the beauty in uncommon things. She was dubbed the “First Lady of Charlotte Slam” by Sotac Magazine as the only female member of Charlotte, North Carolina’s 1st Poetry Slam team. She has been a member of 3 SlamCharlotte national slam teams, is a Southern Fried Poetry Slam Champion and National Poetry Slam Finalist. Mekkah was ranked 5th in the world at the 2005 Individual World Poetry Slam and was the only woman to grace the final stage that year.
Beyond the world of slam poetry Mekkah has recorded two spoken word albums featuring collaborations with bands and producers in every genre from reggae to rock. Her album "The ButtaFly Effect"(2004) and other recordings are available at http://www.mekkahthepoet.com/.

In collaboration with the Concrete Generation arts collective she wrote "Miles and Coltrane Blue(.)" – an interdisciplinary work combining passionate poetry, live music, visual art and choreography. It has been presented Off-Broadway and to sell out crowds at the 2009 Edinburgh Fringe Arts Festival (Edinburgh, Scotland). She wows crowds everywhere she goes and we are extremely excited to present her to you at our Grand Slam Finals, you will not want to miss this!