PERFORMANCE POETRY - BEGINNER pg. 1
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Okay, so you want to get into the whole performance poetry thing, but you've never done it before. What do you do to help yourself out before getting on the microphone at Poets Express? Here are some simple suggestions to get you going.
1. Start reading your work aloud. Not mumbled, not under your breath. Aloud in a clear voice. Read your work to friends and family. If you're stumbling with a word or phrase now is the time you might want to consider changing it. You may find it an odd experience. I know I started to modify my own work when I began reading it aloud. Some of the lines I used that seemed fine on paper didn't really work for me live.
2. Think about pronouncing your words well, and your timing. Performance is the key word here. Feel free to experiment with your voice. Try taking it up to a yell or down to a whisper. When do you want to pause? How long do you want to pause? Is there something funky and special you'd like to do on a line or word, for instance, if your poem uses the word 'repeat' somewhere, you could just say 'repeat' when it shows up, or you could try saying 're-re-repee-repee-repeat' as a play on the word. Think about it, and be creative!
3. Time yourself on a clock. Just watching a clock with a second hand tick away should work, you shouldn't need to go to a stop watch. Keep it within the time limit of the event (5 minutes for open mic slots). Remember to leave time for applause, at least 10 seconds after each poem.
