Slam Nuba
Encyclopedia
Slam Nuba is a competitive performance poetry event and team sponsored by the Pan African Arts Society and certified by Poetry Slam, Inc.
- the organization that arranges an annual National Poetry Slam. The Pan African Arts Society is an award-winning arts and social change organization that has been serving the Denver community for over ten years. In addition to Slam Nuba, its projects also include Cafe Nuba, an award-winning open mic poetry set, and the Denver Pan African Film Festival.
Slam Nuba holds its poetry events at The Crossroads Theater, both located in The Historic Five Points neighborhood in Denver, Colorado.
The National Poetry Slam is the largest team performance poetry event in the world. Teams from all over North America and a few from other countries converge in a different city every summer for five days of poetry, revelry and competition.
In 2007 the Denver Slam Nuba team placed fourth in the nation. In 2008 Slam Nuba won two separate regional bouts including the Southwest Shoot Out Poetry Slam in Dallas, Texas, and The Denver 40 ounce Poetry Slam. Slam Nuba competed at The National Poetry Slam in Madison, Wisconsin in 2008 and made it to semifinals for the second year straight. In 2011 the Slam Nuba team won The Nation Poetry Slam Championship.
Slam Nuba is a registered program of a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. This means that all funds they generate come from donations and various types of fundraising. This keeps the group close to Denver and helps further the sense of community in the metropolitan area.
The team has performed in many places outside of poetry slam including an event hosted by Democracy Now, sharing a stage with Amy Goodman
, opening for recording artists Les Nubians
, sharing a stage with the revolutionary Hip-Hop group Dead Prez
, and at such local events as Denver’s Black Arts Festival, The Poet As Muse, Club Reign and Café Cultura.
In 2007, its first year of competing, Nuba had four competing members, Jai Harris, Bobby Lefebre, Panama Soweto and Lucifury (Theo Wilson). Suzi Q. Smith
was the team’s founder and Slam Master, (Organizer and manager), and Bianca Mikahn Shaw was the team’s coach. Most of the team was rookie slammers and yet they were able to win several regional bouts including the Lincoln, Nebraska Invitational and the Dallas Invitational Poetry Slam.
During a week of events at The National Poetry Slam 2007, Lucifury, won the Erotic Poetry Slam and earned the coveted title of “Most Erotic Slam Poet in the Nation.”
Throughout team finals, Slam Nuba placed fourth in the Nation out of a possible 75 teams. This was a difficult task for a rookie slam team.
2008 saw a change for Slam Nuba. Several of the previous teams members remained but a few new ones were added to the troupe. Bobby Lefebre, Panama Soweto, Lucifury, Original Woman, and Ayinde Russell represented Slam Nuba during the 2008 slam season. Suzi Q. Smith
left their ranks as Slam Master, but Bobby Lefebre and Panama Soweto picked up where she had left off. Bianca Mikahn remained on as coach.
During the 2008 season the team won a variety of tournaments and performed at a wide range of venues in the Denver area, including the wrap up party for DNC (Democratic National Convention) volunteers. The team was also featured in an article in El Semanario, Denver’s Weekly Latino newspaper. To read the article, go to http://www.elsemanario.net/news.php?clan=0&nid=1133
Slam Nuba won the Flagstaff “Win and You’re In” bout, a match they needed to clinch a spot at the national competition, The 2008 South West Shoot Out Poetry Slam, and The Denver 40 Ounce Invitational Slam.
At the national event the team won both of their preliminary bouts advancing themselves on to semifinals. They came in second in their semifinals bout to team Austin Egos and tied with the team from Hollywood. Although they could not repeat their success from the previous year, the team had an excellent slam season and was extremely proud of the work they produced.
In 2009, the poets representing Slam Nuba on a national level were Bobby Lefebre, Ken Arkind, Panama Soweto, The Original Woman, and Lucifury, joined by their coach Suzi Q. Smith
. The 2010 team was coached by Lucifury and added to the team Jovan Mays, and Amy Everhart. Lucifury ranked 5th in the 2010 Individual World Poetry Slam.
The 2011 SlamNUBA team consisting of Theo Wilson, Bran Do, Ayinde Russell, Jovan Mays and Dominique Ashaheed, won the 2011 Nation Slam Poetry Championship.
To find out more about slam poetry go to, http://www.poetryslam.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10&Itemid=25#What%20is%20poetry%20slam?
Presently, Slam Nuba coached by veteran Jen Rinaldi, won the National Poetry Slam Championship in Boston Massachusetts. Performing at the Berklee School of Music in front of more than 2500 people, Slam Nuba brought the National title back home to Colorado. Team members Dominique Ashaheed and Ayinde Russell dazzled the audience with a duet piece called Amandla about the resistance movement in South Africa, putting the team more than a point ahead, by incorporating South African songs and exuberant messages about fighting barbarism with beauty. In the second round, Theo "Lucifury" Wilson, performed an intense persona poem entitled Dark Jester which deals with the ways in which brilliant black performers were made into minstrels. In the third round the team sealed the victory with a complicated quintet piece about chain gangs in the south. The poem involved old work songs, choreography, and biting lines that ranged from personal commentaries that embodied the voices of the men who languished on chain gangs as well as social commentary about the ways in which Black men still negotiate similar circumstances in present day American realities. The last round was performed by Brando, a young standout whose unique stylistic delivery of poignant political commentary leaves audiences gasping.
Also in 2011, SlamNUBA was inducted to the Denver Westword's Mastermind Class of 2011.
http://www.westword.com/2011-02-17/culture/slam-nuba-westword-mastermind/
The 2011 SlamNUBA team consists of Theo Wilson, Bran Do, Ayinde Russell, Jovan Mays and Dominique Ashaheed. The 2011 team are the Southwest Shootout Regional Competition champions and the Utah Arts Festival Slam Champions. Slam Nuba is expected to tour and perform all over the country so that others may have an opportunity to experience this brilliant group of young writers.
Poetry Slam, Inc.
Poetry Slam, Inc. is the official 501 non-profit organization charged with overseeing the international coalition of poetry slams...
- the organization that arranges an annual National Poetry Slam. The Pan African Arts Society is an award-winning arts and social change organization that has been serving the Denver community for over ten years. In addition to Slam Nuba, its projects also include Cafe Nuba, an award-winning open mic poetry set, and the Denver Pan African Film Festival.
Slam Nuba holds its poetry events at The Crossroads Theater, both located in The Historic Five Points neighborhood in Denver, Colorado.
The National Poetry Slam is the largest team performance poetry event in the world. Teams from all over North America and a few from other countries converge in a different city every summer for five days of poetry, revelry and competition.
In 2007 the Denver Slam Nuba team placed fourth in the nation. In 2008 Slam Nuba won two separate regional bouts including the Southwest Shoot Out Poetry Slam in Dallas, Texas, and The Denver 40 ounce Poetry Slam. Slam Nuba competed at The National Poetry Slam in Madison, Wisconsin in 2008 and made it to semifinals for the second year straight. In 2011 the Slam Nuba team won The Nation Poetry Slam Championship.
History
Slam Nuba is the brain child of Ashara Ekundayo, Ken Arkind and Panama Soweto. Café Nuba, Denver’s premier monthly poetry showcase, had been a registered Poetry Slam, Inc. venue for several years and had never sent a team to the National Poetry Slam. With the support of the community Slam Nuba was created for the purpose of representing the versatility of Denver’s poetry scene under its parent organization of Café Nuba.Slam Nuba is a registered program of a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. This means that all funds they generate come from donations and various types of fundraising. This keeps the group close to Denver and helps further the sense of community in the metropolitan area.
The team has performed in many places outside of poetry slam including an event hosted by Democracy Now, sharing a stage with Amy Goodman
Amy Goodman
Amy Goodman is an American progressive broadcast journalist, syndicated columnist, investigative reporter and author. Goodman is the host of Democracy Now!, an independent global news program broadcast daily on radio, television and the internet.-Early life:Goodman was born in Bay Shore, New York...
, opening for recording artists Les Nubians
Les Nubians
Les Nubians is an R&B Grammy-nominated duo composed of sisters Hélène and Célia Faussart from Paris, France. In 1985 the sisters moved with their parents to Chad. Seven years later, they returned to Bordeaux, France, and began singing a cappella, producing poetry slams in Bordeaux and Paris, and...
, sharing a stage with the revolutionary Hip-Hop group Dead Prez
Dead Prez
Dead Prez stylized as dead prez is a hip hop duo from the United States, composed of stic.man and M-1, formed in 1996 in New York City, New York. They are known for their confrontational style, combined with socialist lyrics focused on both militant social justice and Pan-Africanism...
, and at such local events as Denver’s Black Arts Festival, The Poet As Muse, Club Reign and Café Cultura.
In 2007, its first year of competing, Nuba had four competing members, Jai Harris, Bobby Lefebre, Panama Soweto and Lucifury (Theo Wilson). Suzi Q. Smith
Suzi Q. Smith
Suzi Q. Smith is an American poet, spoken word artist and activist. She began writing poetry in her elementary years and by high school was participating in poetry readings and poetry slams...
was the team’s founder and Slam Master, (Organizer and manager), and Bianca Mikahn Shaw was the team’s coach. Most of the team was rookie slammers and yet they were able to win several regional bouts including the Lincoln, Nebraska Invitational and the Dallas Invitational Poetry Slam.
Throughout team finals, Slam Nuba placed fourth in the Nation out of a possible 75 teams. This was a difficult task for a rookie slam team.
2008 saw a change for Slam Nuba. Several of the previous teams members remained but a few new ones were added to the troupe. Bobby Lefebre, Panama Soweto, Lucifury, Original Woman, and Ayinde Russell represented Slam Nuba during the 2008 slam season. Suzi Q. Smith
Suzi Q. Smith
Suzi Q. Smith is an American poet, spoken word artist and activist. She began writing poetry in her elementary years and by high school was participating in poetry readings and poetry slams...
left their ranks as Slam Master, but Bobby Lefebre and Panama Soweto picked up where she had left off. Bianca Mikahn remained on as coach.
During the 2008 season the team won a variety of tournaments and performed at a wide range of venues in the Denver area, including the wrap up party for DNC (Democratic National Convention) volunteers. The team was also featured in an article in El Semanario, Denver’s Weekly Latino newspaper. To read the article, go to http://www.elsemanario.net/news.php?clan=0&nid=1133
Slam Nuba won the Flagstaff “Win and You’re In” bout, a match they needed to clinch a spot at the national competition, The 2008 South West Shoot Out Poetry Slam, and The Denver 40 Ounce Invitational Slam.
At the national event the team won both of their preliminary bouts advancing themselves on to semifinals. They came in second in their semifinals bout to team Austin Egos and tied with the team from Hollywood. Although they could not repeat their success from the previous year, the team had an excellent slam season and was extremely proud of the work they produced.
In 2009, the poets representing Slam Nuba on a national level were Bobby Lefebre, Ken Arkind, Panama Soweto, The Original Woman, and Lucifury, joined by their coach Suzi Q. Smith
Suzi Q. Smith
Suzi Q. Smith is an American poet, spoken word artist and activist. She began writing poetry in her elementary years and by high school was participating in poetry readings and poetry slams...
. The 2010 team was coached by Lucifury and added to the team Jovan Mays, and Amy Everhart. Lucifury ranked 5th in the 2010 Individual World Poetry Slam.
The 2011 SlamNUBA team consisting of Theo Wilson, Bran Do, Ayinde Russell, Jovan Mays and Dominique Ashaheed, won the 2011 Nation Slam Poetry Championship.
To find out more about slam poetry go to, http://www.poetryslam.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10&Itemid=25#What%20is%20poetry%20slam?
Community
Slam Nuba is very much involved in community development throughout Denver. Several of the poets in the organization are youth mentors and advocates. The group believes that a strong community can be determined by the contributions of its teachers, laborers and artists. This belief has lead the group to work with other non-profit organizations and volunteer a great deal of their time to neighborhood enrichment. Panama Soweto states, "Poetry is a very important tool, it can expire the anguish in our souls and solicit the best from our hearts."Current
Slam Nuba holds poetry slams, open mics, and workshops at the [Crossroads Theater] in the Historic Five Points, Denver Neighborhood.Presently, Slam Nuba coached by veteran Jen Rinaldi, won the National Poetry Slam Championship in Boston Massachusetts. Performing at the Berklee School of Music in front of more than 2500 people, Slam Nuba brought the National title back home to Colorado. Team members Dominique Ashaheed and Ayinde Russell dazzled the audience with a duet piece called Amandla about the resistance movement in South Africa, putting the team more than a point ahead, by incorporating South African songs and exuberant messages about fighting barbarism with beauty. In the second round, Theo "Lucifury" Wilson, performed an intense persona poem entitled Dark Jester which deals with the ways in which brilliant black performers were made into minstrels. In the third round the team sealed the victory with a complicated quintet piece about chain gangs in the south. The poem involved old work songs, choreography, and biting lines that ranged from personal commentaries that embodied the voices of the men who languished on chain gangs as well as social commentary about the ways in which Black men still negotiate similar circumstances in present day American realities. The last round was performed by Brando, a young standout whose unique stylistic delivery of poignant political commentary leaves audiences gasping.
Also in 2011, SlamNUBA was inducted to the Denver Westword's Mastermind Class of 2011.
http://www.westword.com/2011-02-17/culture/slam-nuba-westword-mastermind/
The 2011 SlamNUBA team consists of Theo Wilson, Bran Do, Ayinde Russell, Jovan Mays and Dominique Ashaheed. The 2011 team are the Southwest Shootout Regional Competition champions and the Utah Arts Festival Slam Champions. Slam Nuba is expected to tour and perform all over the country so that others may have an opportunity to experience this brilliant group of young writers.
External links
- Cafe Nuba http://www.cafenuba.com
- Denver Crossroads Theater http://www.denvercrossroads.com
- Slam Nuba on Myspace http://www.myspace.com/slamnuba.team