hallawayjoe

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hallawayjoe
Andyland

2002-05-03 5:21 AM
slam strategy

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Mood:
fessin' up

One of my fellow competitors and good friend asked me before the slam what I was going to do. I kinda lied and said, Definitely Big Hair. I let him know I was going to do it, but not when. And I didn't tell him about the other 2 pieces. But I have been strategically planning since last year when I didn't make the team. I have always been making substitutions here and there, and replacing things... but I was testing the waters. I did Big Hair in the first round following the most common strategy of doing your so called "best work" first. It got me a high enough score, so when I screwed up in the second round on my political poem about racism and humanity and love, I didn't suffer too badly for it, although I was plenty nervous. I made the mistake of thinking I had it memorized, and when I tried to go back to the page I had lost my place. I got the lowest score of the second round. Yet I recovered and did the remainder of the poem well, on page. The audience also liked my variety. All these strategies are in the Poetry Slam: The Art of Competitive Perfomance Poetry. Third round was nerve wracking but I ended up getting to go second to last. Thus I was 9/1/9 in draw rotations. I was the second ranked in the first round, and at the end of 2 I had fallen to third. I had kept score so I knew I had to get a 27.something or higher to have a chance. My new piece about baseball had the vitality of being fresh ink, and was also helped by the ol' score creep. Also it was double spaced! that helps when reading the damn thing! I got a 28.5 and placed third. Suzy and Dom both were way ahead of me, but Logan, Jerrod, me, and John K were all in a tight race for the last 2 spots and alternate.

Still the placings didn't change from the end of round 2 to the end of round 3. Lesson learned. Don't be overconfident. and Connect with the audience. Mantras. I must say I am thrilled to be a member of the team. It is like being in love for the first time. Still I know the heartbreak and disappointment of not making it. So for those of you who didn't... I will use the Jesse Jackson Mantra- Keep Hope Alive!

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