1908 For The Love Of Poetry
Charlotte, NC 28216
ph: (980) 428-0473
inkera
SlamCharlotte is a nationally recognized poetry slam located in Charlotte, NC.
SlamCharlotte (formerly Queen City Soul Slam) was born under the vision and direction of Terry Creech. The slam started at the African-American Cultural Center in 2003.
Through Creech's desire for continued growth, the partnership between SlamCharlotte and the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center's Education Institute was formed.
SlamCharlotte's current slammaster, Bluz, was the
13th ranked individual poet
in the world in 2007.
SlamCharlotte strives to promote poetic growth, performance enhancement, and increased camaraderie among the poets and the community through our monthly slam competition.
Bluz (current slam master) and
Terry Creech (founder of Slam Charlotte)
Photo used with permission from Sildag
CHARLOTTE SLAM TEAM
NAMED NATIONAL CHAMPS
SlamCharlotte win is the first for
the South in 14 years
Charlotte’s own poetry slam team took first
place at the National Poetry Slam 2007 held
in Austin, Texas from August 6 – 11.
The Charlotte squad was one of 75 teams
competing for top honors at the National
Poetry Slam. The team performed twelve
different, original poems during the competition.
Official regulations require that poems
cannot be longer than three minutes and
ten seconds and they cannot be repeated
throughout the competition. The win is an
especially impressive feat, considering that
this is only the fourth year that Charlotte
has had a competitive team. In 2005,
Slam Charlotte took second place at the
National Poetry Slam held in Albuquerque,
New Mexico.
Monthly poetry slams and the championship
team are led by Slammaster “Bluz,” also
known as Boris Rogers, who was ranked thirteenth
in the world at the Individual World Poetry Slam,
held in Vancouver, Canada earlier this year.
Other members of the National Poetry Slam
2007 winning team include Bethsheba,
Mike Simms, Carlos Robson, Tavis P. Brunson
Paul D and team manager Inkera.
Rogers said he is proud that the city of Charlotte
has received recognition for its support of
spoken word and will now have a trophy to display.
He explained that many local organizations
and corporations– including Tribble Creative
Group, Center City Partners, the ASC,
Starzchild Productions, Wine Up and the
Blumenthal Performing Arts Center — have
been instrumental in getting the team off the ground.
“It shows our passion to poetry,” said Rogers.
“A lot of people thought we were good but now
we’ve got the proof.”
He continued: “[It’s] something else that
Charlotteans can brag about. In addition to
basketball, the football team and the NASCAR
Hall of Fame, they now have the number
one slam poetry team in the nation.”
Monthly poetry slams, featuring local poets take place at the McGlohon Theatre every second or third Friday of the month. The next Slam Charlotte event is this Friday, September 14th at 8:00 PM.
The North Carolina Blumenthal Performing
Arts Center serves the Carolinas as a leading
cultural, entertainment and education provider.
For more information, visit BlumenthalCenter.org
or call (704) 372-1000. The Center receives
operating support from the Arts & Science
Council and the North Carolina Arts Council.
History:
2nd Slam Team 2005:

Bluz with the NPS trophy
(Photo taken by Blaqbaree)
1908 For The Love Of Poetry
Charlotte, NC 28216
ph: (980) 428-0473
inkera