Video: Finalist Sarah Ruszala performs for the Big Beat cameras.
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What: 10th annual Capital Slam poetry championships
When & where: 6:30 p.m., Saturday, May 24, Alumni Auditorium, U of O
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Ottawa is rich in poetry, and some of the most vigorous and outspoken of it will be heard live on May 24, as eight poets compete at the 10th annual Capital Slam championships.
Capital Slam is one of numerous slam poetry series held throughout the year in Ottawa, others including Urban Legends, the Ottawa Youth Poetry Slam, the New SHIrT Slam, and, out in Lanark County, the Live Poets Society.
Capital Slam is “the big show,” with the biggest crowds and serious slam figures among its alumni, says Rusty Priske, who is one of the organizers and, this year, a finalist in the championships. The other finalists this year are Sarah Ruszala, Gavin Russell, Atemysia Fragiskatos, Candice Bruchhaeuser, Ceilidhe Miller, P-Rime and Avonlea Fotheringham — five of them making their championship debuts.
I spoke to Priske about the series and the finals. Here’s an edited transcript of our chat:
BB: Why was Capital Slam born?
Priske: In 2004, as the first Canadian Festival of Spoken Word wrapped up, Greg Frankson and Ellissa Molino wanted the vibe to continue. There had been various slams in Ottawa but none had stuck around, so they set up CapSlam to be run by the Capital Poetry Collective, so it could outlast the involvement of the founders.
BB: How is Capital Slam different?
Priske: Each show has its own vibe and offers its own take on slam. We pride ourselves on being the “big show.” We’ve had 300 people in the audience, and been the launching pad for big name poets — Ian Keteku, Open Secret, John Akpata and others came to national prominence. We are being constantly renewed. There are always new voices stepping up.
BB: For you, what was the high point of the first 10 years?
Priske: In 2009 the Capital Slam team — then Ian Keteku, OpenSecret, Brandon Wint, Poetic Speed and me — won the slam championship at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word in Victoria. In 2010, with the festival in Ottawa, the Capital Slam of Chris Tse, OpenSecret, John Akpata, PrufRock Shadowrunner and Brandon Wint won the national title, in front of a home town crowd. The second place team that year was Ottawa’s Urban Legends.
BB: I remember that night in Ottawa, it was tremendous. Has the city’s slam scene changed over 10 years?
Priske: The biggest change has been its growth. Now there are multiple spoken word shows every week. Capital Slam was a monthly show that took summers off, now we run two CapSlams per month, year-round.
BB: How are slam and spoken-word poetry different from poems that people may have studied in school?
Priske: The biggest difference is that these poems tend to be written to be performed on stage. The poets plan on connecting directly to the audience, whether through the force of the performance, emotional content or other dynamic. This does not mean the poems can’t employ subtlety and nuances in their message.
BB: Does the champion go on to another competition?
Priske: The winner leads the CapSlam team (the top five finishers) at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word in October.
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