Semifinal slam brings the top 8 poets of the most recent open slams that much closer to the Grand Slam. They will be competing for two spots in the April 25th Big Show.

Andi Kauth began her career in Slam in 2004 under the tutelage of Marc Kelly Smith and Henry Sampson. Since then, she has gone on to become the Slam Master of the Palatine Poetry Slam (2005-2008), coach of the 2005 Palatine National Poetry Slam team, and a member of the 2006 and 2007 Palatine NPS teams. Her accomplishments include ranking 31^st individually at the 2006 National Poetry Slam, being named the 2008 Loyola University Chicago Vagina Warrior for outstanding work in the community to empower women, completing a 22 state, 47 city poetry tour in 2006/07 with partner J.T. Bullock, and placing 4^th at the 2009 Arkansas Grand Slam.Andi lives to give workshops on the writing and performance of poetry and has done so at countless jr. high schools, high schools and colleges across the country including South Middle School in Arlington Heights, IL, and Bismarck State College in Bismarck, ND. She is currently a member of the PolyRhythmic Arts Collective, a committee member of the Arkansas Grand Slam and she co-founded the Chicago Four Star Poetry Club with long time friend and teammate Billy Tuggle.

“Andi may only be 21 but she’s already pro… She paid honor to her Fremd High School creative writing program by upholding the integrity of her texts — they were (are) exquisite. There are dozens of high profile slammers spittin’ cliche after cliche shouting the same ol’ same ol’ as if it were direct communication from the gods. They should shut up a few moments and take note of this young woman who can say more in short series of sonnets than they do in three minutes of “I … I … I” ranting.”~ Marc Kelly Smith, creator of Poetry Slam.

Eric Breland has been a featured spoken-word artist since 2007. He has graced the national stage every year since, both as a performer and a memorable finals stage American Sign Language interpreter. His poetry can best be described as a mixture of comedy, romance, and gut-wrenching honesty. Eric placed 5^th and was named Audience Favorite at the 2008 Arkansas Grand Slam, and was a finalist at the competition in 2007 and 2009. He also represented the Dallas Poetry Grind at the 2009 National Poetry Slam in West Palm Beach, Florida. Also on Eric’s rapidly growing list of accomplishments, he took 3^rd place individually at the 2007 Southwest Shootout. Eric is a current board member of The Texas Youth Word collective, the organization which supports the Austin Youth Speaks slam team, which has made several appearances at Brave New Voices.Eric has given poetry writing workshops to at-risk inner city youth with the organization LIFEWORKS, and gave an ASL workshop at the 2008 National Poetry Slam in Madison, WI.The strength in his poetry can be best expressed by the following pieces of critical acclaim: 

“His forceful language and vivid imagery penetrate straight down to the raw underpinnings of existence.” (NWA Times, Feb 2008) “Through poetry, he takes you on a journey throughout some of the most brutally beautiful moments in life.” (Arlington Post Nov. 2008)

He has published three collections of his original work (“Haunted House”, “Mirrors”, and “Failures in Martyrdom”) as well as an Audio CD (“Chain Reactions”). His work has been published in several newspapers, magazines, and even used as part of the curriculum in freshman English classes at the University of Arkansas.