Seattle Poetry Slam

Every Tuesday Night at Re-bar!

 

About Us

The Seattle Poetry Slam Family

The Seattle Poetry Slam is run by a collective of people - the Seattle Slam Family - headed up by the Slammaster - who acts as the voice of Seattle's Slam community in the National forum of Slams - and three wonderful hosts.

Daemond Arrindell is the Slammaster for Seattle and seven-time coach for the Seattle National Slam team. The man who's been pulling the levers behind the curtains of the great and powerful Seattle Slam for 6 years. He is a Poet, organizer, activist and all around nice guy. Daemond is in this for the love of the word: written and spoken, and its power to alter the emotional state of being. Currently, he is heading up a Spoken-Word residency at the men's correctional facility in Monroe, Wa and teaching a spoken word/performance poetry class at Freehold theatre/studio lab.

Ela Barton is one of the three revolving hosts you'll see at the slam. Ela (also known as "Hella Bella Ela") has been on the Seattle scene since 2008, a two-time finalist of the Seattle Grand Slam, and proud member of the Seattle Slam community. Ela is also a poet who has featured all over the Pacific Northwest, competed nationally at the Women of the World Poetry Slam, and is a volunteer teacher at Bent: A Queer Writing Institute. Most of all, she really wants to write with you.

Roma Raye is a teacher, parent, partner, burly butch poet who lives in a little house in Seattle. Focusing on the powers of poetry, protest, and possibility, Roma, as a Radical Teacher brings the mic to the classroom and the students to the stage. When Roma isn't chasing adolescent minds around an overcrowded and undersupplied English classroom in Federal Way, Wa (Go Gators!) you can find her reading comic books and daydreaming of Disneyland.

Amber Flame is an award-winning performer, composer, activist and educator who works extensively with students of all ages. She performs and records as composer, vocalist and guitarist for her band, Last of the RedHot Mamas, and produces multimedia shows through A Flame Production. She can be seen on a variety of stages throughout Seattle, performing original music, spoken word, plays, poetry, and fiction. She teaches music, poetry and performance through WITS, Arts Corps and local schools and community centers. Currently developing her one-woman play, Hands Above the Covers: Hairy Palms & Other Nightmares of a Church Kid, and composing work for Last of the RedHot Mama's second studio album, you can learn more about Amber Flame at her website, afirecracker.com.


Kaston Griffin Bio coming soon!

 

 

Maya Hersh is a three time member of the Seattle Slam team, and has competed at National Poetry Slam, Individual World Poetry Slam and Women of the World Poetry Slam. Originally from the East coast, she left her home slam to find a place with more rainfall and less bagels. She has been published in Pangaia magazine, and featured on NPR and CBS. One time, she was stuck in a cave for 12 hours, but she has not written any poems about it yet

Matt Gano has featured for “Page Meets Stage,” at the Bowery Poetry Club, guest lectured at The Juilliard School in New York City, and led writing workshops at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA. Matt has traveled internationally teaching creative writing and performance in Seoul, Korea, and in 2009 earned a three-month artist residency at the Lee Shau Kee, School of Creativity in Hong Kong. Matt has worked as a national slam team coach and workshop instructor for Youth Speaks Seattle and is now a senior Artist in Residence with Seattle Arts and Lectures, Writers in the Schools.

 

 

Slam History


SLAM History A Slam is a competition of performance poets that is judged by randomly picked members of the audience. The focus is equally split between the content/writing of the poem AND how the poem is performed. This opens up the stage to a wide range of work and engages the audience as active participants. Because of its format of inclusiveness, Slam has been referred to as the "Democratization of Poetry". Marc Smith, a Chicago construction worker, started the first Slam in 1986 at the Green Mill Tavern and revolutionized the open mike poetry format. Soon, Slams began popping up in other cities, resulting in a National Poetry Slam competition in 1991. Poetry Slam Incorporated was established in l997 as the official governing body of Slam. PSI publishes the Slam rules, coordinates the qualifying rounds for a nationwide network of Slams, and oversees the national tournament which now includes 80 teams.

  • More History On The Seattle Poetry Slam
    • Seattle Poetry Slam: About Us

    Seattle Poetry Slam

    Every Tuesday Night at Re-bar!

     

    About Us

    The Seattle Poetry Slam Family

    The Seattle Poetry Slam is run by a collective of people - the Seattle Slam Family - headed up by the Slammaster - who acts as the voice of Seattle's Slam community in the National forum of Slams - and three wonderful hosts.

    Daemond Arrindell is the Slammaster for Seattle and seven-time coach for the Seattle National Slam team. The man who's been pulling the levers behind the curtains of the great and powerful Seattle Slam for 6 years. He is a Poet, organizer, activist and all around nice guy. Daemond is in this for the love of the word: written and spoken, and its power to alter the emotional state of being. Currently, he is heading up a Spoken-Word residency at the men's correctional facility in Monroe, Wa and teaching a spoken word/performance poetry class at Freehold theatre/studio lab.

    Ela Barton is one of the three revolving hosts you'll see at the slam. Ela (also known as "Hella Bella Ela") has been on the Seattle scene since 2008, a two-time finalist of the Seattle Grand Slam, and proud member of the Seattle Slam community. Ela is also a poet who has featured all over the Pacific Northwest, competed nationally at the Women of the World Poetry Slam, and is a volunteer teacher at Bent: A Queer Writing Institute. Most of all, she really wants to write with you.

    Roma Raye is a teacher, parent, partner, burly butch poet who lives in a little house in Seattle. Focusing on the powers of poetry, protest, and possibility, Roma, as a Radical Teacher brings the mic to the classroom and the students to the stage. When Roma isn't chasing adolescent minds around an overcrowded and undersupplied English classroom in Federal Way, Wa (Go Gators!) you can find her reading comic books and daydreaming of Disneyland.

    Amber Flame is an award-winning performer, composer, activist and educator who works extensively with students of all ages. She performs and records as composer, vocalist and guitarist for her band, Last of the RedHot Mamas, and produces multimedia shows through A Flame Production. She can be seen on a variety of stages throughout Seattle, performing original music, spoken word, plays, poetry, and fiction. She teaches music, poetry and performance through WITS, Arts Corps and local schools and community centers. Currently developing her one-woman play, Hands Above the Covers: Hairy Palms & Other Nightmares of a Church Kid, and composing work for Last of the RedHot Mama's second studio album, you can learn more about Amber Flame at her website, afirecracker.com.


    Kaston Griffin Bio coming soon!


     

     

    Maya Hersh is a three time member of the Seattle Slam team, and has competed at National Poetry Slam, Individual World Poetry Slam and 

    Women of the World Poetry Slam. Originally from the East coast, she left her home slam to find a place with more rainfall and less bagels. She has been published in Pangaia magazine, and featured on NPR and CBS. One time, she was stuck in a cave for 12 hours, but she has not written any poems about it yet

     

     

    Matt Gano has featured for “Page Meets Stage,” at the Bowery Poetry Club, guest lectured at The Juilliard School in New York City, and led writing workshops at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA. Matt has traveled internationally teaching creative writing and performance in Seoul, Korea, and in 2009 earned a three-month artist residency at the Lee Shau Kee, School of Creativity in Hong Kong. Matt has worked as a national slam team coach and workshop instructor for Youth Speaks Seattle and is now a senior Artist in Residence with Seattle Arts and Lectures, Writers in the Schools.

     

     

    Slam History


    SLAM History A Slam is a competition of performance poets that is judged by randomly picked members of the audience. The focus is equally split between the content/writing of the poem AND how the poem is performed. This opens up the stage to a wide range of work and engages the audience as active participants. Because of its format of inclusiveness, Slam has been referred to as the "Democratization of Poetry". Marc Smith, a Chicago construction worker, started the first Slam in 1986 at the Green Mill Tavern and revolutionized the open mike poetry format. Soon, Slams began popping up in other cities, resulting in a National Poetry Slam competition in 1991. Poetry Slam Incorporated was established in l997 as the official governing body of Slam. PSI publishes the Slam rules, coordinates the qualifying rounds for a nationwide network of Slams, and oversees the national tournament which now includes 80 teams.

  • More History On The Seattle Poetry Slam