On February 14th, 2012 there is a Punch Out Poetry open mic at slam over at Highpoint Center for Printmaking! It is free, all-ages, and you get a drink coupon for a dollar off at the BLB if you come!

doors 6

open mic 6:30

slam 7

printmaking 8:15 ish

audience open to folks of all genders, yay friends

On another note, POP is going through a sort of organizational shift at the moment. My name is Aimee, and I am the new slammaster. I’m pleased to be here, shout out to Inky for being a boss.

If you have interest in helping make POP happen, please email punchoutpoetrympls@gmail.com. I’m hoping for some sort of collective type group to form along with a bunch o friendships, and if those things interest you too, hit me up. Questions, comments, etc also encouraged.

Non-commercial hearts!

Punch Out Poetry
1st Wednesday of every month
Doors at 6pm, Show starts at 7pm
Bryant-Lake Bowl Theater
810 West Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN 55408
$7 in advance/$9 at the door (BLB-guided cost structure, which helps the theater run, gets us a door person, helps with marketing materials the BLB makes and distributes on our behalf, and is the cost of doing a show in Uptown.)

Get tickets in advance at the BLB’s website!

No features, no costumes, no art on the walls!
Just fierce and funny poetry.

8 poets, 3 rounds (3 min, 1 min, 3 min)
$5 Cover for Everyone (Including Brokeass Poets!)
Doors at 7:30, Slam at 8pm!
Competition is open to anyone who identifies as a woman.

Join the Punch Out Poetry fb group!

Punch Out Poetry was created to celebrate women’s voices and to foster the growth of female spoken word performers in the Twin Cities area. Also we intend to have a rockin’ good time.
Join the FB Event

First off, it’s Poetry Yoga!
Saturday, July 16 · 7:30pm – 8:30pm
At Moksha Yoga (3252 W Lake St, across from Whole Foods)
Details:
We’re hosting a fundraiser at Moksha Yoga Studio, which is possibly the greatest new yoga studio in the Solar System. Throughout the 60 minute yoga class, the Punch Out Squad will read poems to help you achieve inner peace and balance.

If you love yoga and poetry, this is for you.
If you love poetry but you’ve never tried yoga, this is for you.
If you love yoga but you’ve never experienced poetry, this is for you.
If you’re new to poetry and yoga, this is like a sampler platter of health and enlightenment.

$5 donation at the door.
We will have chapbooks for sale as well as tickets to our next fundraising event at HUGE Theatre in Minneapolis.
**All of the proceeds will help to fund our venture to the National Poetry Slam.

The space only holds 60 people so show up early.

Check out Moksha Yoga at: http://www.mokshayogaminne​apolis.com/index.htm

Second? PUNCH OUT POETRY vs (Your Favorite Villain)

Friday, July 22 · 6:00pm – 9:00pm
At HUGE Theater (3037 Lyndale Ave S)
Punch Out Poetry has Paired with HUGE Theater to fundraise for our trip to the National Poetry Slam. HUGE is a new Improv Theater in Minneapolis.

Doors and silent auction at 6pm
Punch Out Poetry Feature at 7pm
Silent auction closes at 7:30pm
Performance by HUGE Improv at 8pm

Tickets to the show are $25
The show includes a feature by Punch Out 2011, a silent auction, refreshments, and a performance by the cast of HUGE Improve Theater.

We are also seeking sponsors at various levels so if you or anyone you know would like to sponsor us or donate items to the auction, please contact us.

To reserve tickets or become a sponsor, email punchoutpoetry@gmail.com or call Sydney Arnold at (952)836 8048.

Next week, our finals slam, hosted by Dasha Kelly!

Qualified poets are: (in order of qualification)
Alison Broeren
Heather Poliseno
Syd Malicious
Sierra DeMulder
Misty Rowan
Kait Rokowski
Inky
Kirstie Kimball
Emily Nuckols
Cynthia French

Desdamona is an international award-winning artist; who has taken her distinct lyrics, sounds, and artistic stylings to audiences from Minnesota to Hawaii to Puerto Rico to Germany; gracing some of Hip Hop and poetry’s most illustrious stages. Desdamona has had the pleasure of opening up for distinguished artists including Wyclef Jean, GURU, Bahamadia, Zap Mama, Black Uhuru/Sly & Robbie, Saul Williams, Ursula Rucker, KRS ONE and Rhymesayers artists. She has also shared the stage with influential Hip Hop artists including Canada’s Eternia, Medusa and Bgirl Rockafella.

Desdamona has worked in over 200 schools throughout the Midwest, conducting workshops and as artist in residence, working with more than 10,000 students in public, private and alternative schools as well as colleges and universities. She has also worked in residencies and workshops in Stillwater Prison, Shakopee Prison, Red Wing Juvenile Facility and the Juvenile Detention Center in Minneapolis MN.

We’re extra lucky to know this slam will be hosted by Ruth F. Kohtz. Ruth Kohtz is a performer who sometimes writes. She has appeared as herself for Punch Out Poetry, SlamMN!, Soap-boxing Poetry Slam, Riot Act Reading Series, and the Sidetrack Lounge in Lincoln NE. Her work has been published in the Midway Journal and the forthcoming “The Untidy Season: An Anthology of Nebraska Women Poets”. Ruth also performs as the tambourine half of a Lady Gaga cover band.

Congrats to ALL of our competitors last night. I did not see one bad poem, our judges worked so hard, the room was filled, and I was blown away by the amount of talent in there.

What’s next?

Why, the fundraiser for ALL of the posse going to the Women of the World poetry slam in Columbus, OH. FEATURING April Ranger and Carrie Rudzinski of the Boston Cantab poetry slam. Come with cash/checks, we will have cupcakes, other treats, and beverages, a custom-made chapbook featuring poems from lot of poets from Punch Out Poetry scene, performances by local poets, comedians, musicians, and who knows what else.

Echo Arts
275 E. Fourth St., Ste. B200 (basement!)
Saint Paul, MN

Join the facebook event!

November’s slam was amazing, and featured lots of new voices, new styles, and new poems. We featured Courtney McLean, who was a hit with her bawdy, open-minded uke stylings, and got an amazing sac poem from Rodrigo Sanchez-Chavarria. The slam was followed by a music jam/open mic, and was a great time. January’s sac will be IBé. IBé is the recipient of a 2010 Midwestern Voices Award, a 2009 Urban Griots’ Cultural Award, a 2005 Jerome/SASE Verve Grant, and a 2004 Minnesota Academy Award nominee for Best Spoken Word. Stay posted for news on our feature, and for post-slam celebrations.

Congrats to Sierra, who won the slam and guaranteed her spot in the finals slam in May; Misty, who also guaranteed her place in finals; and Syd, who guaranteed her spot in January’s slam. Thank you so much to everyone who came out. You rocked that room.

Courtney McLean is an actress, writer, storyteller, improviser, stand-up comedian, banjo player, sister, daughter, native Californian, transplanted New Yorker, and recent Minnesotan. Her one-woman shows, “Normal-C” and “Super Glossy!” have toured to Fringe Festivals across the nation. She is a proud founding member of Rockstar Storytellers. Courtney has been seen in Girl Friday Productions’ “The Skin Of Our Teeth,” Four Humors’ “Sideways Stories From Wayside School,” “Love Is Blind… And Furry,” and Theatre Arlo’s “A Christmas Carol: The Golden Girls Remix” (remount coming Nov. 29!) Courtney is also The Dirty Curls, a one-woman naughty country band.

Our third slam of the season, in the beautiful Echo Arts gallery in lowertown St. Paul. The top two winners of the slam will earn places in the finals slam this May. October’s slam was a heated battle, presenting many styles and levels of experience and a big intelligent crowd, and November is likely to be just as amazing.

It’s our usual 3 minute, 1 minute, 3 minute round structure, and features musician, storyteller, and comedian Courtney McLean. It’s the day after Thanksgiving, get your overly full self to lowertown and binge on poetry instead of purchases.

Friday, November 26 · 7:30pm – 9:00pm
Echo Arts
275 E. Fourth St., Ste. B200 (basement!)
Saint Paul, MN

ALL AGES, just $5

Respond to the facebook event at this link.