[the luminosity effect] a workshop series

April is National Poetry Month and WonderRoot wants to kick it off right by presenting [the luminosity effect]: a free, 8-week spoken word workshop series.  The workshop will take place every Saturday from April 6th – May 25th, from 3-5 PM, at the WonderRoot Community Art Center.

Registered students will actively participate in innovative writing and performance workshops led by the nationally touring performance poet Nicole Shantè White.  The series aims to foster the personal development of middle and high school students (ages 13 – 18) through the facilitation of contemporary performance poetry workshops, the creation of a safe anti-oppression space, and the establishment of mentorship with the teaching artist and various visiting spoken word artists.  Students will gain self-confidence building skills, participate in discussions about coexistence and personal agency, and learn about various literary and performance techniques.  Participants will be encouraged to attend poetry slams, open mics, and literary events taking place in Atlanta.

Class size is limited so please register early (deadline: March 22)!: https://wonderroot.wufoo.com/forms/wonderroot-workshop-registration

Syllabus:
Lesson 1: Peculiar Personas
Lesson 2. Voice Capacities: Articulation, Inflection, and Volume
Lesson 3: Bodily Presence
Lesson 4: The Pain and Pleasure of Rewriting: Editing and Developing Drafts
Lesson 5: Poetic Letter Writing
Lesson 6: Transforming the Cliché into the Captivating
Lesson 7: From Page to Stage: Memorization Methods
Lesson 8: Poetic Integrity: Representing Self-Identities

Teaching Artist: NICOLE SHANTÈ WHITE is a silent cacophony. The quiet one your mama warned you about. She is a cluster of Midwest accents and Southern hospitality. The nationally touring spoken word artist additionally identifies as a contemporary dancer and choreographer, actress, and songwriter.  At the age of 16 she discovered the importance of her voice through slam poetry and the mentorship of HBO Def Poet Dasha Kelly. Since then, stages in Milwaukee, WI; Chicago, IL; Washington, D.C.; and Atlanta, GA have been amazed by her invigorating performances. Her spoken word encompasses her experiences as an educated queer woman of color.