http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apuApak1CJ0
This young woman has a helluva voice. In 93 seconds, inspired me, broke my heart, and inspired me once more.
This piece works, because as a young woman (15 years old), she is using her poem, her spoken word piece as a way to communicate a lot of hurt and pain she has endured. In the first 10 seconds, she explains that it has taken her 15 years to get an idea of who she is, yet it takes others 15 seconds to decide who she is. For this young woman to acknowledge this fact, AND call others out on it... works.
It works through her voice, her honesty, her ups and downs in her speaking and movement. It works because she is assumingly at school (based on the background of the video), speaking to her peers. It works because she uses this opportunity to define herself, question others, and have center stage.
What's to admire? Wow. Her voice, meaning not just the spoken delivery, but the brut honesty she puts forth. Not a lot of young women (I know) would the kind of courage to talk about homelessness, drugs, self-harm... in front of their peers, or anyone for that matter. I admire her use of words too, the use of slowing and speeding up the delivery, and her all around fierce attitude. She also uses the word "bitch" in the poem, once, but does so in a very useful way.
What's not so good? Who I am to judge a young woman and her words? If I were to say, "what could be worked on", I would only offer the advice to articulate a little better when speaking so fast. I think that for the quality of video (equipment) that was used, this piece was fine. Besides, it's more about her message than it is having fancy equipment to record everything perfectly.
As far as a poem being a performance, I think she's got both. It's a poem, it rhymes, it discusses her issues with being judged, as well as gives a very intimate look into the person she is and why. Performance wise, this young woman has it going on. Her voice, and eye contact, her use of gestures... all are on point.
This young woman has a helluva voice. In 93 seconds, inspired me, broke my heart, and inspired me once more.
This piece works, because as a young woman (15 years old), she is using her poem, her spoken word piece as a way to communicate a lot of hurt and pain she has endured. In the first 10 seconds, she explains that it has taken her 15 years to get an idea of who she is, yet it takes others 15 seconds to decide who she is. For this young woman to acknowledge this fact, AND call others out on it... works.
It works through her voice, her honesty, her ups and downs in her speaking and movement. It works because she is assumingly at school (based on the background of the video), speaking to her peers. It works because she uses this opportunity to define herself, question others, and have center stage.
What's to admire? Wow. Her voice, meaning not just the spoken delivery, but the brut honesty she puts forth. Not a lot of young women (I know) would the kind of courage to talk about homelessness, drugs, self-harm... in front of their peers, or anyone for that matter. I admire her use of words too, the use of slowing and speeding up the delivery, and her all around fierce attitude. She also uses the word "bitch" in the poem, once, but does so in a very useful way.
What's not so good? Who I am to judge a young woman and her words? If I were to say, "what could be worked on", I would only offer the advice to articulate a little better when speaking so fast. I think that for the quality of video (equipment) that was used, this piece was fine. Besides, it's more about her message than it is having fancy equipment to record everything perfectly.
As far as a poem being a performance, I think she's got both. It's a poem, it rhymes, it discusses her issues with being judged, as well as gives a very intimate look into the person she is and why. Performance wise, this young woman has it going on. Her voice, and eye contact, her use of gestures... all are on point.
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