Slam Poetry Performance Tips

Some tried & true tips to elevate your Spoken Word stage performance

​YOU'RE NOT ALONE.

​Speaking in public is the the #1 innate human fear. We fear the stage more than we fear death...

I am constantly blown away by the unique, powerful mystique of a versed slam poet on stage. There's something that gives ordinary sentences a razor edge; there's a mythical object formed by restrained but proper hand motions... these qualities make slam poetry performances an uplifting and memorable experience. Slam poetry is truly morphing into more than just Spoken Word - we're beginning to see the dawn of a whole new genre where the cunning vernacular of poetry is livened by the stage presence and performance.

This shit's blowin' up, yo!

If you're like me, you may not be the best on-stage performer. Shaky knees, lump in your throat, no idea what you look like to the audience that's scrutinizing your every word and motion... yeah, it kinda sucks. But it just means there is room for improvement. So here are a few tips that will help you start owning the stage.

Quick note: When you're making a leap like this you shouldn't expect overnight results. Great things can sometimes come in increments. What you should be looking for is improvement from one performance to the next. You might focus on a particular problem area until you nail it, then look to correct another element of your spoken word performances.
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Stage performance tips for slam poets
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1. Love your poem!

Your slam poem is a reflection of everything people can't see when they look at you. Slam Poetry is a channel to pour your heart to the audience - but you don't have to stop there. If you've scripted a piece that you truly love and are proud of, then allow yourself to be heard by the entire universe.

Realizing that the performance of this truly unique poem is for you more than your audience will loosen up some of that angst you might feel. If you love your poem and it means the world to you, it will show as authenticity in your performance. Automatic notch up!

2. Smile.

You might be going on stage with the darkest, ugliest or most vile and violent poem ever written. It doesn't matter. Smile at the audience before you let it fly. Its a connection. It allows the audience to humanize you and helps them realize that you are this person on stage for only a moment and you're about to trans-morph and take them on a journey. It shows you're vulnerable. You're not bulletproof. You're emotional. Its something the audience will attach itself to. If you're looking squeamish and uncomfortable, your audience is going to feel awkward. Winning that first moment of truth when you step on stage with a smile will minimize that thorniness happening in the crowd.

3. Slowly get comfortable with moving around.

Motion draws attention. If you're nervous on stage, you probably think people are looking dead at you, staring into your eyes. If you feel that like its heat, start to use and move your hands and arms. It will adjust their point of focus.

I've taken a number of courses on how to give a business presentation and a lot of the tips there can apply here. First, remember you don't want to overmove. You'll look like a flailing, dying fish. What you want to do is find your comfort zone. Here's how:

    - Put your hands in front of you, slightly above waist height, and pretend you're holding a small volleyball. Now talk into the mirror (or recite your poem into it). Does it feel right? If its somewhat comfortable, then you have that smaller, lower comfort zone. You should focus on hand motions that are smaller and stay down around that waist line to start.
    - Now try with your hands slightly higher and instead of a volleyball, pretend you've got a basketball. Your hands should be slightly wider. Now recite your poem in the mirror using hand motions that extend to that point with slight movement. Is that a more comfortable zone? If so, you're a middle-of-the-roader. You should begin using hand gestures to illustrate your talking points but don't let them get too wide from your body; keep centered.
- Finally, pretend you've got a huge beach ball in your hands. Hold it about chest high and recite your poem in the mirror. Are you able to move around with your hands up there, using them to illustrate your words, and still feel like you're not a buffoon? If so, good for you (I'm definitely not there yet). That means you've got a really large comfort zone, maybe bigger than you realized.

The impetus of this exercise is to learn and understand how much movement you might be comfortable with. If you tend to fidget and aren't sure what to do with your hands on stage, keep your comfort zone in mind. Practice making motions in the mirror that visualize what you're talking about and are still in your zone. Slowly but surely you will get more comfortable with this.

Most amateurs who take the stage want to just be pros - like, POOF, I'm fucking magically transforming to Robert De Niro. Its not that easy. You have to work at it. Eventually you'll be leaping out of your comfort zone with pure confidence and easily owning exaggeration to usher the audience through your performance, but don't believe it'll happen overnight. Start with the simple steps above and watch yourself grow.

4. I have said this before but it can't be understated. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE your poem!

In grade school we recited the Pledge of Allegiance every morning. 5 days a week for the entire school year. For years. That pledge was ingrained in me. Almost worse than that annoying song verse I can't get outta my head.

The pledge wasn't something I loved. It was something I repeated.

Now imagine if you repeated something you loved? More than likely it would become second nature very quickly.

So recite your poem over and over. Recite it at different times of day and in different settings and places. Do it with or without audiences. Record it and listen to it. Recite it while you're listening to it.

The point here is that once you have that poem fully memorized it becomes one less obstacle you have to overcome to have a great stage performance. Now you can put more effort into things like overcoming nerves and figuring out how to move on stage.

5. Try a public speaking course or group

If you're truly ready to take your gift of words to the next level - the spoken and performed level - then get serious about speaking in public. This won't just help you in the slam poetry arena, it will accelerate your future in the 'real world'. You'll be better in class presentations. You'll be more ready to lead groups. You'll understand how to read audiences. There are classes across the country with open membership opportunities. These classes are filled with people like you from all walks of life on a similar mission - get over that fear of public speaking and learn how to control audiences and own the stage. Here are a couple places you can get started: Try Meetup or (my preference) Toastmasters.

These courses will teach you about projection and intonation. They'll go over how to beat your nerves. They'll show you how and where to stand and why. They cover it all.
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The slam poetry movement is evolving
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As more and more people get on board with performing or even just attending poetry slams, the bar is being raised. If you want to be a top notch spoken word poet, learning stage performance is critical. Hopefully these tips give you a good head start.

Now SLAM MOTHERFUCKER, SLAM!
If you enjoyed this content, you may also like:
Checklist: 8 Items to Remember when Writing Slam Poetry

Does Slam Poetry Always Have To Sound The Same?

5 Easily Avoidable Mistakes When Writing Slam Poetry

If you're a slam poet and you want to submit a poem to be published on my Reader Submitted Slam Poetry page - let me know!