Russell Simmons executive producer of the HBO popular series Def Poetry Jam joins forces with director Stan Lathan to create Brave New Voices to showcase youth poetry slam competitions. The HBO series narrated by Queen Latifah chronicles the lives of several young teenagers from across the world as they prepare for a national poetry slam competition in Washington DC. The young teenagers are not only battling to define their voices through spoken word but also develop a strong sense of trust in a team that must work together to win the competition. The young teenagers do not stand alone there is a mentor assigned to each team to guide them every step of the way until the final competition.
Voices of Adversity
There is a beautiful struggle hidden beneath the personal stories of each young teenager along their journey to the national poetry slam competition. Jasmine from the Ft Lauderdale team is battling with sickle cell anemia that places Jasmine in and out of the hospital leaving the team wondering if its strongest member will be able to attend the national competition. Bipolar disorder, physical handicaps and other personal demons are afflictions that many of the teams’ members from around the world must face to win the battle against adversity. There is no doubt that these young teenagers are winners in the spirit of dedication to their art and are putting their best foot forward to secure a spot in the national competition.
The Process of Elimination
All teams with the assistance of their mentor have worked very hard to prepare for the competition. Once the teams arrive in DC they must participate in miniature bouts that unfortunately will eliminate some of the teams chances of entering the final competition. Preparation is essential to success but the pressure is on once the teams are on stage. The judges are brutal and slam poems that are applauded by an audience may not receive a perfect ten score by the judges. The first and second place teams will move on to the next bout while the other teams will slowly lose their chance to enter the final national poetry slam competition.
Brave New Voices - Winner takes All
Poetry slam competitions are an adrenaline rush and considered a natural high from reciting highly prolific words. A poet knows that timing and rhythm are both a friend and adversary when it comes to delivery on stage. The remaining teams must maintain the same sense of energy and vitality that was with them when they first arrived as young hopefuls at the beginning of the competition. The winner will take all and the title of Brave New Voices national slam poetry contest winners.
Overall, Brave New Voices is an inspiring look at the voices of young people who have risen against adversity to face life challenges with a smile, strong convictions and a voice that propels a hard look at multiple sides of reality.
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Alicia Michelle Morgan - Alicia M. Morgan is a creative writer seeking freelance opportunities to further expand her dynamic writing portfolio. She is the coauthor ...
