Marc Smith is credited with starting slam poetry at the Get Me High Lounge in Chicago in November 1984. Slam started in France in the 90s.

Slam poetry consists of reading or reciting original work, it usually takes place in bars, but slam has now spread to very different types of places: art galleries, libraries, festivals and even on the streets.

Slam Poetry workshops creates a place where people express themselves by using words differently than in the everyday language, it stimulates creativity and brings a great variety of people together.
An interesting aspect of slam performances is that audience members become part of each poem's presence, breaking down the barriers between poet/performer, critic, and audience. Furthermore, each artist becomes audience once he or she leaves the stage, conversely, audience become artists once they take the mike.

Slam also adapts to all languages. French, Chinese, English find their place; having one thing in common, freedom of speech.

French Slammers Ndje (Gérard Mendy), Ella Dilafé (Anne Cheneau), Leonor Aublin and Hong Kong Slammer MC Yan will animate this evening of Slam Poetry.

The aim of this event is to act for the development of the Slam movement in Hong Kong.

So come and express yourself!

The Slammers

Gérard Mendy alias Ndje
Originated from Senegal, Gerard Mendy, one of the pioneers of the slam movement in France has been developing and supervising slam workshops for ten years in schools, prisons and local associations. He offers pedagogy elaborated from a simple idea: communication.
He says: “The theatrical play deploys itself to embody an intimate speech, or convictions. I am passionate about the elaboration and progress of this liberating, cheerful, deep, politic, sincere speech”

Anne Cheneau alias Ella Dilafé
In the 90s, she attends summer training courses on new educational methods, where she discovers cultural mediation that will lead her to jobs in a number a prestigious institutions such as Théâtre du Soleil and Parc et la Grande Halle de La Villette.
She says: “I love slam because it allows Mr. and Mrs. Nobody to express their sensitivity. It claims that everyone possesses creativity; it just needs a place to express itself. I met talented and militant artists that helped me to be able to say “I write so I am ”.

Leonor Aublin
Leonor spent her teenage years in HK. She then returned to France, and discovered slam scenes emceed by Nada in 2001, in the Parisian neighbourhood of Menilmontant.
In 2003,she is part of the first feminine slam group «Slamôfeminin » with which she traveled around France and Europe organizing workshops and performances, thus giving a professional aspect to this artistic movement.

Eventually, she felt the need to go back to Asia; this is how the idea of Urbn-buzz started its way. Today she is totally invested in this organization, which aims to create events introducing French artists she admires to the Asian world she loves.

MC Yan
Syan trained and certified for Art Exhibition curator, Art critic, Art Installations, Art Consulting and Graphic Design from France in early 1990's. Syan returned Hong Kong in 1997 and form the first Hong Kong based Chinese Graffiti team ~ CEA.
Syan is also known as MC Yan, one of the first Chinese rappers in the region, vocalist/lyricist of the group LMF, along with DJ Tommy, they started the «chopstick hip hop »movement in doing collaborations with musicians from other Asian countries such as South Korea, Taiwan, China and Japan.
LMF, Syan /MC Yan have been interviewed by Time magazine (Asia), Newsweek magazine (Asia), CNN channel, BBC as one of the pioneers of Chinese Hip Hop. In 2006, MC Yan established his own Independent label Fu©Kin Music, to explore a new space for some sound/lyrical experiments, including Cantonese rap, Chinese spoken Word Poetry, etc.

The partners

Urbn-buzz
Created in May 2007, Urbn-Buzz is a French non-profit making association. Its main purpose is to bring together French urban artists, and Asian artists. Its goal: organize and set up artistic performances in France and in Asia.

Slam&Cie
Created in July 2006, Slam&Cie aims to develop Slam in its plurality and contributes to develop it as a profession. The association also produces and diffuses slam artists' projects.
In addition to the performances, it has organized and supervised workshops for very different types of participants children, prisoners, educators and teachers, people with disabilities…)

誦詩比試（Slam poetry）被指是由 Marc Smith 於 1984 年在芝加哥的 Get Me High Lounge 開始的。這種朗誦新派詩的比賽在九十年代的法國出現。

誦詩比試是指讀出或朗誦原創作品，一般在酒吧舉行，但這種活動已擴展到其他場合：藝術館、圖書館、節日甚至在街頭進行。

誦詩比試工作坊讓人們能使用非日常語言表達自我，不單能激發人們的創作力，亦將各方人士拉近。
誦詩比試的趣味在於觀眾可成為每首詩的一部分，衝破詩人／演出者、評判和觀眾的界線。此外，每個演出者下台後便成為觀眾，相反的，觀眾接過麥克風後便可成為演出者。

任何語言都可進行誦詩比試。法文、中文、英文都有機會發言，皆因一個共通點：言論自由。

法國代表 Ndje (Gérard Mendy), Ella Dilafé (Anne Cheneau), Leonor Aublin 和香港代表 MC Yan 將主持這次香港誦詩比試之夜。

本節目是希望促進 Slam 活動在香港的發展。

除了誦詩比試之夜的活動外，由 5 月 2 日至 10 日期間，香港法國文化協會為協會的學員提供相關的工作坊，讓學員有機會以另類的方法接觸法語。

你也來暢所欲言一番吧！

The Slammer

Gérard Mendy alias Ndje
Gerard Mendy 來自塞內加爾，他是法國 slam 運動的先驅之一，過去十年來他致力在法國推廣這運動，不停地在學校、監獄及地區組織中舉辦工作坊。他提供的教學方法以一個簡單的概念：溝通作為出發點。

Anne Cheneau alias Ella Dilafé
九十年代，她參與一個有關新法教學的暑期培訓課程，她在那兒發現的這種文化活動讓她有機會在一些著名的團體如 Théâtre du Soleil 及 Parc et la Grande Halle de La Villette 中工作。

她表示：“我熱愛 slam ，因為不管是誰也可藉此來表達他們的感受。 Slam 認為所有的人都擁有創造力；欠缺的只是表達的場地。我曾遇到一些有才華又好勝的藝術家，是他們使我有勇氣說‘我寫作所以我存在'”。

Leonor Aublin
Leonor 少年時代住在香港。回到法國後，於 2001 年首次在鄰近巴黎的 Menilmontant 中 看到一個由 Nada 主持的 slam 節目。
2003 年，她加入了首個全女性的 slam 團體： Slamôfeminin ，之後隨團在法國和歐洲各地舉辦工作坊和演出，從此讓這藝術活動加添了專業性的層面。
後來，她感覺需要回到亞洲；亦由此衍生出創辦 Urbn-buzz 的概念。現時她完全專注於機構內的工作，其宗旨是在要將她喜歡的法國藝術家介紹給她熱愛的亞洲世界。

MC 仁
MC 仁於九十年代初期在法國接受藝術策展、藝術評論、裝置藝術、藝術顧問以及平面設計等訓練並考取專業資格。他 1997 年回到香港，之後組成了首隊以香港作為基地的中國塗鴉隊伍： CEA 。
MC 仁是本地中文饒舌歌手的其中一位先驅 ，他與 DJ Tommy 組成了“ chopstick hip hop ”運動，與亞洲其他國家如南韓、台灣、中國及日本的音樂人合作。
MC 仁曾以中國霹靂舞先驅的身份接受亞洲《時代》雜誌、亞洲《 Newsweek 》雜誌、 CNN 及 BBC 電台的訪問。 2006 年，他制定了屬於自己的獨立品牌《福建音樂》，藉此探索有關聲音 / 歌詞新的創作空間，當中包括廣東饒舌歌、華語詩歌誦讀等。

合作伙伴

Urbn-buzz
2007 年 5 月成立， Urbn-Buzz 是法國的一個非牟利機構。它主要的目的是讓法國的都市藝術家與亞洲的藝術家有機會交流合作。它的目標：在法國及亞洲舉辦和製作藝術表演節目。

Slam&Cie
Slam&Cie 創辦於 2006 年，成立之目的是希望使 Slam 這運動得以普及化並發展成為一種專業。組織亦負責為藝人製作和發行他們的 slam 計劃。
除了表演項目，他們 亦為一些參與 slam 活動的兒童、囚犯、教育工作者及教師、殘疾人士等舉辦及主持 slam 工作坊。