Spokefest UK SLAM Championships

Forging on with their committment to the oral arts, the  Poetry Society were at the finals of the UK Slam Championships at Theatre Royal Stratford East on Saturday 30 June. Featuring some of the top names in British performance poetry, the title - won last year by Elvis McGonagal - was taken home by poet, hip hop artist and B-Boy John Berkowitz. He will now go on to represent the UK at the World Slam Championships.

The Spokefest UK Slam Championships is judged - like the Rise Slam - by a combination of professional judges and audience members. This year the judges were Roger Robinson, Jacob Sam La Rose and the Poetry Society's Joelle Taylor.

The UK Championships featured 10 artists, among whom we were proud and awe struck to see ex Rise Slam Champions Cashman (winner 2006), Imhotep Oyortey (winner 2005) and Kayo Chingonyi (winner 2004). In spite fo their young ages they each ranked among the top 5 of the competition. Stunning. So promising were each of their performances that Emcee Kat Francois (World Slam Champion) has offered to award them a free coaching session.

For more information about the UK Slam go to www.stratfordeast.com