One word can change the atmosphere...whether it's spoken, written, or communicated through movement. This is a blog about Worship Arts,and especially for learning about how we can make more powerful statements through what we present to others through our writing, choreography, theatre or visual art... or a collaboration of two or more. Anything is possible. It's the Poetry of Motion!
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NIV)
Resurrection Sunday, also known as Easter is fast approaching and many people are preparing to celebrate by shopping for new outfits, cooking elaborate meals, and planning fun activities for children. There will also be an array of pageantry, plays, musicals, and artistic expressions at worship gatherings around the world.
As we prepare for Sunday service, whether it is a Passion Play, Stations of the Cross, dance, singing, spoken word, or any other art form, please remember to not get so caught up and consumed by the act of performing service that it becomes more important than the worship of Christ, or the people you are ministering to. Too many times we get excited by lights, staging, cameras, crowds, and sound systems that we forget how to speak to others and how to treat them. If someone forgets where to stand, or misses a cue, do we belittle them, or do we exercise the fruit of patience? Do we become so concerned with garments and costumes, that we disregard the person who is wearing them? This is not a show we are doing, it's the communication of the Good News for an audience of people who may have never heard or seen it. It's not for us to display our talents and skills, although that will happen. God is the director and producer of all that we do!
Last of all. this is a busy time. People have a lot going on around them...if something does not go as planned, please remember that what you have to say is never more important than the person you are saying it to.
Have you ever wondered what makes flyers get noticed? Professional printing can be costly, but you can create simple, professional looking flyers for your event on a budget by using a computer, a printer, and the services of your local copy and print center.
The purpose of a flyer is to gain the attention of the viewer (target audience), and engage them in your product (event) and hopefully garner enough interest to attend your event. Sounds easy enough, right? You have probably seen flyers that either didn't give enough information or were poorly done, probably because the person who made the flyer missed some basic points. Here are some tips on creating your own flyers:
Make sure your flyer contains the 5 W's of advertising: What is your event; Who is hosting your event; When will your event take place; Where will your event take place and Why are you having the event? Make sure all information is accurate and include contact information if people have questions.
Be sure to use a font that can be easily read. Fancy fonts are often difficult for some people to read, so stick with simple, clean fonts in at least a 12 - pitch size.
For ideas, search online for examples of how a simple flyer should look.
Limit your graphics to no more than 3 images of clip art or photographs. Don't crowd your flyer with a lot of pictures.
Borders are a nice addition to a flyer, and are part of Microsoft Office (TM)* that most people have on their computer.
Use your spellcheck feature to proofread before printing. If you know that spelling and grammar is not your strong point, ask someone with excellent proofreading skills to be your second pair of eyes. There's nothing worse than a flyer that contains typos!
Print a copy of your flyer on your computer and take it to a copy/print center to make multiple copies. It's less expensive than using up the ink on your home printer.
Get your flyer printed on brightly colored paper that is eye-catching. People look longer at bright colors than they do at plain white paper.
Center your flyer or set the print to be justified to the left, depending on the type of flyer you are making. You can also use a combination of both.
These are just a few tips on creating your own flyers on a budget for events. In our next blog, we will talk about distributing flyers to your target group. Now...get started on that flyer!
* Microsoft Office (TM) is a registered trademark. Use of the Microsoft trade name in this blog is not an endorsement of Microsoft Office or of any Microsoft product.
Open mic venues can be very exciting to attend, and even more exciting when you are slated to perform. There are many different places where open mics are held, and as with the online shows, it's always best to do your research to find out exactly what type of event you will be attending. Each show has a different following and will draw certain types of performers and audiences. Venues range from family-friendly to adults-only themes, with everything in between. Many shows are for general audiences before a certain time, with no restrictions afterwards. If you have never attended an open mic before, it's best to go and watch the show, to find out if you would like to participate. You can always bring a poem or two with you even if you didn't sign up on the list, just in case you are invited to share something with the audience, which often happens in smaller venues.
When going to perform at an open mic, find out what time the list is posted, so you can be sure to sign up early. The number of spots on the list can vary from 10 to 30, and many times those numbers can change at the discretion of the hosts. Performances may include music, rap, dance, and comedy, as well as poetry, and performers may be called onstage in the order that they sign up on the list, or randomly...so be ready! Please be aware that occasionally at some of the more popular venues, performers who are signed up may not be called on, either because the list was cut off after a certain number, or in some instances, performers who are unknown are "bumped" from the list in favor of others who are known to the hosts. Sometimes what is advertised as an "open mic" is actually closed prior to the start of the show. It's an unfair reality in the poetry community, but it happens. If you ever encounter this, you can choose to sign up again if it's at a venue where you really would like to perform, or to choose another venue altogether.
Please observe and respect all restrictions of the house, such as time limits and content. To allow everyone on the list the opportunity to perform, most venues limit performers to 3 - 5 minutes unless they are a featured guest. If anyone exceeds their time limit, it can be very embarrassing! Hosts will always announce the rules of the venue when the show starts. If you have a piece that is longer that you want to present, be sure to cut it to fit the time frame. There can be some very embarrassing consequences for performers who exceed their time limits! If the host specifically states that only family friendly material is allowed, please take it seriously. Some venues post their restrictions, such as: No profanity, no explicit material, no depictions of violence. Again, observe their rules, because it's their show.
During the show, the host will usually perform some of his or her own material to set the tone for the evening, but feel free to share whatever you do best. Performers are called onstage individually or at larger venues in "sets" of three at a time, to move the show along quickly. In this case, you must be ready to go up right after the preceding performer. Sometimes the host will use the term "on deck", which is a stage cue to let you know that it's getting close to your time to go up. As soon as the person ahead of you leaves the stage, go up right away. Never leave an empty stage, because it slows down the pace of the show and causes the audience to lose interest in the performers. It's extremely difficult to regain the interest of a lost audience, and you want their full attention!
When you reach the stage, you can adjust the mic to suit your needs, or someone will assist you. Take a few seconds to center yourself. Relax...breathe...and share your piece. People want to hear what you have to say, so don't give them an excuse not to listen to you by saying any of the following:
I'm nervous...(most people are)
I wasn't expecting to perform...(then why go onstage?)
Bear with me...(why should they?)
Unless you are a great cold-reader, you should always practice your piece at home before reading it in public. It's great to have your poetry memorized, but if there is the slightest chance of you going blank onstage, there is nothing wrong with having your book, paper, or phone with you. Yes...some poets read from their phones. If you do read your piece, make sure to connect with your audience by making eye contact with them from time to time. Don't get locked in to your paper. When you really know your material, it won't be hard to do. Stay focused on the message you want to convey, so you won't get distracted by things that go on in the audience such as people talking, moving around and ambient or background noises. If you make a mistake, keep going! Don't stop, or apologize in the middle of your piece for any reason. Remember that other than yourself, no one knows what you have written. Make sure that you really believe in your work, and command the attention of the audience. It's your message that you're choosing to share with the world, and someone needs to hear it, so pay attention to all of the dynamics of what you have written. Reach your audience with all of the emotion that you have put into your piece so that they can feel it also, because one of the quickest ways to lose the attention of an audience is to read a poem like you are reading the newspaper. A great Christian spoken word artist, Janett...icz says it best: "Don't be the poet that people leave to go to the bathroom on".
These are a few pointers to help you get started in poetry and spoken word. If you really want to grow in the art of poetry and spoken word presentation, it takes practice, patience, and time...just like any other genre of performance. It's impossible to put everything in just a few paragraphs of a blog. Start where you are, and keep going. Watch videos of other artists, go to workshops, and do everything that you can to become the best that you can be!
Before you read your poem at a poetry venue or radio program, remember that there are two types of people who participate in open mics: Those who just want to share their words with others; and those want to seriously pursue poetry and spoken word as a profession or a ministry. Regardless of your motivation for stepping up to the mic, it's always best to be fully prepared if you want to get and maintain your audience's attention.
If you are calling in to read poetry on an Internet radio program, be sure that you know ahead of time the exact time zone of the start of the program if it's different to yours, and type of show you are participating in. It may also be a good idea to just listen in to the show at first, to hear the content. A caveat: Remember that each poetry show has its own set of rules ...and caters to different audiences! If you decide to read a poem on a particular show, make sure to follow the voice prompts that will put you in the line-up to go on the air, otherwise the host will not know that you want to read. Callers go on in the order that their hands "go up", meaning, that if you call in at 8 PM, but don't decide to notify the host that you want to read (by pressing a number on your phone's keypad) until 9:00 PM, everyone who put their hands up between 8:00 and 9:00 will read ahead of you. Some shows will have automated systems that will inform you that you are in line to read, "in queue"; others will not. Most shows have online chatrooms where callers can communicate with one another and also see where they are in the line-up, so you can watch the chatroom activity while listening to the show, or you can turn the volume down on your computer while watching and listening by speakerphone.
When your turn comes up, the host will call out your prefix and say something like: "Area code 347 is on the air," or if there is more than one person on the call with the same area code, they will say the area code and first 3 digits of the number you are calling from. Be ready with your paper, phone or document screen open and ready to go when you are called on.When the line is opened for you, don't be shy! Turn the volume down on your computer if it's up to prevent interference, speak out, introduce yourself, and tell the host the title of your poem. If they want to share small talk, feel free to communicate with them, and let them know it's your first time calling in. That helps them to gauge where their audiences are from. The rules for a radio show are a little more relaxed than for a poetry venue, and hosts are very friendly towards newcomers. Read your poem clearly, take your time and don't rush through it.The most important thing to do is to choose a poem that you feel comfortable reading to others, and read it with confidence and feeling. Make sure it's no longer than 2 to 2 1/2 minutes in length, although shorter poems are OK, too. Remember that you are sharing your truth with the world, and people need to hear what you have to say, so command their attention! Don't try to sound like other poets or spoken word artists you have heard or admire, find your own style and do what feels and sounds most natural to you. If you make a mistake, keep on going. It's always a good idea to read your poem over a few times by yourself before going on the air, just in case you get anxious, but don't ever apologize for being nervous, or for making a mistake. Relax and have fun! remember, that the hosts want and need people to call in, so that they will have a show. When you are finished, it's good to take a short pause and say: "End poem", some poets say: "That's that piece" to let the host know that they are done. The host will usually ask you where people can find more of your work. Again, don't say much more than that, or break the flow of your poem in any way that will distract the listeners. If you have a blog or social media page and would like for others to find you, that's the time to let them know.
If you register for a free account on the website where the radio show is being hosted, you can also drop a link to your website where others in the chatroom can see it. Most shows are recorded and archived, so you can always go back and listen to them later.
In Part 6 we will talk about live open mics and poetry venues...so until then, keep writing and sharing your truth!
*Note: If you're not sure of where to start looking for online poetry shows, there are several that you can choose from on: www.blogtalkradio.com, and www.talkshoe.com.
So...you have all of these wonderful poems written in yor journal, stored in your phone, iPad (TM) or computer and want to share them, right? Where do you go to read your poems? How do you find poetry venues?
If you use social media such as Facebook or Google plus, you can always look up poetry groups for your area by typing in "poetry" "spoken word" or "open mic" in the taskbar, where several names will come up. There, you can read the posts and see if anything interests you. Once you find an event that you want to attend, you can go and listen for a few times if you are shy, but bring along a few of your favorite poems just in case you want to read. As you continue to go out, you'll meet people and find out about more events. There are also churches who have poetry nights, so you can always ask about those and get in touch with the sponsors. Be aware that there are different types of venues for different tastes, so pay attention to the information on flyers or posts before attending any event. If you want to read at an open mic, get there early enough to sign up on the list, for the best chance at a turn. Depending on the venue, you may have to go back several times before you even get a turn, but don't let that stop you. Keep going to different places and start with smaller crowds, until you get comfortable with larger audiences.
There are also many open mic poetry shows on the internet where anyone can call in and read their work. This is very good for building confidence in sharing your poetry, because you can read from the comfort of your own surroundings. You can find these shows on Talkshoe.com, Blogtalkradio.com, and others. Just call in and listen, or follow the prompts to go on the air!
A word about open mic events: An open mic show is exactly what it is...a space where anyone with something to say can get up and say, sing, or otherwise communicate whatever is on their mind. Some people are of the opinion that Christians should not participate in open mics because the mic is open to every spirit, but I feel that it's a real opportunity to be salt and light in a place that may need what God has given me to offer the world. I don't write my poetry specifically for the church, I write from my heart, as I'm inspired to write; and my prayer is that through my writing, God will reveal His light to someone who needs to see, in a way that they haven't seen Him before. So, know why you write, be convinced of your poetic voice, and never allow anyone to discourage you in your craft or tell you what you can or cannot write about. Of course, some topics may be more appropriate for certain audiences or venues than others...more on that later.
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In Part 4 of Speak Easy, we will talk about some technical aspects of reading and presenting what you write. In the meantime, keep being inspired!
We are living in a time when everything is expensive! Basics like food, water, shelter, clothing and transportation are causing many of us to struggle just to make ends meet. For those of us who are part of the Worship Arts Minstries, it can become even more challenging to get garments, music, worship instruments, and other things that we need...so it seems. There are already many suggestions that have been offered on how to save money, raise funds, and do things to be well-equipped for ministry without "breaking the bank".
Anytime we make a committment to do something, there is always a cost involved, and if we are really commissioned of God to a ministry, He will provide us with everything we need to do His work, even if it comes to us in ways that we didn't expect:
"Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn't first sit down and figure the cost so you'll know if you can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you're going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: 'He started something he couldn't finish.' "(Luke 14:28 - The Message)
I recently attended a Dance Conference where it was reported that garments were stolen--yes stolen from a vendor's rack, and someone even took a garment that someone else had saved up money to purchase. I can't imagine which God they are going to praise while wearing some stolen garments, and I hope and pray that they won't dance in them. I also hope that the ones who were stolen from will receive double from what was taken away, especially the one who saved up for their special praise wear. I also know of people who will join a dance ministry and say: "If I have to buy garments, I'm not dancing" or complain about how much the items cost...expecting the ministry to pay for their garments. While it is true that some churches have the budgets to purchase garments for their dance ministries, most of the time we have to purchase our own. Remember if God called you, He will make provision for what you need. You don't ever have to steal, feel entitled, or demand that someone else pay for what you need.
When I was in college, we had an Acting instructor who had three words for us when we were preparing our stage work for class: "Invest! Invest! Invest!". By this, he meant, (1) Spend time honing your craft; (2) Spend time researching your work and (3) Spend money on your costumes, props and anything else you need to have an excellent performance. The secular arena is aware of this, so how dare do we who know God try to get away with anything less? Time out for not investing our resources into what God has given us to do....time out for not knowing why we do what we do... and time out for not honing our skills to be our best. It's time to In-Vest!
Last Saturday, July 31 was National Dance Day. Also on this day, a great man of God and minister of dance passed from this realm to the heavenlies. Michael McCray is no longer with us, but we will always remember him as one who truly loved to worship God with everything he had. I never met him in person, but via Facebook, he recently sent a message to my inbox and simply said "Please send me your address, I want to send you something". I had no idea that I was going to receive something that I could keep for the rest of my life. It was a DVD of his ministry. As soon as I started watching, I could feel the power and presence of God in my livingroom. It was intense! I have no idea as to why he sent me the video, or how many he sent out. But I am so glad that I have it. I found an article that he wrote on MySpace and wanted to share it with everyone, I don't think Michael would mind:
To Leaders, Especially Dance Leaders:
Grace and Peace be unto all of you, saints and friends! Truly, today is a great day, and I thank and praise God for it!
Today, I want to encourage all of the LEADERS IN MINISTRY. One thing that I’ve discovered in dealing with people is that everyone is not going to be supportive of you. There are some who are envious, or jealous, of the call that God has placed on your life. There are those who really don’t like you, and will not celebrate the anointing that God has on you. There are even those that seek your demise, and not just a great fall, but people may want you dead! But the Word of the Lord came to me through Daniel 6:3..
"Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm."
If you read the entire 6 Chapter of Daniel, you will see that King Darius appointed Daniel to be over other leaders in the kingdom. It’s quite obvious that Daniel had some "haters" to deal with because they (the Leaders) plotted to destroy him. They wanted Daniel dead! But what they failed to realize is that Daniel had two things going for him...One, Daniel was a PRAYING MAN! Prayer is so essential. Even when faced with tough odds, Daniel continued to pray three times a day! Daniel was not shakened nor moved by his haters, but he was moved to pray without ceasing! Two, Daniel has an EXCELLENT SPIRIT! That blew me away! What I got from this is that even as a Leader, in order to be effective, I must possess a spirit of excellence! This is why King Darius chose Daniel over all the other leaders, even those leaders that had a longer tenure with him. Daniel’s spirit was also RIGHT! He had no hidden agendas, no motives...he just did what was right.
So Leaders, Christians and Friends: Let your haters continue to hate on you! Don’t get discouraged! Continue to PRAY, even for them, and make sure that your spirit is one of excellence! Make sure that your heart is right and your motives are pure! And when you do this, watch "The King" move you into heights unknown! The Word declares that your gifts will make room for you, and place you before great men! (Proverbs 18:16) So don’t ever feel that you have to push your way into a position...what God has for YOU, it’s for YOU!
PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for teaching me how to move forward inspite of my enemies. I thank You for allowing me to possess the gifts and talents that I do, knowing that every good and perfect gift is from above. I pray that in all that I do, it will be done to Your glory and honor, and that it will edify my brothers and sisters in the household of faith. This is my prayer, in Jesus’ name...Amen!
To everyone: Life is a vapor...we can be here today and gone in the next minute so don't take anyone for granted. All life is valuable even if you think the person who holds the life is not. So, take time to say things to people around you that need to be said TODAY, thank them today, appreciate them today, while they can hear you today and please, don't wait until they are gone to show that you care. And remember that any of us can be gone at anytime for any reason. It’s a vapor…
The word excellence means many things to different people. The term is used all the time when it comes to the ministry of the arts. For some, it is a subjective response to one’s personal taste, while for others, it is nothing short of perfection. Webster’s dictionary defines it as: the fact or condition of excelling; superiority; surpassing goodness, or merit.
I would define excellence as being the best I can be at this moment, yet always looking for ways to improve. Excellence is not static, it is a continual journey. What is excellent for me today, should not be excellent next week, next month or next year; rather, whatever I am doing now, should give me latitude for next week, next month or next year. I should be able to look at myself a year from now, and see progressive change. As a wise person once said, either we are moving forward, or backwards; standing still is not an option. This does not mean that I cannot be kind to myself in the process, or that I am to judge others harshly, or reject them because they do not meet my standards, because in God’s economy, excellence includes kindness and humility (Gal. 5:22-23). Excellence requires focus, self-examination, and of course, hard work. It means encouraging myself when no one else seems to notice me, or when I don’t see immediate results of my efforts. Most of all, it means making the most of what I have, to please God and to share with others for His purposes.
One of my favorite college professors once said: “Everything that you do in front of an audience must be true, unless it’s a lie”. That sounds like a riddle, until you think about it. As worship artists we are not performing in a traditional sense, but when we minister in public, people are watching and responding to what we do, or say from beginning to end. If we don’t really believe it, how can we expect them to? We still need to be conscious of how we use space (or the stage), our facial expressions, and of how we enter and exit the space. Too many times, dancers, mimes and actors in the church are moving around before the scene or the music begins, and when they finish, they “break” character because they are unaware of the basics of stage presence. The correct thing to do is to at the beginning of any work is to remain still before the music begins, unless you are starting in silence. If you are moving around it tells the audience that you are unfocused, and they will lose interest in your presentation before you even get started. At the end of a ministry presentation, you can either hold the ending position until the lights go off, or wait a few seconds after the music is finished. At that time you can then leave the space either walking, still in character (or dancing) out. Remember that even if you think the audience can’t see you, they may be able to see the last person who exits so keep dancing until you are well out of their sight. If we become pedestrian too soon, that can be very distracting to the audience. We are the visual representation of God’s Word, and everything He does, is done well. Let’s represent Him in excellence!
Hi! I'm Wynne! Thanks for visiting my pages today. Please click on the links under "My Blogs" for Poetry of Motion!, a Worship Arts Blog where we'll learn how to communicate more fully through the arts; MindScape Poetry, my poetry blog; and UrbanArtsLive!(TM), my Children's Creative Arts website featuring a slideshow of creative projects I have worked on with public school students on the East and West Coasts.(If you're on UrbanArtsLive, please scroll to the bottom of the page to view the slide show). You can e-mail me at: Urbanartz212@gmail.com. Tel: 347.841.6790. I hope to meet you soon!
