J.D. POTIÉ
MANSFIELD ET PONTEFRACT
Oct. 23, 2019
This week, a group of select young slam poets from France . . .
will be making their way to the region to visit the area and put on a few shows.
Organized under the Reseau Quebec-France (RQF), the group consists of four teenager, accompanied by their two slam-poetry coaches.
According to RQF’s Slam Poetry project coordinator Richard Charron, the artists were chosen after participating in a slam contest at school called the “Concours du 77”.
A poetry slam is a performance competition that involves poets performing their written work in front of an audience of spectators and judges.
Despite their young age, Charron noted that the French artists’ abilities of expressing their emotions through creative wordplay is beyond their years.
“We’re talking about a region where they’re very active,” he said. “Slam poetry in France, it’s not comparable with anywhere in Quebec.”
The group will be followed by a cameraman who will document their experience and make a short documentary about it when it’s all over.
Charron said he’s excited about seeing the French visitors make the trip to the Pontiac because of the glowing reputation ESSC it holds when it comes to the popularity of slam poetry in high schools.
“Sieur de Coulonge has become a privileged place for slam,” he said.
After arriving in Montreal on Sunday, the group will travel to the Outaouais where they will spend an entire week visiting parts of Ottawa, Gatineau and Hull.
On Tuesday, the young poets will make their way to the Pontiac for a visit of l’École secondaire Sieur de Coulonge (ESSC) in Mansfield et Pontefract to meet the students and take a tour of the school.
On Thursday evening, the young slammers will be putting on a live performance inside ESSC’s auditorium. Admission will be free of charge.
They’re also expecting to make an appearance at CHIP FM’s studios to promote their upcoming show.
In the last two years, RQF has held a provincial slam poetry competition for youth. Last year, a team from the Outaouais ended up as champions and as a reward, the winners were sent to France, Charron said.
