Q&A for How to Perform Poetry

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If you're nervous before a performance, what are some easy things can you can do to calm down?

Ben Whitehair
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Ben Whitehair is a Social Media Expert and the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of TSMA Consulting. With over a decade of experience in the social media space, he specializes in leveraging social media for business and building relationships. He also focuses on social media’s impact on the entertainment industry. Ben graduated summa cum laude from The University of Colorado at Boulder with BAs in Theatre and Political Science as well as a Leadership Certificate. In addition to his work as CIO, Ben is a certified business and mindset coach and Executive Vice President of SAG-AFTRA. He is also a successful entrepreneur as the Co-Founder of Working.Actor, the premier business academy and coaching community for actors.

Ben Whitehair

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Expert Answer

I'm a big fan of mantras for meditation. For example, a mantra of the phrase, "I am enough." I also think it's okay to feel nervous. Lots of people feel nervous. Focus on telling the story and focus on the character. Try to channel that energy somewhere, as opposed to trying to make it go away. Finally, the parts of our brain that fire when people say they're nervous, are the same parts of the brain that fire when we say we're excited, so part of it is reframing. Instead of telling yourself, "Oh, I'm feeling nervous," say, "Oh, I'm feeling excited." That can often help change the way that you approach something.

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Question

What can I do to be unique when performing?

Community Answer

Try and make body movements, like dancing, to keep the audience interested and engaged with your performance.

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Question

What should I wear when performing poetry?

Community Answer

Wear clothes that are comfortable and not too flashy, and are neat and give you confidence.

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Question

How do I do actions while performing a poem?

Community Answer

Limit your gestures so as not to distract from your poem. You can use them occasionally to add a dramatic flair to your words, but your delivery should be based on your voice. Maintain eye contact, be as relaxed as possible, project your voice, and avoid reading in monotone or sing-song.

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Question

Should I say the title of my poem at the end or at the beginning of a poem?

Community Answer

State the title at the beginning, before you read the first line of the poem.

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Question

When I recite my poem, how can I make it seem longer then it actually is?

Community Answer

Use bigger words and pause in between phrases. It helps to listen to other poets and take notes on how they read their work.

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Question

Does a poem have it's own tune?

Community Answer

Poetry is written to be read aloud, so yes. Word choice, number of syllables and meter (combination of stressed and unstressed syllables in words) can affect the 'tune' of poetry.

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Question

Can I give tune to the poem?

Community Answer

Yep! Just find find what flows the best. [It helps if you emphasize certain syllables.]

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Question

Can I read a poem while performing?

Community Answer

Yes. That is the point of this article.

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Question

What should I do if I mess up really bad?

Community Answer

Pause and act like nothing happened. Go slower and say the line over again the way it was meant to be said. As long as you recover smoothly, the mess up shouldn't matter.

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Question

Can I present a poem with pictures?

Community Answer

Absolutely! You can totally use visual aids while performing your poetry.

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Question

Is giving a short introduction about the poet necessary while reciting in a competition?

Community Answer

It depends on the rules. If there are no rules just do whatever you feel comfortable with doing!

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Question

Can I change standing positions when there are 2 characters?

Community Answer

I suggest standing in the middle of the stage, and when Character 1 is speaking, turn 30 degrees left, and when character 2 speaks, turn 30 degrees to the right.

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Question

What kind of actions should I do?

Community Answer

You can do actions related to the poem. If it's a sad poem, demonstrate sympathy and sadness. If it's a poem denoting happiness, find a way to show happiness.

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Question

Do poetry slams allow any acting?

Community Answer

It depends on the rules of the specific poetry slam.

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Question

How do I stop myself from making hand motions when performing poetry?

Donagan

Top Answerer

Put them in your pockets, fold them together or hold small objects in them. If you're reading, hold the page in both hands.

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