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Here it is, slam poets, the info for how to make the 2007 team...

TORONTO POETRY SLAM

2007 SEASON RULES AND INFO

•    A four-person team (plus one alternate) will represent Toronto Poetry Slam at the 2007 Canadian Festival of Spoken Word and (if possible) the National Poetry Slam Championship in Austin, Texas. But how to determine who will make the team?
•    This year, Toronto Poetry Slam is instituting a season to determine this slam team. The season will run from January 2007 to May 2007, with the Semi-Finals taking place in June and the Finals in July.
•    Whoever wins a slam from January to May is automatically entered into the Semi-Finals in June. The Monthly Champion is responsible for attending the Semi-Finals, lest he/she forfeit that spot in light of non-attendance
•    There will be 12 poets eligible for the Semi-Finals. Since the Monthly Champions is guaranteed a spot into the Semis, the remaining eight will be determine by poets who have the highest average scores from their competed slams. They must also have competed in at least two slams between January and May.
•    A poet’s total average scores is calculated by averaging his/her scores through all three rounds (if applicable), and then finding that total average for that month. The grand total average is determined by adding the monthly averages and dividing the number by the number of slams (much like last year’s Finals scorage)
•    Note that even a first-rounder is eligible for Semis consideration, although that poet’s score would likely be lower than those who make it to the second round and beyond (Score creep, anyone?)
•    Toronto Poetry Slam reserves the right to balance the bouts to ensure enough poets reach the 2-bout minimum qualification standard for Semi-Finals and Finals participation.
•    The June Semi-Finals will consist of two rounds for each poet. Here, everyone starts fresh (no scores carry over from the season). Each of the 12 poets needs to have at least two poems ready for the Semi-Finals (and three different poems for the Finals). The order of performance in the first round will be randomly determined. In the second round, the poets appear in reverse order. While a champion will win this slam, and take home $75, it does not mean that the winner automatically qualifies for the team
•    Rather, the eight poets with the highest aggregate average totals from the Semis will make it to the Finals in July (i.e. 26.6 + 27 + 29.1 = 27.56). The scores from the Semis will carry over to the Finals, so that the total final score will be the sum of all Semi-Finals and Finals scores for each poet. Averages are calculated at two decimals places, rounding up.
•    No poem performed in the Semis can be performed in the Finals. It will result in automatic disqualification
•    The Finals will proceed similar to the Semis: Eight poets randomly drawn for the first round, and then the second round the order is reversed. The four poets with the highest averaged scores from all four rounds of the playoffs (June and July) will make up the 2007 Toronto Poetry Slam Team. And like June, the July slam winner will win $75 and ‘nuff respect
•    A fifth alternate poet will be selected from the Finals, and that poet will have a chance to join the Team in competitions at home and abroad. If a Team member cannot slam at a competition for whatever reason, the alternate will fill in.
•    The 2007 Toronto Poetry Slam Team is responsible for fundraising efforts to secure airfare to compete at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word in Halifax in October 2007. Also, the Team may wish to attend the U.S. National Poetry Slam Championship in the summer, as long as the Team organizes enough fundraisers and product sales to cover airfare and accommodation. Toronto Poetry Slam will assist the Team with fundraising and marketing whenever possible.
•    Any questions or comments regarding these rules can be addressed by contacting info@torontopoetryslam.com

Dave “BigDeal” Silverberg
Artistic Director
Toronto Poetry Slam