Chicago Slam Works Presents 'The French Slam Connection,' 9/18

Chicago Slam Works (CSW) proudly presents "The French Slam Connection", a benefit reception and performance featuring the Ligue Slam De France National Champion Damien Guillemin, a.k.a. M'sieur Dam, on Tuesday, Sept. 18 at Raven Theater, 6157 N. Clark St. A reception begins at 6:30 p.m. followed by the performance at 7:30 p.m.

In addition to M'sieur Dam, "The French Slam Connection" features performances by Yopo and MrKurg, organizers of the Ligue Slam de France, members of Chicago's Speak'Easy Ensemble and artistic director of Chicago Tap Theater, Mark Yonally. This cross-disciplinary event mixes performance art forms with poetry which is a staple of Chicago style of slam poetry.

This performance also marks the beginning of CSW's partnership with Raven Theater, which will host CSW's 2012-13 performance season.

Damien Guillemin, a.k.a. M'sieur Dam, is the 2012 Ligue Slam de France National Champion. His mix of dance, song, and poetics into high energy performance poetry explosions brought him that title last May in competition against two dozen of the leading slam performers of France. Within the French slam scene he is known as the Rock'N'Roll slammer and is a member of the "La Licorne" and "Foret de Larmes" dance companies. He is also a member of the "les ateliers slam.com" slam association. "This performance allows me to open my mouth wide and spalsh out words on the walls of silence we were taught to build from the cradle," M'sieur Dam said.

M'sieur Dam is travelling to Chicago courtesy of an the invitation from Chicago Slam Works as part of their ongoing international exchange program designed to build deeper connections between European and American slammers and explore a new style of "performance interpretation/translation". He will be accompanied by Yopo and MrZurg the organizations of the annual "Ligue Slam de France" festival at which M'sieur Dam won his championship title.

CSW presents "The French Slam Connection" on Tuesday, September 18 at Raven Theater, 6157 N. Clark St. The reception begins at 6:30 p.m. and the performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the reception and performance are $20 and tickets for the performance only are $10. For tickets or information please visit www.chicagoslamworks.com.

Chicago Slam Works (CSW) is rooted in the Poetry Slam movement, which began in Chicago as a highly entertaining, interactive, innovative poetic experience and spread around the world to become a major force in stirring the minds of students, scholars, and everyday people. The founding members of CSW are pillars of the international movement and the organizational force behind dozens of major poetic events in and around Chicago-as well as the world including three National Poetry Slam Championships.

Building on Chicago's unique heritage as the birthplace of modern-day performance poetry, Chicago Slam Works brings together audiences, poets, and arts organizations to promote well-crafted performance poetry through event production.