Tallahassee and the Grassroots Free School

Also in January I had the opportunity to visit the Grassroots Free School in Tallahassee, and spend some time speaking with Pat Seary, the school's founder. Never heard of the Grassroots Free School? It has been in operation in Tallahassee for 37 years!!!

The school is situated on the land of an intentional community(Grassroots Community), just a jog outside Tallahassee. They have quite a bit of space, on which they've situated two reclaimed/transplanted buildings (one an old black church) a huge playground with homemade structures and half buried tires, a garden and fruit/vegetable stand and a large open space for play.




Pat has provided tremendous foundational support for the school over the years. Before opening the school, he traveled to Summerhill to visit with A.S. Neill and learned about the operation of a free school firsthand. He allowed homeschooling families in Florida to indicate enrollment in Grassroots to protect them from the Compulsory Attendance law before they gained the legal right to homeschool in the 1980s. He has coaxed his spirit to jump through every bureaucratic hoop the state has created in order to protect the existence of the school: from hard labor to prepare the buildings to be used for a school, to testing the water of the onsite well daily ("Because," as he explained to me, "a well with more than 25 mouths drinking from it is considered a municipal water source... and we have 30 kids.")

It was a very cold couple of days that I spent there, warmed at times by a fickle sun and constantly by the activity of the students. We played Clue and Monopoly, I witnessed a very dramatic creation of a television show set in a family law courtroom,tried my hand at geometric puzzles, wandered outside to look at the cows in a neighboring field, enjoyed lunch in the soft grass and sunshine. Here's a look at some of the fun they have:



While I didn't get a chance to witness a meeting, I did get to observe a math class: students voluntarily approached the teacher with different problems ranging from rudimentary division to pre-algebra. It is interesting to note that every week Grassroots produces a newsletter with the school's daily "real life" (subject to change) schedule of events at the bottom: for each day, the school lists the teachers who will be on site, and the type of activities for which they are available to provide assistance. So, for example, there is a teacher's name under Wednesday, and next to that teacher's name is EVERYTHING they like to do (arts & crafts, dance, storytelling, projects). It is a neat method for offering instruction without coercion. And the students utilize these resources at their leisure, very appreciative of the relationship they have with their teachers.




Before leaving the school, I was able to pick up a book they put together detailing impressions of the Grassroots experience from former students, parents and teachers. WHAT A GREAT WORK. Each questionnaire is reprinted just as it was received, no editing, handwriting and all. One of my favorite responses was from a former student who had been frustrated with the comparative lack of structure he experienced at the school. To quote him roughly (in his impression of the experience, not a racial determination)"I guess the Grassroots Free School was too white, public schools are too black, but the world is a shade of gray." I wish I had the opportunity to read similar responses of alums from other free schools... I think it is a tremendous resource to have and share.

While in Tally, I stayed with an old friend from New College, Eric, whose roommate just so happens to know some of my former colleagues in the acting department at G-Star... SMALL WORLD.

Additionally, I had the grand opportunity to reconnect with G-Star alums, currently at FSU. A group of them organized a big dinner one night at an adorable Thai restaurant, where we sang karaoke until they closed the place down! We then huddled in the parking lot for another while, unable to just say "bye!" I think there's always more to say, more to share with friends. Eventually, time and the cold got the better of us, but not before I found my camera!



Sorry Alaina! I would have loved a picture at the table with all of us! I also had lunch with another budding genius, Crystal, at a cute cafe just before heading back to Gainesville. It is SUCH A JOY to see these intelligent, passionate young people thriving amidst new communities and challenges. AND YOU ALL INSPIRE ME!!! I'm honored to know you.

On my last day in Tallahassee, I stopped by SAIL High School to meet briefly with the assistant principal and ask some questions about their program. I was not the honored guest that day, however: a group of Tibetan monks payed the school a visit as well, before returning to the museum downtown where they painstakingly continued the creation of a sand mandala... we can not allow ourselves to attach to transitory, illusory images of this world, for attachment brings much suffering. We can rise above!

My visit to the Spring Valley School

While I've focused predominantly on free schools and community learning centers during my travels, I have wanted to visit other educational alternatives as well: Montessori (particularly a middle or high school), Sudbury Valley, Neo-Humanist, KPM, and arts integration/social justice programming. In my preliminary research, many months ago, I considered a visit to a Sudbury school in Palm Harbor (currently the only one of its kind in Florida), called the Spring Valley School, but it wasn't until I gave up on the winter plans Northeast that I actually tried to touch base with the school.

When I did, I discovered, to my surprise, that the school's admissions committee (made up of mostly students) would have to meet to decide whether I could come to visit. So I'm thinking: well, what can I say that will convince them that I should visit? I clumsily announce that I'd be happy to offer classes, only to be told that adults don't really offer classes in their environment: students decide for themselves what they want to learn and then ask for it. Ok, well, hmmm...stumbling over my words, I acknowledge this aspect of their program, and the kind teacher on the other end says, "But you can tell me a little about your skills and interests, and I can present a full idea of your background to the committee." Well, I taught history at the high school level, I'm a performance poet and a graphic designer, and I've recently completed training to teach hula-hooping- "Hula Hooping?!?! Oh, our kids LOVE hula hooping. Well, I'll let the admissions committee know, and I'll get back in touch with you in a few weeks." And I slowly let out that breath I'd been holding, confident and surprised that, once again, hooping was the one thing that mattered most.

Sudbury schools are modeled on the Sudbury Valley School in Framingham, Massachusetts. They share some core tenets with free schools, particularly a devotion to freedom for participants, but the implementation of these principles looks, well, more structured than any of the free schools I visited. Quoting from their website:
"Creating leaders

Sudbury Valley School is a place where people decide for themselves how to spend their days. Here, students of all ages determine what they will do, as well as when, how, and where they will do it. This freedom is at the heart of the school; it belongs to the students as their right, not to be violated.

The fundamental premises of the school are simple: that all people are curious by nature; that the most efficient, long-lasting, and profound learning takes place when started and pursued by the learner; that all people are creative if they are allowed to develop their unique talents; that age-mixing among students promotes growth in all members of the group; and that freedom is essential to the development of personal responsibility.

In practice this means that students initiate all their own activities and create their own environments. The physical plant, the staff, and the equipment are there for the students to use as the need arises.

The school provides a setting in which students are independent, are trusted, and are treated as responsible people; and a community in which students are exposed to the complexities of life in the framework of a participatory democracy."

The Spring Valley School in Palm Harbor has been operating for just over ten years. They have around 15 students, ranging in age from 5 to 16-17. The school property is really great- a converted home, with an acre of land in the backyard containing progressively more difficult climbing trees and lots of open space. On my tour of the building, I noticed that every space was VERY neat, VERY clean, and VERY beautiful. Of all the schools I've visited so far, Spring Valley is the most visually pleasing.

Later that day I learned WHY the school is so beautiful- responsibilities for the facility and resources are delineated to different corporations, clerks and committees within the school. Students are elected to serve in various capacities for periods of time ranging from a week for some positions to a semester or year for others. There are elections held at specific intervals for different posts, and meetings held to attend to the business of each corporation or committee. The school is so beautiful BECAUSE THE AESTHETICS COMMITTEE MADE IT THAT WAY. It is so clean and tidy because students really care about making the school that way, and develop strategies to separate young messy ones from everyone else so as to isolate their messes.






Diane and Kelly are the only full time staff: Diane is trained teacher who fought her way through public schools until she discovered Sudbury philosophy and Kellie came to work with Spring Valley through identifying a new calling for herself after a career in set design for film and television. Both are truly dedicated to the model, but I get the sense that they wish to connect with other like-minded educators in the area to discharge some of the day-to-day issues that develop in this kind of environment.

So, ok. I had an awesome time with the students. By the end of the week I was really reluctant to leave them! They made masterpieces out of the tubing and tape- one student worked on her hoop for 2 hours without a break, and it was gorgeous! We played games, chatted, danced, and learned about each other the whole time.









There are some elements of the school that I object to, and these are largely in terms of the school structure. For starters, I found the school's way of describing/labeling the different areas of function and management to be simulating an actual experience of adult responsiblity to the degree that they were actually contrived. So, for example, one position of school governance might be the 'elections clerk.' Why is it called that? Did the students decide to appropriate the word 'clerk'? I'd find that hard to believe. What about 'corporation'? This brings up a discussion I had with Chris Mercogliano back in June about the separation of young people from the functional life of their communities, and school's role in re-creating functions within itself as simulated experiences that are sanitized from the larger environment of the 'real world'. It is unsettling to me, partly because it can promote a student's power in unhealthy ways: when someone has control of a particular position, they could emotionally feel justified in exercising their control in a domineering, subordinating fashion. Of course, overt expressions of this power can be handled by the community at large, but sometimes the expressions are too subtle to be noticed by adults. I did see some students doggedly campaigning to keep their positions during the election cycle, and while it is admirable that the school places so much trust in their students as to give them that power, I am concerned about how the power is applied and maintained. Also, the elections occur by way of secret ballot: where is the transparent community support of the process? Why are these students not elected openly in school meetings? What about the students who can not yet read or write- why are they left out of the process? What does it say that at least one student adamantly did not want to participate in the elections- she really did not care who she'd be answering to, whatever the outcome. I noticed that she was pressured to care for a time, and nearly guilt tripped into voting, but eventually allowed to choose NOT to vote. Fundamentally, majority rules at Spring Valley- a form of democracy to be sure, but not the only form around! But the effect of these things is likely negligible, and honestly, in most cases I feel that, even if I find them slightly objectionable, their structures seem to work really well for the school as a community.

Also there is a noticeable lack of diversity at the school. I think there are many reasons for this, the demographics of Palm Harbor being a major one. Also, because the school is small and private, I think they have a harder time attracting and keeping people who are differently identified (differently abled, of different ethnicities or races, etc).

I know that the staff and students express and live from their best intentions everyday, and the school is a genuinely warm environment, just as warm as any of the free schools I've seen. I'm grateful for all the work Diane and Kelly do to keep this space available and thriving for their community- and I'm grateful to know them.

WHILE IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH I mentioned that Spring Valley School is currently the only Sudbury school in Florida, there IS a group founding another Sudbury school in Broward County: The Sunset Sudbury School is in the works, and they are holding events in anticipation of opening soon.

I should be finishing my laundry, but...

Instead I am posting to my blog.

I am about 2 weeks behind in posting stories of January, and while its not as if anyone is particularly keeping count, it irks me. I hate being behind- I've spent quite a while catching up in my History of Educational Alternatives online class, and few things are more infuriating.

Part of the problem is that I have a tremendous fear that I won't be able to accomplish something because people can't trust that I'll do a good enough job, and will thus decide that I should not be involved. I think this is one way in which my major inferiority complex expresses itself, as well as my fear that people will not take me seriously because of my appearance or lack of experience.

This year has forced me to seriously confront my fears with regard to how I appear to others, as I am CONSTANTLY meeting new people and convincing them to let me visit their schools/educational programs. Sometimes, like with Marianne and the School Without Walls in the previous post, its easy. Other times, it just doesn't seem to work.

A perfect example is my haphazard attempts to speak with James Kass, executive director of Youth Speaks. First of all, I have a tremendous sense that he thinks I'm a flake, or a pushy busy-body who is also a flake. This sense stems from the terrible situation that developed last summer: Knowledge (Ray) had put me on the spot by asking me to coach a team from West Palm Beach for Brave New Voices. I told him I was traveling, and while I'd love to go to the festival I would not be available to coach because I wouldn't be in town. He had also put Desiree on the spot, in the same manner, and she indicated that she'd be able to coach but not attend- so we decided to split the duties. UNFORTUNATELY, Knowledge didn't send in the forms in time (so he says), so the West Palm Beach team, who had been getting VERY excited about the competition, suddenly could not compete. I started emailing Hodari Davis, the festival coordinator, to see if anything could be done, and I probably came off a bit rude at times. I likely also emailed James Kass himself about this. In the end, the team traveled as 'entourage' and were subject to some poor treatment because of this, which was partly the nature of the festival, and partly because of residual discomfort at the way Knowledge had handled this...

So, I contact Jame Kass, and briefly indicate that my experiences at BNV came about through working with Knowledge, and the FLAKE alarm starts going off in my head. THEN I missed a phone meeting with him, and now I doubt he'll bother to talk to me. I don't know- I just left a message on his voice mail so we'll see. I'm not stalking, and I don't want to bug him because I know he's busy, but... I REALLY WANT TO volunteer with Youth Speaks while I'm out west.

I just hate feeling like I've fucked up and missed an opportunity.
Oh well.

The School Without Walls

So the cold weather I encountered during my limited autumn engagement in Albany scared me out of plans to spend January in Amherst. Instead, I opted to stay in Florida for the month, and as I watch temperatures and wind chills drop across the midwest, east and south… well, I can’t help feel a bit smug. I’m sorry, but I’m just not in a position to acclimate myself to such weather. Of course, I’ll likely be knee deep in Colorado snow next month, but that’s another story altogether.

Here I am in Florida. I’ve kept busy, at least (what else is new?): visiting schools, meeting with likeminded people, arranging minor renovations to my mom’s new house, and applying for graduate school. While here in state I’m visiting 3 schools, formally: The School Without Walls (Live Oak), Spring Valley School (Palm Harbor), and Grassroots Free School (just outside Tallahassee).

In late December, just before the holiday break, I drove an hour and a half outside Gainesville into the farms around Live Oak to meet the students and staff of the School Without Walls. I should mention that this is not the only school with this name: another prominent educational alternative with the same name exists in Rochester, and there’s a public School Without Walls in Washington D.C. The school I headed to on that December morning is LITERALLY a School Without Walls: while the school maintains an address, there is NO SCHOOL BUILDING. Much of their work occurs on the ranch outside, or in a home setting with computers and a wireless network where students participate in online classes via Florida Virtual School. They also have an off-site community center for arts classes, and take trips to other spaces in the community to supplement their educational resources.

Here’s how I learned about them- back in May of 2008 I sent out this email to the AERO School Starters listserve:

“Hello, fellow school-starters and mentors,

I'm nearing the end of a very comfortable teaching job at an arts charter high school in South Florida, about to embark on a research mission to see how educational alternatives work so I can eventually start my own. On this dark and stormy night, after a string of ominous dreams, I'm trying to convince myself it is still a good idea.

My plan is to travel to as many different schools as possible, to volunteer for some length of time at most (3-6 months) and get a feel for the practical, day to day elements and obstacles. I am looking to open a school about 6 years from now. I'm selling my car, hoping to be able to rent/buy (and then donate) bikes and use public transportation in most of my destinations.

But I'm feeling a little apprehensive. For starters, it is the end of the school year, and in my reflections on this past year I can see very significant aspects of my teaching that deserve improvement. I'm concerned that the experience that I gain as I travel will likely not help me bridge this gap.

I'm also very intimidated by the wealth, breadth and depth of information on alternative education. I really want a world class understanding in the theory and background of various educational models before I make any grand gestures or conclusions, but I feel more than a little uncomfortable traversing this intellectual space with no guide (and, soon, no net).
Finally, I'm wary of the shallow network I currently have. It may be that I haven't taken full stock of my resources, or that I haven't reached out to enough schools (I'm trying to wait until at least June, so I can keep as much of my focus on this current school year as humanly possible), or that I'm just scared of leaving my lovely, loving community without a solid program to go to.
I've made a lot of planning progress in the last month, but I'm SO nervous! Any advice (sage or otherwise) is welcome.
Thanks, Casandra”

I received this reply a few days later:

“Hi Casandra
I would like to speak to you and would welcome your visit. Possibly you could come and experience our school and it would settle some of your fears. We started with no money. We do not have a building and yet we are thriving. There is so much more I could say but email it so limiting. If you would like call me at……
To Your Success,
Marianne”

I followed the links in the signature area of the email to a website about a school in Live Oak. At that time, my mom was still married, living in Tucson, with no plans to move to Gainesville and I was not planning to visit ANY of the known alternatives in Florida (which were, at that time: Spring Valley in Palm Harbor and the Grassroots Free School up in Tally). Why? Well: travelling around towns and small cities in Florida is rough. Public transit is virtually non-existent, and I’d need a car to really accomplish my goals in those areas. Also- I intended to spend the ENTIRE year outside Florida, for other reasons. So, while I deeply appreciated the email (and I think I sent a reply expressing as much), I didn’t commit to a visit then. Months later, of course, when I realized I’d be in Gainesville for a bit in the winter while helping my mom transition to a new house, I contacted Marianne.

As I turned onto the sprawling property, I was momentarily confused… I didn’t see any kids, any horses, just a house. Too timid to knock on the door, I decided to drive deeper into the property and see what I’d find. Sure enough, in a minute I came upon a rambunctious group of dogs and children who were waiting for me to arrive. I bounded out of the car to meet everyone, very excited about the dogs (I just love dogs). We exchanged names, pet the fur balls, and headed to a covered patio outside the house where a four year old promptly asked if I’d like any water to drink. Marianne and I started talking about the school: the inspiration, the rhythm of the day, educational opportunities in the world around us, the students and their histories. It was all very interesting, and then she said “well, you’ll see what we do. We’re going to take you out in the field so you can work with the horses, too. And then later, if you want to, we’ll go for a ride.”

WHAT?!

Ok, I was a little shocked. I knew that a big part of the mission of the school is training with horses, and I figured I’d watch the students work with the horses, but soon enough I was there in the field, carrot stick in hand, trying to get the appropriately named Joker to walk in a circle around me.

Now, I don’t DISLIKE horses. I like them, but I have never really been able to connect with a horse, or establish any sort of relationship with them. I’ve ridden horses before, very briefly- I just figured that there were some people in the world who are HORSE people, who love to ride, who love these animals dearly, and that I was just not one of those people.

Man, I wish I had remembered to take my camera out of the car. It was hysterical! Here I was, in a large sunny field, surrounded by young people who commanded their horses with virtuosic flair, and Joker just stood there as if daring me to actually communicate anything he’d be likely to understand. And really, that’s the key: communication. Horses are these big, muscular beasts. You have to use your whole body and summoned integrity to ‘speak’ to them. The students taught me A LOT out there, in the field, and it is truly inspiring to see them work with the animals. Much of their education is situated in the living, natural world around them: they have way more hands on knowledge of veterinary medicine and animal care at 9 and 10 years old than I ever will. And this is not any kind of elite riding academy- some students bring a tremendous amount of fear that the school community helps them overcome with regard to animals, particularly riding horses. Can you imagine what the world would be like if students were gently encouraged and kindly assisted to overcome their fears?!?!

We did go for a ride, but not before Marianne mentioned Wellington, and I discovered that her family actually lived for many years in Lake Worth: we have mutual friends. Pause and marvel at the profoundly intricate, beautiful webs we weave through our relationships!

So yeah- the school is a magical space. I’ll definitely return when I can.

Happy New Year!

For a laugh: this is an email I sent to close friends a couple of years ago. And I have to say, watching people take tests is VERY DIFFICULT for me. I had a laughing fit in high school while witnessing a class take an exam...

"Things I want to say while my students are taking an exam:
>
> “Look at me, look at me, look at me!”
>
> “Mooo.”
>
> “For #21, the answer is D.”
>
> “What, you’re not done already?”
>
> “Stop being so quiet!”
>
> “This test is not important, anyway.”
>
> “Let’s all sing TV show theme songs.”
>
> “Bingo!”

Merry... what? Here's a gift

Happy whatever. I’m not much of a Christmas fan, but I do love the new year spirit, so Happy New Year!
In lieu of cards, I’m sending music. Here are some tracks that have been important to me on my journey…

1. Hang Tan, Toubab Krewe-
Before traveling to Tampa/St Petersburg for the HoopGirl Level 1 teacher training, I purchased tickets to see the Bird Street Players and Toubab Krewe. So after a day of hoop fun with my fellow Florida hoopers, I traipsed downtown for dinner and a show… and, after the first song, there was a HUGE power failure in the venue, and about an hour with no music whatsoever. Eventually, Toubab Krewe did play, but by then I could only stay for a few songs…this was one of them.

2. On Children, Sweet Honey in the Rock
I love Sweet Honey in the Rock, and on the first day of the AERO Conference, watching a photo slideshow to open the event, I heard THIS SONG: the lyrics come from The Prophet by Khalil Gibran. I downloaded it and to carry with me, but I didn’t even need to: the quote from which the song was written FOLLOWED ME ANYWAY! I read it in the opening pages of Summerhill as I flew from the Hip Hop and Spoken Word Teachers Institute in Madison, WI to West Palm Beach….and Marc Bamuthi Joseph read it aloud in the writing workshop he led to prepare poets for the ‘protestival’: Hear From the Children Left Behind at Brave New Voices in Washington, DC.

3. Daydreaming, Lupe Fiasco featuring Jill Scott
This track was on HEAVY rotation during Brave New Voices in Washington, DC, and later at the Individual World Poetry Slam in Charlotte. I also used this track in the lesson plan I developed on Corporations for The Hip Hop and Spoken Word Teacher’s Institute.

4. Passin’ Me By, Pharcyde
I got to see Pharcyde perform at Rock the Bells just outside Boston MA. Also, a favorite track at poetry events… and featured on the playlist at that Halloween party Isaac brought me to in Albany.

5. Rising Down, the Roots featuring Mos Def and Styles P
This track followed me from a writing exercise in Madison to a cafe in Vancouver. It directly inserted itself into a long and intense conversation I had with the svelte Ms Spelt (Angus Agair), longtime friend, and former Vancouver slam organizer.

6. Banana Pancakes, Jack Johnson
I sang this in a big singing circle led by the Korean students and teachers on the very late last night of the International Democratic Education Conference in Vancouver.

7. $20 for Boban, Balkan Beat Box
This is the song I bumped while waiting for Christy to pick me up from the BART station in Berkley, the day I went to Burning Man. Later, I got to see them live in LA with Sal, Grey, and of course Jamon! Really fun show, but no pictures.

8. Karma, Black Eyed Peas
So its 3am in Black Rock City and Stacey, Talya (her friend), Talya’s guy (who’s name I forgot) and I are wandering around near 7:30 and I hear THIS SONG coming from a towering black lit bar near 7:30 and D and INSIST WE GO THERE. There, I met and spent a long time with the master builder of the bar, an adorable blond Taurus named Goatt.

9. Tenement Yard, Jacob Miller
For some reason I had this song stuck in my head while helping my mom move from Tucson, AZ to Gainesville, FL.

10. She’s Royal, Tarrus Riley
I spent A LONG TIME with this track: in Tucson, packing up my mom’s house; in Gainesville enjoying Jamaican food with Veronica, and waltzing through Palm Beach County with Clare during my jury duty trip.

11. Sea Lion Woman, Feist
Thank you Megan for adding this to the playlist for the Yoga With Beats class you taught that chill November evening in NYC!

12. Ethiopia Tikdem, Cedric Brooks & the Light of Saba
Walking home from yoga on VERY COLD NOVEMBER NIGHTS in Albany, NY, this track always made me smile and dance.

13. Kitten Pig, Pentaphobe
A great moment from the Bellydance Superstars show in Albany, NY. American tribal fusion style bellydance rocks.

14. Hey World (Remote Control Version), Michael Franti & Spearhead
I picked up this album in Tucson, and picked up the tour in Albany. Little did I know that Solillaquists of Sound were on the tour ALSO! WHAT A GREAT SHOW! After I danced my way out of the venue and down the street, about a half a mile down the street, I realized I was lost and had to back track downtown to find my way back to Tom and Nancy’s house.

15. One Love, Sara Tavares
From my trip to San Francisco, and the HoopGirl Level 2 teacher training.

16.“I Want To Do This All Day”, an audio documentary on educational alternatives that I HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Buy it from the AERO bookstore online! www.educationrevolution.org

Individual World Poetry Slam, presented by Slam Charlotte, Charlotte NC December 10-13

All hooped out, I packed my new pink suitcase after a another hurried trip to the laundrymat and RAN to the BART station to catch my flight. Somewhere in that run, I dropped my beloved red velour hoodie... farewell, red hoodie. I'll see you in my dreams!

I arrived in Charlotte... AND COULD NOT GET TO SLEEP. Seriously. I felt exposed, vulnerable...I just couldn't settle down and relax. For the whole week, even after yoga, bedtime hovered between 4am and 6am.

In a way, I was better for it! IWPS didn't have any scheduled events in the morning, anyway- the good stuff was at night.

So yeah. I flew to Charlotte to volunteer as a Bout Manager for the Individual World Poetry Slam. I managed bouts when Charlotte hosted IWPS a few years ago and LOVED it. There is a different flavor of camaraderie at IWPS that only exists among long-time friends at the National Poetry Slam, and I really enjoy the sense that, even though it is an individual competition, the poets are all in it...together? Weird, but that's the feeling I get.

It has been 2 long years since I participated in an major poetry slam in any capacity. I felt so welcomed upon returning! And anytime I get the chance to see such HIGH QUALITY ART is an honest blessing. I am SO blessed.

I met some poets that I now adore: Esme Vaandragan, Laura Yes Yes, Cheryl Maddalena, Tara Hardy, Jason Mcbeth, Christopher Johnson, 6is9, One Truth, Colin...and had the good fortune to see some old and not-so-old friends (and not so friends) perform their guts out: Blair, Bluz, Alex Charalambidies, Lizz Straight (to the 7th power!), Cuban, Stacie Boshma, Billy Tuggle, Jadon, Joshua Bennet, Ed Mabry, Be Young, Curtis, Karen Finnyfrock, Pilote le Hot, Joaquin, Buddy Wakefield...

For the first time ever I participated in the Improv Slam. Gutsy and fun as hell.
I also had the mixed fortune to manage a bout that included perhaps the most unusual protest EVER.

So, this poet named fatalprose gets up to perform his last poem for the preliminary bouts. We are in the McGlohan Theater of Blumenthal Performing Arts Spirit Square, and it is that second day of IWPS... he gets on stage, and proceeds to perform a poem relating to his life, his girlfriend... ending with the words: "Marry me. Marry me." and I think to myself "WOW that was really heartfelt." And then I go back to doing math, or something. I hear a ROAR from the crowd and immediately stand up to see that fatalprose has lept off the stage to ACTUALLY PROPOSE TO HIS GIRLFRIEND IN THE FRONT ROW...AND SHE SAYS YES! Of course, he's literally still engaging the audience now, right? AND he has a ring?!?! THAT'S A PROP! Buddy Wakefield, who was watching this bout, comes over to the scoring table to indicate, "Hey, that was a rule violation," specifically referring to the TIME KEEPING: we had stopped keeping time after he stopped speaking on the mic, which was incorrect. As long as he was engaging the audience, the clock should keep rolling. So, now what? Well, at the conclusion of the bout fatalprose came over to the table AND PROTESTED HIMSELF. Seriously. It was bananas.

God bless the hosts I worked with: Bob Whoopeecat Stevenson, Brother Said, Cuban... and Mike Mcgee. Ok, so Mike McGee is a genius and hilarious. His hosting of the final round is one reason I plan on buying the DVD of this event. The hardest part about keeping time and score during finals was the abdominal squeezing I had to do in order to not wet my pants during the first two rotations. After I had a chance for a bathroom break, though, it was great!

In an ironic twist of fate, Mike McGee (IWPS champ by virtue of a time penalty on the same stage a few years back) officially awarded the championship trophy to Joaquin Zihuatenejo- the same poet who lost to Mike on that time penalty in 2006. Watching him best the field (which was verily incredible) was an awesome rite.

The competition was amazing, night after night of poet tag was amazing... lack of sleep makes you say things like "amazing" over and over again. Big up to the SlamCharlotte CREW: Inkera and Jina and Q, for real. Thanks for a kick ass time.

Some pics:

San Francisco, December 2-8, part 2: HoopGirl Level 2 Training

So, all of that playing in the city was a vacation. The real work began at 9am when my new friend Anne and I walked to catch the bus to Divisidero St. on the first day of HoopGirl Level 2 Teacher Training.

The HoopGirl Level 1 Training I attended in June in Tampa had been amazing, and I expected to one day sign up for Level 2... then in October I read in a HoopGirl e-newsletter that I could sign up for Level 2 & 3 at a discount, and spots were dwindling. What the hell, I thought. It can only serve me in the long run, even if I'm not teaching hoopdance classes RIGHT NOW.

The Level 2 Training is AMAZING! In all honesty, it was one of the most inspiring, exhausting, exhilarating workshops I've ever enjoyed. There are elements of the Level 2 training that I wish were STANDARD MANDATES for ALL SCHOOL TEACHERS EVERYWHERE. For a hint, check out the Institute of HeartMath.

AND THE HOOPING WAS AWESOME, but very physically demanding.

Anne Dellinger is a yoga teacher and devoted practitioner, who had already scoped out the yoga studio NEXT DOOR to our training facility... we stepped in quickly on the morning of the first day and scored free passes for a class that night. Yesssss!!!! We really needed it.

It was SO nice to have Anne as a hoopdance training partner- our energies complemented each other REALLY WELL, and she is SO brilliant and interesting. I think it is time to cultivate gratitude for all the fantastic spirits/guides I've encountered on my adventure, starting with Anne... ok, back to the training.

Well, I really can't tell too much about it... it IS a proprietary thing, you know?
So, PICTURES! Thanks to Scott Kowalchyk for these awesome shots: