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After months of preparation we are only days out from our WORD - The Front Line 2017 Grand Slam! Join us this Saturday 9th September at 7pm at the Concert Chamber, Auckland Town Hall for a poetry slam of EPIC proportions! Tickets can be purchased here. Here are our judges for the Grand Slam. They are an incredible group of poets, mentors, educators, and artists. CARRIE RUDZINSKI Carrie Rudzinski ranked 4th in the World at the 2014 Women of the World Poetry Slam and was named Best Female Poet in 2008 at her first national poetry competition. Featured in Bustle, the Huffington Post, and Teen Vogue, she has performed her work over the past 12 years in 5 countries and in almost all 50 of the United States. A published author, Carrie is currently a lecturer at Manukau Institute of Technology’s Faculty of Creative Arts teaching performing arts and creative writing. DANIELLE FENNESSY Dani was born and raised in South Auckland with her mum and younger sister. She is Pakeha, Rarotongan, Maori and Irish (fruit salad). Her hobbies include hiking, eating and travelling. If she had to take 3 things to a deserted island they would be her girlfriend, a shaver and Nutella. She always knew she wanted to do something different and wanted to make a difference. Through high school she had no idea what she wanted to do (who does, right?) until her drama teacher suggested acting or radio. She explored different things until she stumbled across the New Zealand Radio Training School. From there, she found her love for radio and literally did everything she could until she reached her goal. Late nights, early mornings, rainy days, she sacrificed things all her other friends were enjoying but hey, nothing worth it comes easy in life! For the past 8 months she has been one half of the Mai Home Run 3-7pm on Mai FM - the number 1 Hip Hop & RnB station in NZ – where she gets to do what she loves everyday. She’s very grateful :) The quote she lives by is - 'Trust in the universe - you are where you need to' BRONSON PRICE AKA MELOWDOWNZ Melodownz hip hop lyricist (Bronson Price), is a half cast’ Polynesian urban poet and artist raised in the phone line tangled urban village of Avondale, Auckland, New Zealand. Still pondering over a beer at the bar, headphones on the bus, or bouncing at the back of the venue at his show, you will wonder how you are still listening to the same performer as he traverses backdrops of boom bap, g funk, reggae, soul and hip hop with ease, dropping nuggets of wisdom, synonyms and analytical versification. Just when you are lulled into the storyline of a Polynesian young man getting his come up in an suburban street, Melodownz will flip the script, and you will find yourself listening to a spoken word piece, or a funk master bringing you more flavour then yum yum noodles. His sound is shaped by a variety of handpicked local producers, complimenting Melodownz smooth melodies and punchy lyrics. After listening, the feeling you get is quite similar to the feeling you have after a Sunday Roast at mums house….. Satisfied. DIETRICH SOAKAI Dietrich has worked as a Youth Development worker for over 10 years, He found his voice through Spoken Word Poetry back in 2010, later joined SAPC and got to tour and perform in Australia, America and in different parts of the Pacific. He is passionate about hearing peoples authentic voice and stories. He is also newly married and stoked to have Hanna as a wife.
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