Jawdance

Jawdance is London’s biggest poetry night featuring some of the best names on the Spoken Word scene. Spring has certainly sprung and the evenings are getting light, why not celebrate by joining us for a wonderful evening of poetry. The next event takes place 7pm, Wednesday 17 April at Rich Mix in London!

April sees Kat François hosting an incredible line up of poets, we welcome performances from Cherry Eckel,
Ian Solomon – May Gardens and Francesca Beard.

You could also get the chance to perform your poetry through our Open mic opportunity, add you name to the hat at the beginning of the evening and if you’re lucky then your name names could be drawn at random to perform! Everyone is welcome to add their name to the hat.

Jawdance is a supportive environment and welcomes first-timers and those who are well-seasoned.

Host: Kat François

Kat François was the first person to win a televised poetry slam in the UK, a year later she won the World Slam Championships. As a playwright, Kat has written and performed two internationally staged solo plays, and two comedy shows.

Raising Lazarus, Kat’s play dealing with the experiences of Caribbean soldiers in World War One, continues to tour globally to critical acclaim, and formed part of the WW1 centenary and featured at Imperial War Museum.

Kat has worked with young people for many years, as a youth worker, PHSE Facilitator, also teaching dance, drama, creative writing, poetry and performance skills and school slams. She is an established playwright and director of youth theatre, devising and directing plays for theatres including Theatre Royal Stratford East, Roundhouse Camden, Lyric Theatre Hammersmith. She provides youth and adult coaching in creative writing and performance, as well as Life Coaching through the creative process.

Kat continues to teach and perform globally, currently pushing her art form through movement and hula hoop. Her short story, Indigo Waters, is featured in Hidden Realms, Short Stories, published by Flame Tree Publishing. 

Insta: @katfrancoispoet Twitter (X): @katfrancois

Cherry Eckel

 Cherry Eckel is a theatre-maker, spoken-word poet, and performer, born and raised in London, currently studying in Manchester. She aims to create work that is collaborative, interdisciplinary, relevant, truthful, and electric. She is also the host of The Exam Hall, a podcast about the hardest exam in the world.  Cherry was part of Apples and Snakes production Cece’s Speakeasy and has also worked alongside Zena Edwards on The Pause a project delivering creative workshops themed around climate justice for Team London Bridge.

Insta: @cherrytheeckel

Ian Solomon

KMT (Ian), is a highly experienced and dedicated artist who has spent over two decades using the medium of hip-hop to inspire positive social change and bring attention to a wide range of important social issues. His unwavering passion for environmental conservation and preservation is just one aspect of his advocacy work.

KMT combines his love for music and nature, grounded in a deep respect for the beauty and abundance of Pachamama (Mother Earth). His goal is to entertain and educate, as he addresses issues of global food security, providing solutions for local food growing systems.

Insta: @kmt_may Twitter (X): @may_gdn

Francesca Beard

Francesca Beard is an internationally acclaimed poet who has written and performed nationally and abroad. She trained as a spoken word educator through the Apples and Snakes ‘Poetry in Education’ programme and has facilitated workshops in many different spaces, including a Bangkok shopping mall, the Tower of London and a Colombian prison.  Currently, she is touring Francesca Beard’s Post-Truth Apocalypse while developing a new show,  working title, Confabulation, supported by Arts Council, England. Apples and Snakes produced her very first one woman show, Chinese Whispers in 2003 and continues to be a career-long source of practical help, inspiration and snacks.

Twitter (X): @FrancescaBeard
Instagram: @storyverser

Event Dates

Wednesday 17 Apr, 7pm

Rich Mix London

35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA

Tickets £5/£10
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