JAWDANCE hosted an exquisite evening of live performance poetry, featuring twelve emerging Spoken word artists who’ve worked collectively with ‘Poets in the city poets’ cohort to co-create an anthology showcasing their poetic vulnerabilities and authenticity. Each poem featured a Ghazal; exploring the following themes: Racism, Activism, Love, Transphobia, & violence against women.
This creative ZINE entitled “Beyond The Lines & Beyond The Margins encouraging voices of bravery, culture, integrity, transformation & concepts of healing. This Zine was Published by Apples & snakes, edited cover design is by poet ‘AFLO’, and designed by Nurio Castro & MNamug from Aghh! Zine. Better yet! All funds profited goes towards a local charity! which is a fantastic fusion intertwined. An artist by the name of Curtis Tappenden drew all poets on stage live in action, which gave the night a special essence!
The 2026 Cohort performance poets were: Alana-Eli, Billy, Calliope, Em Williams, Gray Taylor, Hema, Jazz, Joe Jones, Kamakshi, Lucy, Sophoenixx Silk-Fyah & AFLO.
The evening started off with the incredible Kareem Parkins Brown, reading several punchy funny quotes from his poetry collection, “Oi not you lot” where we got mesmerised by his two readings ‘Son’ and ‘150 months’.
The next performer highlighted “If flowers can grow from concrete, then so can we…” poet Calliope’s took to the stage initially! Starting off with her two poems ‘A heartbreak poem about healing’ &’The ghost of your image is still here’… beautifully flowing into our ears “I am still a kid at heart, despite unhealed, I still play to be the best mum” from Sophoenixx ilk-Fyah.
Poet Hema shared her childhood memories of her grandfather, starting off with “What love is” ending on “Always have more lemons than we need”. “Ready or not” performed by Alana-Eli, which explored depths of mentally preparing, showing up before stepping up for ourselves unapologetically.
AFLO poet, stretching lyrics that’s poetically effective & dreamy, taking minds on a visually effective journey with her piece “A halo around her head” metaphorically swimming sentences to describe afro hair such as; “A bouquet in perfect bloom” to describe women of colour witnessing each others beauty “Memorised eyes lock eyes”… “We do not know each other but we know each other, Knowing our hands have faced the same trials….Hands which did not have no permission to touch!’ a tale for both mixed and black girls with afro texture hair to warmly connect to.
The Second half of the performers were equally as richly potent with Gray Taylor’s piece “Monkey” & ‘Am I English’. Poet Em Williams, a sensory poet who equally took us through a reflective playful adventure of their wordplay. All performers featured one too many powerhouse poems & punch lines to name and describe. The night ended with the featured Spokenword artist Keith Jarrett, performing collaborative poems from his new book. Jawdance, Brighton was their first night to remember, with a zine that everyone couldn’t resist from buying. This zine certainly contains brilliance inciting reflections and giggles from both angles. There’s a space for all emotions and feelings to offer resonance, as well as solidarity though universal experiences and mental, spiritual journeying of all wonderful human beings exploration of personal to universal afflictions, bliss and embrace.
