A&E
World Poetry Slam champions Sister Outsider enthrall Events Barn
By Liz Lvov ’17
April 24, 2015
Last Saturday afternoon, the two fabulous women comprising the poetry duo Sister Outsider stood on the stage of the Events Barn. Confidence radiated from them in a way to rival the glow of the sun finally warming this winter-chilled campus. Their confidence was very well founded. The list of their accomplishments is quite impressive, including national titles in slam poetry, important accolades as writers and teachers and a viral YouTube video. Dominique Christina and Denice Frohman stood side by side in power stances, feet apart and eyes steady and warm on the audience. Their partnership marks the first time two champions of the world slam poetry have paired up. Even with their list of well-earned impressive credentials, they spoke with a candor and emotion that in no way demonstrated any sense of superiority or excessive pride. The two microphones stood off to the side. The two women worked well with the intimacy of the space, drawing us all into their poetry and their vibrant energy.
Both women are perfect examples of the type of intersectional feminism to which we as a society really ought to pay more attention. The undeniable lyricism of their words, and the profound pain that their poetry stemmed from, spoke at once to their extreme individual experiences and to the state of our society. Both poets drew on larger themes of race and sexuality in their work, touching also upon difficult and controversial issues like education and the prison-industrial complex, but they never did so in a way that felt inaccessible or blindly angry. They spoke with a gorgeously articulated conviction that made their anger into art. Both women manipulated the timing of their performances wonderfully.
It is well worth noting that Christina and Frohman knew how to share the stage, and did so effortlessly; there was never any sense of rivalry, but rather a consistent demonstration of a perfect partnership. When the women performed pieces together, their easy flow had the audience enthralled. When one would perform an individual piece, the other would sit quietly, but never passively, off to the side, allowing the performing poet to fully inhabit her performing space. And they certainly knew how to inhabit the space. In one moment, the echoes of their voices would echo from the high round ceiling. In the ringing silence that surrounded some of their quieter phrases, the tension in the room was palpable. At some points, Frodham had the audience responding back to her, pronouncing some of her mother’s Spanish phrases in an interactive rhythm that helped sustain the electric energy of the room. Christina had us laughing, and then almost crying, with a story about her daughter’s first menstruation. Both women had that effect, of humor and sadness, in a way that was incredibly moving and also enjoyable.
The result of this partnership was a truly amazing, evocative performance that had the entire audience reeling with unadulterated emotion. The one downside to this performance was its scheduled time. While the two women worked well with the smaller, more intimate crowd, it was a shame that the coincidence with the outdoor concert and 5 p.m. Saturday timeslot prevented a larger crowd to appreciate these two accomplished poets. Franny Choi, at a convenient time slot on a Tuesday evening, drew a much larger crowd that would have equally enjoyed Sister Outsider at a better time. It is worth noting that Sister Outsider in no way toned down their intensity; unfazed by the empty chairs, they dazzled their audience. With their voices and with their words, there is not a doubt that these two extraordinary women will make a significant impact on this world by speaking for those who are so often silenced.