Ty’rone Haughton: The poets we work with have only ever needed keen ears from an open audience. We know that the voices we platform have been purposely ignored by the poetry institution. This is the very reason why Apples and Snakes was founded over 40 years ago, to make space for poets to be real and authentic; to provide space and support for the ranters, the Dub poets and the punks. All of whom were bold, unapologetic and loud. We’re about people being the poet they want to be.

Gatekeepers would have a hard time convincing themselves that they couldn’t hear them. However, they could make the choice to ignore. At Jawdance, we uphold the driving principles of Apples and Snakes – platforming these bold and brave voices.

I believe the right audience for Jawdance is in a cosy room in Brixton House. A space where the audience is so close we feel like we are a part of the performance. And where poets can see the engaged pupils of each audience member.

Ty’rone Haughton: Each performer that gets on our stage carries with them their personal histories, memories and testimonies and those of their communities. It shows through their words, voices and bodies; especially their reflections and how they speak about these parts of themselves. What you are likely to see in a poetry performance is the poets’ lineage, how they are building on that and what they are forging from it. There is clearly a living and ever growing archive(s) live on stage at Jawdance. I feel that is the biggest privilege I can have as an audience member.

On top of that, you also get to watch the poets’ poetic lineage. You can see a poet’s influence through their performance style or how they use the stage or how they use their bodies. You can see the poets whose entry point was Button Poetry, Brave New Voices or Def Poetry Jam. You can see those who are influenced by classic literature and those who perform poetry because they were touched by Hip Hop. Watching artists add these layers and contexts to performance poetry is a beautiful thing.

When I’m watching a performance poet, I try to find back the seed of their lineage. I take in who they are now, I imagine who it was that inspired them ten years ago. And who inspired their inspiration. It’s important that poets know where they’re coming from and the messages that were carried by the poets they are inspired by. It gives them something to build upon, something to cherish and keep sacred.

Ty’rone Haughton: Apples and Snakes are at a very important time in our history. We are the original performance poetry organisation in the UK and we are the pioneers of British performance poetry. Since 1982 we’ve given a platform to thousands of poets, hundreds have gone on to do incredible things around the world. At this point, I believe the work of Apples and Snakes has created a new heritage in British literature. That history and legacy should be protected.

Performance poetry has always been most potent when live and direct to the audience. I am aware that times have changed, we are in the 21st Century, we consume news and entertainment mostly through our phones. And with the younger generation being digitally native, that could inspire us to digitise more of our work and be more open to digital in the performance space. However, it is important now more than ever for the young generation to be exposed to real human expression, emotion and flaws. You can only do that in real life, away from digital.

For a while, I have held the thought that performance poets became less experimental and daring as social media in performance spaces became more prevalent. We know we are living in the most surveillance heavy time in human history. Everybody is watched, judged and recorded. All mistakes are captured and stored on the internet FOREVER! I think this has affected performers profoundly. Performers and people in general have become smaller as we are trying to be our most perfect and refined visions all the time. Art humans are magical, not perfect.

Ty’rone Haughton: When these poets share the stage at Jawdance, you witness the connection and conversation between poets. There are times at Jawdance when an established poet harkens back to something that an open mic poet said or alluded to in their poem and they share a bit more context to this thing – it could be a show, dish or place.

What we see a lot is “because you performed that poem about your love of Arsenal, I am going to perform my poem about Tottenham!” It is always a magical moment of something unexpected and it adds so much to the night. Jawdance is a space for inspiration to audiences but inspiration between poets as well.

Ty’rone Haughton: As a Black leader I feel the weight of the pressure to be strong, fair, authentic. And a pressure to not “sell out”. From my own community and peers, I feel the pressure is doubled because I’m looked at as someone who can make things happen. And people have told me they are counting on me to not disappoint them.

Adding that to leadership in the poetry space, it is all of those things – programming, opportunities and audiences. For me, a huge part is how artists and audiences are treated. Both are equally important, artists should feel looked after when they are programmed to work with us. And the audience should feel just as looked after because we are programming work and artists that resonate with them.

Ty’rone Haughton: The future of performance poetry is bright and hot! I want everyone who comes to Jawdance to understand the quality of the poets. Over the summer we are having Keith Jarrett, Jay Mitra, Gecko, Hannah Silva, Zena Edwards and Toby Campion.

I’d also want them to know that what they are witnessing on stage is a valid art form with 45 years of history in this country. It is rooted in craft, knowledge and history. Ultimately, I’d want them to know that at Jawdance, performance poetry is for the people. It is for everybody.