If the thought of a rap battle has your knees weak and arms heavy, this workshop can turn things around. Breaking down this seemingly off-the-cuff art form into teachable techniques, you will learn that it is more formula than freestyle. From writing rhyme charts to fabricating fill-in-the-blank lines, the appearance of improv can be backed by hours of preparation. This workshop is a glimpse into some activities and support materials that will give you and your students the ability to lose yourself in the music.

Gradually scaling up from the foundation, this structure is meant to cater to even the most hesitant performers. The activity-heavy nature of the session will give you practical exercises to bring back to the classroom, starting with stressless behind the scenes work and moving closer to center stage with each step. Beginning with brainstorming and prep, allowing for group work and other social comforts, moving into shorter and more independent prep periods before the beat drops, and slowly scaling into full-fledged battle mode, the strategies are made to tiptoe seamlessly towards the mic.

Miranda Krogstad is a spoken word poet and educator who uses her words to empower students of all ages and walks of life. Teaching life skills including self-confidence, self-expression, and community-building, she has performed workshops in dozens of cities across Western Canada.

Outside the formal education setting, Krogstad is an advocate for positivity and love in the spoken word community and beyond, performing on subject matter from mental health awareness to gender equality. Krogstad was a member of the 2016 national wild card team, a two-time Canada Council for the Arts grant recipient, a Calgary Arts Development Grant recipient, and a participant in the Banff Centre International Spoken Word Program. She has since founded the organization YYSpeak to promote and support Calgarian spoken word poets and events.