Elle Hope

School & Community Workshops

The Annotation of Performance – This workshop breaks down spoken word performance by annotating tone, pacing, breath, gesture, and emotional shifts, helping poets understand why a performance works and how to recreate that impact on stage.

Slam 101: The History of Slam Poetry – An interactive introduction to the origins of slam poetry, its cultural roots, and how competition has shaped performance poetry as both an art form and a community practice.

Poetry and Activism: Connecting the Personal and the Political – Participants will learn research-based techniques to weave lived experience with social issues, crafting poems that are both deeply personal and politically resonant.

Writing the Body: Challenging Shame Culture Through Poetry – This workshop examines how shame culture shows up in writing and offers generative exercises to create affirming, body-positive poems rooted in truth, agency, and self-compassion.

It’s All an Act: Theatre Techniques for Dynamic Performance – Using tools from theater and performance studies, poets will explore physicality, intention, and stage presence to build performances that command attention and deepen audience connection.

How to Step Into the Audition Room – A practical, confidence-building workshop focused on audition etiquette, material selection, and presentation strategies to help artists effectively showcase their work to panels and judges.

Plugging in All the Devices: Using Poetic Devices with Purpose – This workshop demystifies poetic devices and teaches writers when—and when not—to use them, emphasizing clarity, intention, and emotional impact over excess.

Minimizing the Monumental: Writing Haikus and Tankas – Participants will explore traditional and contemporary approaches to haikus and tankas, learning how to capture expansive emotions and ideas within beautifully restrained forms.

Word Bank: Expanding Vocabulary to Strengthen Your Craft – This generative workshop equips writers with tools to intentionally build and activate their personal “word bank,” using curated vocabulary exercises to deepen imagery, sharpen voice, and expand creative possibility across genres.