So "Paris Moves" is the name of a "full experience" poetry show that takes place the last Thursday of every month at the Screening Room, downtown. The screen in that room is important; the show includes video work as well as stage performance.
"This has the energy and the edge of a poetry slam," says the organizer, who uses the nom de plume The FunKtional Adix; he's known in his tennis-bum day job as Andre Gavino. "But it's not a slam, because those are competitive, and that gets in the way of the camaraderie. At a slam, the other poet is the enemy.
"This is a collective," FunK continues. "It involves individual work, and some collaboration. We're opening each other's minds to each other's work, and pushing some boundaries. This should help us break out of whatever boxes we're in."
One of those boxes is the boob tube; FunK has been producing cable-access poetry performance shows for several months, but with "Paris Moves," he and his co-conspirators are able to put their work on a big screen in front of a live audience, as well as perform on stage.
Participants, along with The FunKtional Adix and Dr. E, include David Mitchell, co-producer of the poetry crawl and a writer sharply attuned to current politics; activist Albert Lannon, "The Professor," who specializes in multi-voice pieces; Dlyn Fairfax Parra, known for a sensuous delivery style; performance artist Ataraxia; Austin Publicover, also known as "Damedged Aesthetician," notorious for a complete lack of fear onstage; and Dov Diamond, who integrates musical accompaniment into his work.
"We are all challenging each other to come up with new material every month and present it in new and exciting ways by way of ensemble pieces, performance art, music and video," declares FunK. "Of course, we also have straight poetry in the mix for the traditionalist. But this show is anything but traditional."
