Duke City Story Slam
About
Duke City Story Slam is Albuquerque’s only story slam (friendly storytelling gathering on a theme). An accessible event including both Featured Tellers and Open Mic-ers telling true personal stories bi-monthly. Prizes are given to all tellers. Plus, an audience raffle for admission to a future DCSS event!
2025 - New Format - Let’s get together to tell and listen to stories, without judging!
Background: Since it’s 2018 inception, DCSS has adopted the traditional format, derived from poetry slams, where tellers participate in a friendly competition for prizes awarded to top tellers in both the featured and open mic categories. In September 2023, DCSS disbanded with publicly announcing scores ascribed to stories by our dedicated volunteer judges in lieu of keeping scores in the background and only reflecting “top tellers” in each category at the end of each evening, but with prizes distributed to everyone. We recognize that it takes courage and generosity to stand up and tell a personal story, on stage, in public, to an audience. Hence, our decision to de-emphasize the game/competition aspect of the slam at that time.
Now! In response to frequent feedback from tellers, volunteers, and some audience members, we will start the 2025 with an experiment - by discontinuing the judging/scoring practice entirely. Instead, we will continue to gather to share stories on a theme - following guidelines (see below), and within the same time frame. As before, all tellers will receive a gift in appreciation for sharing their stories. As one DCSS enthusiast said, “We can do better by coming together to listen and share without judging one another!” Let’s see how it goes!
For those who might say, “Well, this is no longer a slam,” we counter with the position that we can make of our unique and very special Duke City Story Slam (DCSS) whatever we want. If later we decide to change the name, we’ll do so with feedback from tellers and audience. For now, we’ll keep the name and acronym.
Thanks for continuing to be a part of our DCSS Community of tellers, listeners, and volunteers!
Our format!
Featured Tellers are recruited ahead of time and are provided with story crafting support and a rehearsal before the slam. They get 10-minutes on the mic to tell their story, along with a small stipend.
Open Mic Tellers can prep their story beforehand or spontaneously put their name in the hat at the mic for a chance to tell their 5-minute true story on that month’s theme. We often discover future featured tellers from open mic tellers.
Inspiration: “When people’s stories are recognized, it does something: It creates a possibility.” (John A. Powell)
Need help with crafting your story? If you've got a story, but feel unsure about how to craft it into a 5-10 minute story, STNM offers a number of opportunities through the monthly online Story Crafters and in person ABQ Storycrafting. Both events can be found on the STNM monthly calendar.
Alternately, online resources abound. We particularly recommend Tips & Strategies from the Moth Story Hour. Click HERE for access to their website and recommendations. Then, come tell us your story!
Our Team: Sarah Malone, DCSS Producer, is a founding member of our parent nonprofit, Storytellers of New Mexico, and an enthusiastic supporter of DCSS since its inception in 2018. Marvin Cotton, our emcee, is a former open mic and featured teller on the DCSS stage and is enthusiastic about his new emcee role. Thank you Marvin! Many thanks to our professional coach, Barry Simon, formerly of popular Liar’s Game. We acknowledge Dianne Rossbach, STNM treasurer, for her steadfast presence at each event at the gate, and Tom Rich for managing sound. Abundant thanks to Canteen Brewhouse for providing DCSS free space to perform, along with generous stipends and other gifts to our storytellers. We can’t do it without an inviting space and Canteen Brewhouse has come through in spades!
See calendar for upcoming theme or email us, links below, if you have a story you would like to tell.
NOW ON YOUTUBE! Check out recent DCSS storytellers on the Storytellers of New Mexico YouTube channel. Click HERE.
event details
When:
DCSS is a bi-monthly event occurring on the 2nd Tuesday of every January, March, May, July, September and November. 6-8 PM
Storytelling guidelines:
True Story
Your Story
No notes, props, or music (unless short and in service of the story)
No -isms will be tolerated
Storytelling, not stand-up
Storytelling, not therapy
Stay within the time limit
DCSS teller, Kory Chandler, at Tellabration in November 2024
DCSS teller, Chris Fulcher, at Tellabration in November 2024
pitch a featured story
Want a guaranteed spot at a future slam, more time on the mic, and support putting your story together? Pitch a Featured Story! Email a brief description of your story concept on a future theme to DCSS Producer, Sarah Malone (contact info below). If you have a great story that doesn’t fit a current theme, pitch it and we may be able to create a theme it’ll work for.
enter the open mic
It’s as easy as showing up! Put your name in the hat when you get to the slam for a chance to get it pulled out in one of the two open mic rounds. There are four open mic slots every slam. You can prep a 5-min story for a future slam or just tell it off the cuff! But remember - your story should have an arc; a beginning, middle, and end.