Poetry in Performance

Off the Page - A playful approach to poetry in performance

Are you harbouring a crush on spoken word? Maybe you write, maybe you want to write, maybe you just get on the YouTube - either way, this class will be a safe and creative space for you to express your own stories. With the international spoken word scene expanding like a soufflé, the poetic communities of Aotearoa are going from strength to strength. Using a range of poetic forms, we will reach across communities and between disciplines to find the voices of our young storytellers - voices that are authentic, silly and critical. 

TUTOR: nafanua kersel

Nafanua Purcell Kersel (Satupa'itea, Faleālupo, Aleipata, Tuaefu) is an award-winning Samoan poet, writer, and dynamic live performer. Born in Sāmoa and raised in Pōneke (Wellington), Nafanua brings a deep commitment to the stage and the page, culminating in her debut collection, Black Sugarcane, which won the prestigious Mary and Peter Biggs Award for Poetry at the 2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. Holding an MA from the International Institute of Modern Letters (IIML) and having served as the 2025 Emerging Pasifika Writer in Residence, her extensive background as both a facilitator and creative powerhouse underpins her teaching philosophy.