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The purpose of the challenges is to encourage participants' creativity and artistic growth.
They are not meant to be competitions - everyone who takes part can consider themselves a winner.
It is our wish to create a "bardic safe zone" - a friendly place to feel free to experiment, stretch yourself, and try new things. If you are a new to bardic and performing arts, recently returning, or an experienced performer with new material; You'll be hard pressed to find a friendlier and more supportive audience.
(Read below the challenges for general rules!)
Challenges
As part of our Twentieth Year celebration, we invited all attendees from
past, present, hopeful, and future Bardic Madnesses - to assist in choosing this years challenges.
Here are the results!
Would you like to be a Patron? Contact Lorelei at loreleiskye25@gmail.com
Click here for more info on being a Patron and list of challenges needing Patrons
Extra Challenge: Masquerade! (or "Come as You Aren't") - (From Bardic Madness 17)
Have you ever envied Inchingham's checkered motley, or Amelie's fabulous hose?
Wanted to try a barbarian or very early Roman persona? Wondered what period animal costumes might look like? Wished you had another place to show off your "SCA Disney Party" couture?
Our "Come As You Aren't" is your chance to step out! As this event is nearly on Hallowe'en dress as something - or someone else. Wear your outfit all day, at feast, or for the post-revel.
First Fyt
Pass the Tale - (Bardic Madness 1, 5 ->19)
All those who wish to participate get up together, and tell a tale from beginning to end. The challenge's patron will 'conduct' by pointing to the person whose turn it is to continue the tale, and deciding when it is time to end. Perhaps sharing a lesson learned in the story.
Once Upon a Dragon - (Bardic Madness 1)
Present a piece - musical, poetry, storytelling - which commemorates, in some way, the history of the Middle Kingdom.
Pilgrimage / Are We There Yet? / Three Rights Make a Left - (Bardic Madness 2, 10, 15)
We've all traveled distances to reach an event. Often encountering strange adventures along the way. Whoever said that 'getting there is half the fun', likely remembered to pack the good road snacks, map, and a compass. Two wrongs don't make a right, but three rights DO make a left. Tell us of a journey - perhaps from an SCA experience, or of someone from period (or could have come from period times); about going in an unintended direction, and the trials and tribulations encountered along the way.
Second Fyt
All Together Now / Play Something / Room for One More (no 2nd fiddles) - (Bardic Madness 3, 5, 19)
Having more than one person performing can enrich a piece. In celebration Saint Cecilia, the patroness of music, gather a group of singers, storytellers, musicians, players, actors or other performers. Perform an ensemble, sung, scene, or spoken piece accompanied with the addition of instruments and/or with multiple voices.
Irrational Explanations - (From Suggestions for the future! Bardic Madness 20)
Explain an event / natural phenomenon / something that happened - by attributing it to supernatural or fantastical means.
Period Piece - (Bardic Madness 3 --> 19)
Perform a work from the periods and cultures explored by the SCA. Perform a documentably period piece of music, story, poetry, or prose. Dig out those reference books, blow off the dust (try not to sneeze), and see what wonderful and magical treasures you can find in them. Find something, be it silly or sublime, and amaze us with it. *No documentation presentation needed.*.
Third Fyt
Pictograph - (Bardic Madness 7, 10)
It is thought that storytelling pre-dates language. Pictographs were carved into rock and other surfaces as many as four thousand years ago. Whatever meaning they had has been lost to the ages. In song, story, or poem share with us the tale the images provided might tell.Notes for the curious: This is an image of Newspaper Rock, located near the Needles entrance of Canyonlands National Park in Utah
(click on the photo to see the full sized image)
Poetic Form Challenge - (Bardic Madness 5 -> 11, 15 -> 19)
Compose a work using a period style of poetry selected for the event: Rondeau (Bardic Madness 8)
The Rondeau is a French poetic form dating back to the thirteenth century. The style used in the example below is from 16th Century England. It consists of thirteen eight syllable lines and two repeated four syllable refrains. These fifteen lines contain are broken into three stanzas and contain only three rhymes.
(Poets in this challenge can use a different version of the Rondeau form they choose. There are several good examples provided on the Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rondeau_(forme_fixe).)
Example (From 16th C England):
The rhyme scheme is as follows:
Stanza 1: A A B B A five lines of eight syllables
Stanza 2: A A B C three lines of eight syllables, plus the four syllable refrain
Stanza 3: A A B B A C five lines of eight syllables, plus the four syllable refrain
So, how does this all work in practice? Something like this:
A -Attend and I will tell to you,
A - Of how to write a rondeau true.
B - Use thirteen lines that hold eight feet -
B - Plus two of four, that do repeat.
A - Where, but three rhymes make their debut.
A - Split into stanzas, that are few,
A - Five lines in one and four in two -
B - Plus six in three. It's now complete.
C - Our Rondeau's done.
A - The 'A' rhyme you will eight times view.
A - The 'B', but five times will accrue.
B - The 'C' you will but two times meet,
B - Identical in ev'ry beat.
A - Our poem is done and so we're through;
C - Our Rondeau's done.
Let us not forget - (Bardic Madness 1)
In honor of a figure from history, either Historical or Modern Middle Ages, create and perform a piece (song, story, or poem) to remind us of them, their qualities, and/or the deeds they have done. Or perhaps perform a work composed by an SCA bardic artist who has passed, yet their work lives on in all who continue to carry it forward.
Fyt 3.5
The Eviiiil Cackle Challenge - (Bardic Madness 18)
Every villain, be they super genius, megalomaniacal dictator, or evil mastermind; needs an evil laugh. Let’s hear yours. It’s about standards, after all ;) (*NOTE: Does not count as one of your four challenges.)
(Concert)
Fourth Fyt / Feast
Bard Scribe Illuminator - (Bardic Madness 4 -> 7, 9 -> 12, 18, 19)
Given a subject in the morning, compose, calligraph, and illuminate a text on that subject.
This may be done individually or as a team.
And So To Bed - (Bardic Madness 14)
When is everyone's suit empty? When we hang it up and go to bed. Send us off with a lullaby.
Blow Someone Else's Horn - (Bardic Madness 18, 19)
Perform the work of some other SCAdian. Extra applause for memorizing and for doing something that is not well-known. We’ll have a special chair up front for the author of your piece, if they are in attendance, to be recognized for their work.
Challenge General Rules
Challenge General Rules
Challenges are not contests. You win by entering and striving to do the best you can.
Challenges are designed to encourage you to try your hand at something new, to stretch yourself, to enjoy, and celebrate the creative spirit.
Read the guidelines for the challenges carefully, like exercises, they are designed to help you develop in specific areas.
Try to follow them as closely as you can, but stretching them into unexpected directions is good too.
Individuals are welcome and encouraged to give recognition to those performers whom they especially enjoy.
In order to allow the largest number of people to participate, challenge entries shall be limited to 3-5 minutes or less for Poems and Songs, 5-7 minutes or less for stories - including any introduction or set up/clearing of performance area.
Each person may enter a maximum of one piece in each challenge and a maximum of four challenges, including the concert. (**At the end of a challenge, sometimes time is available and extra performers are called; these do not count towards the four.)
Duets/Trios/Ensembles of 2,3 or more performing together can appear together in up 4 challenges, including the concert.
Individuals who participate in both group and solo performances are asked to use your best courtesy selecting challenges.
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