Oral improvisation in Latin America according to its female protagonists

Abstract

Oral improvisation in Latin America encapsulates an array of traditions which coexist on the continent. Although these traditions developed in very specific contexts, they all share a parallel origin, product of the cultural and social syncretism that defined the colonial era. Similarly, they also share a narrative in which women have been invisible until the 20^th century. By acknowledging this invisibility, this work aims to articulate how some of the most influential improvisers on the continent reflect on their traditions. To do this, we used the qualitative method and collected fifteen in-depth interviews with women improvisers from Mexico, Chile and Cuba. We have analyzed how they perceive the state of oral improvisation in their traditions, as well as the current and future challenges they face. To do so, we have analyzed and triangulated the information. Despite the diversity of realities in each tradition, the interviewees are open to experimentation, as long as some of the foundational characteristics are maintained, including the community nature of oral improvisation.