Finding the (Vibe)rations: An investigation of the phenomenology of rhythmic improvisation through the culturally embodied sound score of Mariachi music / Alondra Galvan (2023)

This is a case study research project that focuses on participants’ collaborative effort to embody rhythm through a musical score, with emphasis on Mariachi music and its polyrhythmic qualities. Rudolf von Laban’s Effort Theory and the phenomenology of perception allowed the researcher to facilitate a space for creativity and authenticity in intention through an investigation of dynamic and expressive movement. Improvisatory movement tasks allowed for an unpicking of conscious corporeal rhythm and habitual movement motifs influenced by states of being. This somatic embodied practice incorporates a phenomenological approach to improvisation while distilling the ethnographic view of the musical component. There is an understanding of movement, technique, and individual progressive musical ability throughout the project. This research is formulated to provide further information on the phenomenology of improvisation as a creative performative tool. To distil the information from studio-based research into performative research, a choreographed ensemble, duet, and solo were used as a tool for the organization of space and time during the performance. This information coincided with the understanding of Mariachi music and its history through the Mexican culture and the standardization of dance steps to various regional sounds. The research below argues the importance of difference and aesthetics in creating an alluring viewing experience to create an identity standardized and canonized to capitalize.

Keywords: dance, music, choreomusicology, embodiment, rhythm, Mexican, Mariachi music, jarabes, sones, ethnography, phenomenology.