Non-verbal communication in the Slam: The case of Dani Orviz

Abstract

Poetry slams employ a highly complex communicative apparatus that comprises both verbal and non-verbal messages -and the latter are rarely considered in literary studies. This article will offer a multidisciplinary approach, making use of kinesics, non-verbal communication studies and performance studies, aiming to fill in a crucial gap in current studies of slam poetry. The article will use the three performances by Dani Orviz in the Grand Poetry Slam 2020 as case study. This world championship took place online due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the impact of the internet on performance poetry will also be considered in the piece. The article and its analysis will aim to offer a more cohesive and complete study of slam poetry as a discourse and as a cultural product to be able to insert within the field of Spanish contemporary poetry more effectively.