Name: RUAN CARLOS SODRÉ MATOS LOUREIRO
Publication date: 21/08/2025
Advisor:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| MAURICIO DOS SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA | Advisor |
Examining board:
| Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| ANDRESA DE SOUZA UGAYA | Examinador Externo |
| ANTONIO CARLOS MORAES | Examinador Externo |
| MAURICIO DOS SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA | Presidente |
Summary: This research investigated how Black dancers from peripheral communities have established and (re)signified their trajectories in classical ballet and jazz dance. Through a descriptive qualitative approach, the study considered these young dancers’ social and family contexts, their forms of access, and the challenges they face in spaces marked by inequalities and permeated by racial issues that influence the presence and visibility of Black bodies. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed according to Bardin’s Content Analysis framework. The accounts reveal that, for many, the initial contact with dance took place through social projects and community initiatives, which served as gateways and spaces of belonging. At the same time, these dancers face both symbolic and practical barriers in formal environments, where Eurocentric standards and structural racism hinder their permanence and recognition. The research also showed that, by reclaiming their history, ancestry, and identity, these dancers are able to transform their relationship with dance, occupying the stage in a more authentic and empowered way. The visibility of prominent Black bodies inspires new paths and strengthens the sense of collective belonging. Finally, the study high-lights the importance of rethinking pedagogical practices and cultural policies to value the aesthetic and cultural diversity of these bodies, ensuring not only access but also recognition and respect for the uniqueness of each trajectory. Thus, dance becomes a space for resistance, affirmation, and identity reconstruction, where these dancers assert their existence and claim their place, opening new possibilities for the future.
Keywords:Structural racism; dance; Black body; classical ballet; jazz dance.
