O congado e o corpo que dança: cultura, ritmo e identidade

Abstract

Dance, understood as a form of bodily expression and cultural manifestation, occupies a significant place in physical education by integrating knowledge, values, and identities. In the school context, it serves as a pedagogical resource capable of fostering meaningful bodily experiences and critical reflections through movement. In this regard, the present study aimed to investigate academic productions from the Professional Master’s Program in Physical Education in National Network (ProEF) that address the theme of dance, with an emphasis on Brazilian regional dances. The objective was to understand how these cultural manifestations have been recognized, valued, and incorporated into the educational environment through school physical education. The investigation was developed based on a bibliographic review, grounded in documentary analysis of dissertations and educational resources produced within the scope of ProEF, adopting a qualitative and exploratory approach. The results highlight the need for educational policies that value Brazilian cultural diversity as a structuring element of the school curriculum. The inclusion of regional dances in education represents a path toward strengthening students’ cultural identity and valuing the ancestral heritages that compose the sociocultural mosaic of the country. It is concluded that the teaching of dance, especially regional manifestations, should be understood as an educational practice that articulates body, culture, and identity. The findings also reinforce the importance of formative initiatives such as ProEF in building pedagogical proposals committed to Brazil’s cultural plurality.