Banca de DEFESA: MILENA DA SILVA LIMA

EDUCATION FOR ETHNIC-RACIAL RELATIONS AND THE TEACHING OF AFRO-BRAZILIAN DANCES IN SCHOOL PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Keywords:

Afro-Brazilian Dances; School Physical Education; Ethnic-Racial Relations Education; Teacher Training; Anti-racism.

This dissertation investigates the intersections between Ethnic-Racial Relations Education (ERER) and the teaching of Afro-Brazilian Dances within the School Physical Education (SPE) curriculum, focusing on the Early Years of Elementary Education. The study arises from the recognition that, despite legal and curricular advances promoted by Laws No. 10.639/2003 and No. 11.645/2008, as well as the expansion of formative possibilities by the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC), body practices of African and Afro-Brazilian origin are still approached sporadically, often reduced to commemorative dates and stereotypical representations. The objective was to analyze how public school Physical Education teachers in the municipality of Mangaratiba/RJ have incorporated ERER and Afro-Brazilian Dances into their pedagogical practices, identifying accessed documents, challenges encountered, and successful experiences developed. The research followed a qualitative methodology, applying a structured questionnaire with open and closed questions, answered by 32 Physical Education teachers working in the Early Years of Elementary Education. Data analysis combined descriptive statistical treatment for closed questions and thematic content analysis (Bardin, 2011) for open-ended responses. The results reveal, on the one hand, the recognition of Afro-Brazilian Dances as important tools for valuing Black identity and combating racism; on the other hand, they highlight gaps in initial and continuing teacher education, as well as institutional and pedagogical barriers that hinder the full implementation of ERER. As an outcome of the research, an educational resource titled “Ferramenta de Axé” (“Tool of Axé”) was developed—a theoretical and practical training course for SPE teachers focusing on the teaching of Afro-Brazilian Dances. Designed based on the needs identified through the empirical investigation, the course articulates historical, cultural, and pedagogical foundations with the aim of supporting teaching practices committed to a decolonial, plural, and anti-racist education. Thus, this study contributes to filling a gap in both literature and pedagogical practice by integrating ethnic-racial themes into dance education within Physical Education, reaffirming the urgency of training actions that enhance teaching and the construction of positive identities within the school environment.