ProDança - Programa de apoio a Dança (Dance Support Program) was an initiative of the Rio de Janeiro State Government and the brainchild of Helena Severo's team, the aim was to take the dance produced by 16 companies in the capital to the interior of the state, through a series of activities that united culture and education.

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For eight intense days, the Grupo de Rua, in partnership with the City Hall, the Secretariat for Development and Social Promotion and PETI (Child Labor Eradication Program) toured various locations in Campos dos Goytacazes, including the Baleeira, Tira-gosto, Ponta Grossa, Tapera and Ibitioca communities, as well as working at CRIAM. At each location, teenagers and children took part in hip hop classes, workshops and breaking circles.

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Theory and practice of the body

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To try to ensure that the project's impact was long-lasting, GRN set up small dance libraries, audio libraries and video libraries in each community visited. These resources included books, as well as CDs and DVDs with songs and performances by bboys. The idea was to broaden access to knowledge and stimulate continued interest in dance, even after the face-to-face activities had ended.

Each day's activities ended with performances. The presence of rap singer Mano Keilo, from the city itself, brought even more strength to the message of social rescue and dignity through his lyrics. 

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Grupo de Rua encountered some challenges along the way, such as the lack of suitable spaces for classes, which often forced the activities to be held in the streets and squares. 

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And tomorrow?

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A recurring theme in the interviews was concern about the lack of continuity in state projects, highlighting the importance of maintaining the consistency of activities in order to maximize their impact on communities. One teacher mentioned: “We'd like the project to go on more often and for longer, not just one afternoon, but several afternoons.” Pedagogue Maria Elisia, from PETI, commented something similar: “Here in Campos we have 36 centers, we would like this project to expand to these 36 centers, because everyone needs this knowledge.” In addition, a teacher stressed the importance of government support to ensure continuity: “It's good that the state government, the culture department, invest in this, so that this work isn't just a Saturday thing, but at least once a week, or at least once a month.” This lack of continuity is not a problem exclusive to ProDança, but a serious and common aspect of many projects in Brazil.  Discontinuity in social programs is one of the main obstacles to development in vulnerable communities, often failing to produce lasting impacts and leaving communities without the necessary support for real transformation.

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