THE TRANSFORMATION OF MARIA: A STUDY ON FEMALE REPRESENTATIONS AND IDENTITY CONSTRUCTIONS IN THE PRACTICE OF GYPSY DANCES

Abstract

The dance is a way of expression, that is rich in meanings. In Gypsy culture, music and dance are present, both as a means of feelings expression and as a ritual of connection to nature and spirituality. Men and women have different roles represented in this dance that reflect ways of being, beliefs and values. Such representations are exposed, not only by the repertoire of moves executed, but by the set of elements that make up the dance scene. This text is the result of the research work of Specialization in Dance course conclusion that aimed to analyze the female representations, present in the Gypsy dances and how these representations may reflect transformations those who practice it. From the qualitative research, the research employed participant observation and narrative interview for data collection, in the specific context researched. In this sense, not intended to produce generalizations from the study, however, was possible from the results presented, recognizing the potential of dance as a technology to promote reflections and trigger positive transformations.

Keywords

Gypsy Dance. Identities. Representations.