DANCE AS AN INSTRUMENT FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION AND REDUCTION OF VULNERABILITY AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE FROM AT-RISK COMMUNITIES IN BRAZIL AND THE UNITED STATES

Abstract

This article examines how dance functions as a tool for social inclusion and the reduction of youth vulnerability in at-risk communities in Brazil and the United States, focusing on school dropout, exposure to crime, self-esteem, employability, and social mobility. The study aims to understand how school programs, governmental initiatives, and community projects employ dance to reorganize youth trajectories and expand educational and social opportunities. The methodology is qualitative, descriptive, and analytical, based on a narrative literature review and institutional documents published between 2019 and 2023, following the methodological guidelines of Gil and Lakatos. The findings show that dance reduces school dropout by strengthening students' connection to the educational environment, decreases exposure to crime by offering structured routines, increases self-esteem and employability through socio-emotional skill development, and promotes social mobility in projects that enable artistic and professional pathways. It is concluded that dance presents convergent effects in both countries, operating as an effective strategy for social protection, belonging, and integral development, highlighting the importance of public policies that expand access to continuous artistic practices.