BODY CULTURE AND RELIGION: THE POWER OF BALLET IN SANTO DAIME

The Santo Daime religion, inspired by Ayahuasca, has a ritualistic dance practice characterized by synchronized and expressive body movements, and is a cultural manifestation rich in symbolic and aesthetic meanings. Through ritualistic dance, practitioners develop a deep body awareness, in effect, experiencing the integration between mind and body. In this way, it was decided to undertake a scientific investigation to prospect possible formative correlations between Santo Daime dance and body culture, given that it corresponds to the object of knowledge of the sub-area of ​​Physical Education in the school environment. For that, a qualitative study was carried out, using oral history as an analytical method for producing sources, based on a semi-structured interview with a deponent. In general terms, the investigation indicated that the choreographic compositions of Santo Daime dance can be a (promising) way of educating bodies and a space for identity formation, in addition to denoting a mode of resistance and counter-hegemonic cultural reaffirmation. It was also highlighted the importance of understanding and respecting the body practices of different cultural contexts, thus enriching the field of Physical Education with diverse and inclusive perspectives and the human formation.