O professor de dança

The dance teacher: A theoretical reflection on the role of the teacher in a dance group of elderly women

Abstract

This essay deals with the role of the dance teacher in contributing to the formation of the identity of older women participating in a dance workshop. In order to develop the topic, I have been in dialogue with some thinkers, including Tomaz Tadeu da Silva (2000) on the issue of cultural identity, Paulo Freire (1997) on the act of teaching, Jorge Larrosa (2018) on the craft of the teacher, as well as Rubem Alves (1980) in Conversas com quem gosta de ensinar. I reflect on the role of the dance teacher in classes for older women. The general objective is to understand the contribution of the dance teacher to the formation of the identity of the elderly women who practice in a dance workshop. The need for teachers to prepare themselves to teach dance and thus contribute to the process of identity construction of their students became evident. We are subjects belonging to the social environment in which we live and we are constantly changing. The teacher plays an important role in the construction of the student's identity by seeing them as human beings with a wealth of knowledge and memories.