Paraisopolis Ballet Association
- Location
- São Paulo, SP
- Backed in
- 2019
- Covered areas
- Education and Culture
Ballet Paraisópolis – Construindo Sonhos
Ballet and contemporary dance for children and adolescents from peripheral communities
Offering classical and contemporary dance, Associação Ballet Paraisópolis helps children and adolescents reach better opportunities in life. It offers free instruction for 200 students and currently has over 2,000 on the waiting list.
Paraisópolis is the 2nd largest favela in São Paulo and the 5th in Brazil. With more than 100 thousand residents, the per capita income is only R $ 469.78. According to the IBGE, only 25% of the population lives in homes with plumbing, and half of the streets there are unpaved. It is common to see neighborhood children and adolescents dropping out of school early to work and contribute to the household income.
The support will make it possible for the Associação to expand the class space and increase the number of students they attend. In addition to ballet and dance classes, the organization offers physiotherapy services, lectures and cultural activities.
With support from BrazilFoundation, Ballet Paraisópolis aims to:
• Purchase materials and maintain and adapt classroom space;
• Hold daily classical ballet and contemporary dance classes;
• Expand service to 20 new students;
• Hold lectures and workshops for students and their guardians.
Impact
200 children and adolescents served
Ballet as a tool for social transformation
New career and life opportunities
“Even if the young person does not want to pursue a career as a dancer, he is prepared to face new challenges in the job market.”