The b-girls scene in São Paulo: trajectories, strengthening and challenges

• Grant number: 24/21962-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Anthropology - Urban Anthropology
• Principal Investigator: Silvana de Souza Nascimento
• Grantee: Sofia Vieira Corrêa
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This research aims to analyze how the b-girls breaking scene in the city of São Paulo was formed, as well as the challenges and advances of the female presence in training, on stages and in competitions, taking into account that the hip hop movement has a male predominance, including in research and production on the subject (WELLER, 2005). This research will use the concept of gender as a useful category for historical analysis (SCOTT, 1990), the notion of gender performativity (BUTLER, 2003) and the idea of sexual difference as a political issue (LAQUEUR, 2001). To this end, bibliographical research and fieldwork will be carried out at b-girls' training venues in São Paulo, in an attempt to understand, through participant observation and semi-structured interviews, how gender relations occur in the breaking scene and what factors have boosted the presence of women in this scene. The collectives chosen for analysis are Cendiras Bgirls and Flow Queens Crew.