Paper short abstract:

In Maré,a neighbourhood composed of 16 favelas,the proximity to drug dealing armed groups and the police creates a spatial and symbolical confinement experience,deeply impacting on people’s sociability practices. However,a group of young breakdancers has been able to breach this segregation dynamic.

Paper long abstract:

In several slums (favelas) of Rio de Janeiro, residents deal with drug dealing armed groups on a daily basis. This proximity to drug dealing and the confrontations with the police creates a spatial and symbolical confinement experience, intensely impacting on people's sociability practices.

In Maré, a neighbourhood composed of 16 favelas with more than 140 thousand inhabitants, the constant fights between drug dealing groups complicate or even prevent the free circulation of people in the streets. Conflicting drug dealing groups impose "invisible boundaries" and territorial divisions that force residents, especially younger ones, to avoid areas dominated by groups that are hostile to the one ruling the area where they live.

However, a group of young breakdancers (style of dance evolved as part of hip hop culture) has been able to breach this segregation dynamic; they are changing not only their own way of living the neighbourhood but also how society sees people who live in favelas. The experience with the break dance enables them to extend their friendship networks beyond the geographical limits imposed by drug dealing activities, thus allowing them to conquer the legitimacy required to circulate around the entire neighbourhood. Simultaneously they also started to go to other city neighbourhoods, getting in touch with young people of different origins and social classes. In this process the "breaking style" becomes an instrument to access the city and an informal arena that subverts the category "favelado" (slum dweller) and enables young people to forge positive and affirmative identities.