Created in 2022 by the São Paulo State Government, the São Paulo Escola de Dança is an institution committed to giving voice and space consistent with reflection, learning and knowledge sharing based on the specificity of dance interwoven with all artistic languages focused on an indispensable value of plurality. It is structured into 4 hubs of activities: Regular Courses, which have the objective of offering training in its technical aspect; Introduction to Dance Courses, which seek to present the art’s different languages for adolescents between 13 and 17 years old; Cultural Extension Courses, which seek to contribute towards the creation, production and discussion of dance; Special Opportunities and Projects, with actions that aim to promote the access of young and adult students with low income backgrounds to the regular courses, support apprentices in entering the job market and promote cultural interchange to complement the School apprentices’ professional training in dance.
FAQs
Associação Pró-Dança (APD) was created in June 2009, having been qualified as a culture social organization on October 30th, 2009, pursuant to the decree published on the Official Press No. 204, of October 31st, 2009, p. 01, to support, stimulate, assist, develop, preserve and promote culture, art, education and social work. Its vision is translated into the dissemination of dance art, enriching the community’s cultural life and creating a sense of belonging to those that approach it.
In December 2009 they signed their first Management Contract (No. 38/2009) with the São Paulo State Government to direct the São Paulo Companhia de Dança. In December 2014 they won, for a second time, the public competition to run that artistic body and signed Management Project (No. 01/2014). As of December 2019, they started a new Management Contract (No. 01/2019) in force until 2024, to direct the São Paulo Companhia de Dança. And on December 30, 2021, they signed a new contract to direct the São Paulo Escola de Dança, created in 2021, via State Decree No. 66,412 of December 29th, 2021.
The mission of Associação Pró-Dança encourages and values experimentation and the search for the superb. Its strategic guidance encompasses continued enhancement actions aligned with their objectives, to promote synergy among the available resources – human, material, technological and financial–, and enables creating bridges between different forms of expression. Their activities aim a democratic spirit, translating languages to render them more available and apprehensible, given the institution believes in the power of scope, and not exclusivity.
The Regular Courses are offered to youth who have completed 16 years of age, with a high school graduation or in progress, with aim to professionalize them in five different areas: Dance and Performance, Dance Dramaturgy, Costume Design for Dance, Multimedia for Dance and Cultural Production and Management for Dance. The duration is 2 (two) years, totaling 1,600 hours per course, divided into semester modules with in-person classes from Mondays to Fridays (and some Saturdays) with theoretical, practical, complementary extra-curricular activities referred to as Cultural Territories (events open to the population, museum visits, plays, movie theaters, artistic residency). All courses are 100% free of charge with 30 slots available per class.
They are dance initiation courses for youth between 13 and 17 years, enabling access to the learning of this artistic language to the population in general for students enrolled in the regular education network. They have an in-person character and have a minimum duration of 2 semesters, with two weekly classes of two hours each in the following styles: Classical Dance, Contemporary Dance, Creative Dance and Urban Dances.
The Cultural Extension Courses address subjects that involve history of dance, specific dance techniques, practical and theoretical contents of introduction to dance, activities in the job market, integration with other artistic languages or fields of knowledge: philosophy, aesthetics, communication, among others. Each course has a minimum work load of 64 hours/class and may be offered in-person or on-line.
Each course has its own public notice, with specific rules and prerequisites for each one. All notices are published on the school’s website (www.spescoladedanca.org.br) and they detail the selection process for each of the courses.
Anyone interested in dance can attend the school, but there are age groups determined for some activities, such as the Introduction to Dance Course, intended for those who are between 13 and 17 and the Regular and Extension Courses, with a minimum 16 year age requirement.
The Regular Courses have an in-person format and the classes take place Mondays to Fridays (and also some Saturdays) in the School or the Associação Pró-Dança/São Paulo Companhia de Dança buildings. In the second semester of 2022, the classes are given from 8 A.M. to 12 P.M. And yes, the classes must be attended every day.
The Dance Introduction Courses have an in-person character and include two weekly classes for each modality, from 8 A.M. to 10 P.M., on days defined every semester. Presence is also required in both classes.
Cultural Extension Courses have an either in-person or on-line format on different days and hours depending on each activity. In the menu Courses – Cultural Extension, the information on each of them is provided, and in the public notices you may find out about the rules for absence percentages and justifications of each course.
In 2022, only the Cultural Extension Courses offer some classes or activities in an on-line format.
Yes, those who fulfill the work load and the terms stipulated by the public notice of each course shall be entitled to a certificate upon the conclusion of the classes.
In all courses, 50% of the slots available are dedicated to people originating from low income or social and/or relationship vulnerability backgrounds and 20% of the slots are offered to people of color (black or brown) or from indigenous origin.
In a way to stimulate the training and permanence of their apprentices, every semester the School offers 75 scholarships in the amount of R$ 2,600 to the people approved in the selection process of the Regular Courses, who may plead for the benefit in a specific selection process.
The School will be located in the 3rd floor of the Júlio Prestes Complex, downtown São Paulo, which is undergoing a structural suitability process and shall be occupied as of the second semester. Until then, the in-person activities take place at the site of the Associação Pró-Dança/São Paulo Companhia de Dança Três Rios St., 363 – 1st floor – Bom Retiro, São Paulo/SP.