“Vai faz o passinho, vai faz o passinho malado”

Funkeira youth and their physicality in Belo Horizonte

Abstract

This study investigates the physicality of young funk dancers in downtown Belo Horizonte, focusing on PassinhoMalado as a form of cultural expression and territorialization for youth in the city. Through participant observation and interviews with a group of young practitioners of PassinhoMalado, the study analyzes how their physical movements create a specific territorial identity and unique ways of appropriating the city. The results demonstrate that PassinhoMalado, characterized by free movements, functions as a physical language that materializes funk culture in the urban space, fostering a sense of belonging and recognition among the youth. The study contributes to the understanding of cultural dynamics of youth in urban spaces, highlighting the importance of recognizing and valuing peripheral artistic expressions as legitimate forms of cultural, social, and spatial production.