The core of breathing in underwater dance is the cycle of “inhale → enter the water → complete the movement → surface → quick breathing”. There is no myth that you can breathe underwater.
According to interviews with professional underwater dancers, in performances such as “Luo Shen Shui Fu,” dancers average about 50 seconds per breath-hold, and the entire shoot was completed through more than 200 repeated entries into the water.
Basic breathing process:
First adjust your breathing at the surface, hold one breath, dive underwater to complete the movement, then return to the surface to breathe again.
Key techniques:
Make the inhale on surfacing “full”: Open your mouth when you surface and make sure you actually inhale air; it is ideal if you can hear yourself inhale.
Make the exhale underwater “even”: Exhale evenly and slowly through your mouth or nose underwater. Do not exhale intermittently in stops and starts, or you may choke on water.
Overcome buoyancy: Performers usually need to wear weights ranging from 2-10 kg to sink smoothly and keep buoyancy from interfering with dance movements. The weights are usually hidden in the skirt or at the waist, so they do not affect the look.
Underwater dance is not innate talent; it is the result of long-term training. Performers usually work under the guidance of professional coaches, combining freediving breathing techniques and dance movement training to complete performances.