Underwater Dance

Underwater dance, also called freediving or underwater dancing, is about cutting yourself off from external sounds, holding your breath, in a different gravity where there is so much to explore: bodily sensations, noises, blurred vision, infinite freedom of movement...

This underwater discipline has recently spread online, where artists and freedivers offer a wide range of aesthetic, sometimes protest, performances. Underwater dance draws on the techniques of artistic swimming, borrows the elegance of dance, and primarily uses apnea. It's a sort of 3-in-1 discipline!

For several years, freediving has been growing both as a recreational sport within clubs and in competition. Proof of this is its recent inclusion on the Ministry of Sports' list of high-level sports. This discipline, run by the French Federation of Underwater Studies and Sports (FFESSM), is attracting growing interest among its 150,000 members of all ages.

For the first time, choreographer and dancer Tiphaine Arnal shares an accessible learning method that she shares, notably through workshops. The author covers all aspects of this new discipline, through step-by-step exercises for all levels.

The book is richly illustrated by underwater photographer François Lucazeau. Videos complement certain figures using QR codes. Freedivers Franck Houbloup and Philippe Delaporte share their experiences as freediving instructors.

While it is not reserved exclusively for women, it is undeniable that underwater dance could eventually become a strong new trend in the feminization of underwater activities and, why not, become part of the 2,500 FFESSM clubs in France. This is one of the main objectives of this book.

Whether you're a beginner, curious, or already an experienced little fish, I'll guide you step by step through my underwater world. Breathing, support, orientation, and balance will be covered in this book, not forgetting to suggest tricks to try and re-master safely.

Tiphaine Arnal

Download the press kit (PDF)