In the Chinese tropics, on the island of Hainan, they were 100 sirens to compose the largest aquatic choreography in the world. A sign that the country has switched to “mermaiding”, a practice between synchronized swimming and snorkeling inspired by the legendary creature.
The 86,000 aquatic species that are usually home to Ambassador Lagoon, in a resort town on Hainan Island, China, had to share the limelight with the 100 Sirens Aquatic Ballet on April 28, “Flapping their tails in technicolor”, And this, “In order to break the world record for the greatest underwater mermaid show”, tell CNN.
No, they are not half-woman, half-fish creatures but swimmers decked out in a mermaid tail and practicing “mermaiding” (from English mermaid, for siren), a snorkeling of a rather particular kind.
CNN, to understand the phenomenon, asked for explanations from Dada Li, pioneer of the sirens of the country and “Chinese Ambassador to PADI”, the main diving association in the world:
We have to use our belly and waist to move like a dolphin. It takes practice to make this movement smooth and elegant like a real mermaid. ”
Mermaiding is a “sport” between snorkeling and synchronized swimming. Dada Li, initially a diving enthusiast, “Studied performance videos of sirens from around the world” then “Began to imitate their movements and find their own ways of practicing”, explains the American media. In 2015, she launched her team of pro mermaids who perform in aquariums. “With the help of social networks, she says, mermaiding has gone viral. ”
TV channel China Global Television Network the film la performance :
Video of KSWYKu9_kKU
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All over the world, mermaid swimming schools have sprung up, and China has also given in to the mermaid wave. Locally, PADI offers four new mermaid diving courses, which “Are already experiencing huge demand”.
Powder trail
As Yan Lou explains, from PADI China, the mermaid swim “Taken like wildfire”. Four months after their launch, “Mermaid courses now represent 30% of certificates [de plongée] in China”, he said.
Corinna Davids, Mermaid Swimming Instructor for SSI (Scuba Schools International), confirms the enthusiasm: “We have more than 1 000 siren monitors all over China and the sport continues to grow. ” She adds :
Skeptics see it as an activity only for children and women. But I can assure you that mermaiding is a sport for everyone. My husband loves it. ”
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