What is CI in WATER? I would answer with the words of a friend of mine: "It is even more impressive, than swiming with dolfins!"

CI in water is a spontaneous dance beyond the boundaries of weight and gravity, out of dimensions and limitations. It is a dance with no effort, in wich I let the water make the work instead of me. It is a dance about getting rest and letting go everything that is unnesessary - thoughts, rush, doing... It is about presense in the moment, an experience of dissolution. It is also a big tenderness and care, something forgotten and childish, and also something of motherhood. It is a deep experience of acceptance, slowing down, connecting with yourself...

For the practice of CI in water we start with elements of watsu, a water-bodywork, that lets the body to relax, tunes it into the state of non-doing, helps it to open-up and trust the water, to get the support from water.

Also we learn to exhale into water and go with the head under water. Even if you never have done it, gradually you will get it easy, letting go of the fears and tensions that are connected with water. For dancing you may use a swimming mask, or swimming glasses and a nose clip, so water does not get into your eyes and nose. Being in the state of relaxation, we consume much less oxygen, that being in a worried state. That is why, dancing CI in water, we don't really need to inhale as often as when we swim. The inhale becomes something natural, organically entered in a dance flow.

Description of CI in water on web-site of Manuela Blanchard:
http://www.earthandwaterdance.com/earth-and-waterdance-ci-in-water.html

Blog with pictures and texts (in French and German):
http://www.earthandwaterdance.com/blog-workshops-inspirations--pictures....

Photos by Miriam Groener