By Alex Jones
FREESTYLING freedivers have been making waves underwater with a sensational sub-aquatic dance party.
The underwater party, held in a volcanic lake in The Philippines, shows some of the world’s finest freedivers showing off their best moves during a recent Deep Week Freediving Festival.
Freediving is the art of diving under water without the use of breathing apparatus, especially in deep water, holding their breath for staggeringly long amounts of time and reaching unfathomable depths.
Adam Stern, a world record breaking free diver who has dived 106 metres below the ocean’s surface – the same length as the Wembley football pitch – without scuba equipment, was delighted to capture the dancing on film.
“You’re looking at an underwater dance party in a volcanic lake,” explained Adam, 30, who is from Copacabana in Australia.
“Freedivers just having a blast underwater and trying out their moves without gravity!
“Years ago at one of the first Deep Weeks Freediving Festival we thought it would be funny to film an underwater dance and since then we have done it at every single festival with the participants.
“People usually think that people dancing underwater is pretty incredible but then they take a freediving course with us and they’re dancing too – I believe that just about anyone can freedive.”
Although a relatively obscure sport, Adam relishes the competition of freediving and the community it brings together.
“I rarely meet a freediver that I don’t get on with,” he added.
“They just seem to be great, relaxed people. That’s probably what leads them to try to swim underwater on one breath.
“For me, freediving has been a constant process of self-discovery in which I have redefined my limits time and time again. And doing this so often in my diving has allowed me to use the same mentality and confidence in the rest of my life.
“I love nothing more than diving deep, extending my limits and exploring the ocean on one breath. During my off season I focus on teaching others to freedive. Encouraging people to explore the ocean and increase their abilities on one breath is something that I’m seriously passionate about.”
So to the big question, who’s the best dancer in the video?
“The best dancer was the flossing girl – everyone was great though, it’s just pure fun.”
For more information on Adam Stern or freediving, please visit http://www.adamfreediver.com/
