Water ballet is generally known as Artistic Swimming or Synchronised Swimming. Water ballet was created by Annette Kellerman in 1891 in Germany.
This sport can be performed in different ways such as solo, duet, trio, mixed duet, free team or free combination. Water ballet is also an Olympic sport. Some positions in water ballet are Back layout, Back leg, Bent knee, Crane, Double ballet leg, Flamingo, Front layout, Split position, Knight and tub.
Types of routines
There are two types of routines called Technical routine and Free routine. A Technical routine is when you perform set movements in a specific order to prearranged music. A Free routine is created by the swimmers, with no restrictions on choreography or music. Free routines allow the synchronised swimming team to reveal both its technique and artistry. However, these are guided by certain rules.
The rules for water ballet are, No Touching the Bottom, No Bling, No Goggles, Team Means Team, Stick To the Schedule.
When you do water ballet you should never breathe as your head is underwater most of the time and with certain movements it’s very common that water may flow inside the nose and cause discomfort which will disrupt the ballet. To prevent this from happening nose clips are used as they block all the possible ways of water getting in.
My likeness for this sport is because it’s unusual and allows me to be free and flexible. Water ballet a mix of ballet, gymnastics and swimming in one activity. There is also a particular type of make-up that you have to wear which is waterproof.
Training for competitions
The costumes are really attractive and stunning. Above all it allows me to dance in the water to any type of music, giving me the opportunity to show off the character I portray.The part I enjoy most in the sport is training for competitions which is also very tiring.
Training is usually fun as you sometimes train in the rain and you learn new moves and spend time with your friends. Then again at this time, due to Covid-19 these fun days are yet to come. But we keep up our flexibility through online physical training. Although water ballet may seem easy it takes much hard work and effort to bring together the final act. I know it will pay off someday.
When I was in Grade 4, I was told in school that we were allowed to join different types of sports appropriate for our age. When my class teacher gave me the list of sports I found Artistic Swimming, which I always wanted to try out as my mom had been an Artistic Swimmer herself during her school days. I decided to try it and see what it was like and it was overwhelming!
Water ballet videos
Most of the time, I watch many water ballet videos on YouTube and I continuously hear my mom blaring at me saying to do my schoolwork and to watch them during my free time. But in a matter of seconds, I realise that artistic swimming is so beautiful that even my mom halts her scolding eventually and begins to watch with me in amazement.
We both watched the Olympics this time and argued on the results. All the teams were spectacular.
I gained much from synchronised swimming as I developed my swimming skills, met new friends, developed my ballet skills and learned a lot of team work. I even developed my endurance and flexibility, learning new words and moves to add to my dancing abilities.
My goal is to become an Olympic winner one day, representing my country for Synchronised Swimming which will also bring fame to my school from where I began my jpurney in synchronized swimming.
Mckaella Karunaratne
Grade 6
Ladies’ College, Colombo 7