Amsterdam 2023-2024
Sirens, originally depicted as humanlike beings with enchanting voices, make their appearance in the epic poem “The Odyssey”. They were described as large birds with women's heads, bird feathers, and scaly feet. Subsequent depictions portrayed Sirens with human upper bodies and bird-like legs. Their hauntingly beautiful songs had the power to mesmerize sailors, compelling them to either leap overboard in pursuit of the music or steer their ships into treacherous waters. In many ways, they share similarities with mermaids.
There are indications that the Sirens have reemerged in aquatic environments nowadays, individuals reporting sightings of these hybrid creatures. However, their appearance has slightly evolved: with nose clips, swim caps, and ultra-tight outfits, they no longer use their voice to mesmerize humans and now rely solely on their movements. These enigmatic beings thrive in freshwater settings, often adopting names like Splash, Dolphin, or The Achievers. They exhibit a genderless or predominantly female identity, swimming collectively in a synchronized and rhythmic manner. They engage in contests and specialized techniques, including the art of moving together in perfect synchrony, as well as executing flips with only their legs or tails submerged, reminiscent of graceful ducks.
Synchronized swimming. These water nymphs, daughters of the river gods and guardians of fresh water, exude a friendly demeanor, yet one must avoid startling them, for they possess the ability to strike with madness and pull you beneath the water's surface. This performance, akin to dolphin acrobatics, unfolds both underwater and above, showcasing their artistic prowess. The eight-headed creature moves in mesmerizing patterns and rhythmic formations, each nymph mirroring the other, adorned in identical attire with an eternal smile gracing their lips. Their individual movements, while incomplete on their own, gain significance through the collective motion of their fellow water nymphs. Just as for any aquatic being, their legs hold as much importance as their arms, deriving power from underwater kicks. Together, their bodies ascend above the water, propelled upwards in unison, while their heads sway rhythmically from side to side, purely in motion, devoid of external observation. Accompanied by bombastic music emanating from the speakers, the chaotic sounds and movements coalesce into intricate patterns and formations. The water nymphs remain silent, their mouths filled only with water, embodying pure fluidity. “Without rhythm, nothing can exist,” they declare, as tumbles and revolutions distort time itself, giving birth to meaning through rhythmic order. These enigmatic water nymphs, whose respiratory method remains uncertain, draw oxygen into their mouths while sealing off their noses, the only cavity resisting the liquid's embrace.
18 November 2023: Mini-regio Synchronized Swimming, Sloterparkbad Amsterdam
16 December 2023: Christmas Show, Sloterparkbad, Amsterdam
27 January 2024: NK Synchronised Swimming, Sportcomplex Koning Willem-Alexander, Hoorn
24 March 2024: NJK, Zwembad de Vrolijkheid, Zwolle
In this aquatic spectacle, words are absent, replaced by the symphony of splashing water and booming music. Bodies execute a series of seemingly pointless movements with ruthless precision.
From prone positions to inward rotations, their bodies maintain a vertical posture underwater, knees bent, big toes in contact with the inner sides of extended legs. They embody a hybrid nature, more fluid than solid, equipped with nose clips, frozen smiles, and legs extending perpendicularly from the water's surface. Their hinging legs execute reverse footwork, disappearing into the water only to reemerge in different formations. Hanging upside down, seemingly effortless, their arms serve as elegant stabilizers. Tracing living lines upon the water's surface, they engage in a ballet of appearance and disappearance, punctuated by pointed feet and scissoring legs, occasionally punctuated by heads or bodies breaking the surface or soaring into the air. This triumph of fluidity, with only feet visible above the water's edge, embodies the feminine essence, characterized by refinement, charm, and a remarkable ability to traverse liquid realms. Indeed, water nymphs reign supreme over fertile islands with unparalleled beauty, symbolizing the feminine's capacity to nurture life within the fluid confines of amniotic sacs. Thus, women embody the essence of life-giving fluidity within themselves.
Photographs taken during: Limieten Regio Age I, 30 September 2023, Amsterdam and NK Synchronised Swimming Hoofddorp, 27th of January 2024
NJK, 24 of March 2024, Zwolle
The underwater nymphs place significant emphasis on footwork. The foot has rediscovered its freedom, liberated from the firm ground, no longer burdened as the sole support of the human body. On land, the sirens feel uneasy, akin to a fashion show for penguins, with a meticulously practiced stride and hands rigidly at their sides. Body type, whether slender, robust, or stout, holds no significance underwater. The sirens exhibit a multitude of colours yet maintain a uniformity. They are colorful birds, a motley crew, highly eloquent and also noisy. Amidst pounding music, they move with unmistakable mime and gestures that are highly expressive.
The underwater nymphs don nose clips to keep water from entering their noses. They exude good humor, cheer, and exuberance, yet there's an underlying sense of menace and danger to them. They flourish in rhythm; the beat courses through their veins. Their movements are meticulously synchronized. Occasionally, albeit briefly, a nymph breaks away, performing her own solo, before seamlessly reintegrating into the collective once more. They move in groups, much like dolphins do, actually. They feel more comfortable in the group than apart. These nymphs willingly submerge themselves; they consciously seek out the depths, where they seem to thrive. Their femininity is distinctly present in their hairstyles, flamboyant swimsuits, and their fluid, expressive body language.They resemble each other, eight-headed twins, swimming sideways. They are musical, with the beat emanating from their bodily expressions.The audience applaud and cheer them on.It's a marvelous, magical underwater celebration.
Synchrobeat, 16 June 2024, The Hague
