{{Short description|Type of aquatic therapy}} {{for multi|the film|The Waterdance|the song by Raffi|Baby Beluga}}
'''WaterDance''' or '''Wata''' (abbreviation from the German ''WasserTanzen''<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://waterdance.world/en/wata/|title=WATA - Waterdance|last=Brunschwiler|first=Arjana|work=Waterdance|access-date=2018-01-09|language=en-GB}}</ref>) is a type of aquatic therapy which was developed in Switzerland independently of Watsu. While wearing nose clips, a person is gently guided underwater, pulled, swayed, and "flown" while being regularly brought to the surface for breath.
== Overview ==
WaterDance (also known as Wasser Tanzen or WATA), developed by Arjana Brunschwiler<ref>Dull, H. 2008. Watsu: freeing the body in water, 4th edition. Watsu Publishing. p.180. {{ISBN|978-1605853710}}.</ref> and Aman Schroter in the 1980s, has been called "an underwater three-dimensional journey where time and space lose their meaning".<ref name=GeorgeWaterDance1996>{{cite web|last=George|first= A.|year= 1996|title= What is WaterDance? Aquatic Writings|url= http://www.aquaticwritings.com/overview2.html}}</ref> WaterDance emphasizes gentle flowing movement underwater. After being stretched and relaxed at the surface, the receiver is given a noseclip, to prevent water from entering the nasal passages, and then gradually guided entirely underwater. Touch or movement signals are used to communicate when the receiver is to be submerged, and the therapist carefully times submersion to ensure the receiver has a full breath. Movement is coordinated with breath and incorporates elements of massage, Aikido, dolphin and snake-like waves, rolls, somersaults, inversions, and dance.<ref name=Becker2011>{{cite book|last1= Becker|first1= BE|last2= Cole|first2= AJ|year= 2011|title= Comprehensive aquatic therapy|edition= 3|publisher= Washington State University Press|url= http://www.comprehensiveaquatictherapy.com/CAT3/Home_Page.html|accessdate= 20 March 2014|archive-date= 20 March 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140320171217/http://www.comprehensiveaquatictherapy.com/CAT3/Home_Page.html|url-status= dead}} {{ISBN|978-0615365671}}</ref><ref name="dull2008">{{cite book|last=Dull|first= H. |year=2008|title= Watsu: freeing the body in water|edition= 4 |publisher= Watsu Publishing}} {{ISBN|978-1605853710}}.</ref>
== Applications == *Relaxation *Physical Rehabilitation
== See also == *Massage (Watsu) *Healing Dance
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Aquatic therapy}}
Category:Aquatic therapy Category:Hydrotherapy Category:Manual therapy