Somatic ocean dives: Fluid and resilient corporealities in Merger as Research

This text presents some experiences of somatics in the sea, part of continuous research projects happening in the last fifteen years under my coordination at Federal University of Bahia, Brazil. Along continuous research projects, I have devised a mode of Practice as Research which I have named as Merger as Research (MaR). The present text focuses on MaR in relation to the transformation of traumatic experiences in creative ecoperformative integrative processes. First, MaR is presented in its main premises and transdisciplinary background, concerning oceanic culture, decolonial theory, trauma and disability studies. Activities’ procedures are related to specific somatic principles, concepts and practices, as well as to free diving techniques, aquatic dance and acrobatic movements. Some themes explored include flotation, breathing, Basic Neurocellular Patterns, midline, lateral line, resilience, integration between human and more-than-human beyond bipedalism, and ecocentrism.