Free diving is the ultimate spiritual training. The deeper you go, the closer you get to death, and the closer you get to death, the brighter your life becomes.
Pole dancer, free diver, model, flower essence therapist, Reiki therapist, stretch trainer. LuCyCo has many faces. She charms many people with her natural beauty and warm writing that exudes her personality, but the origin of her is surprisingly "lack of confidence."
--You have many different titles and are active in the industry, but first of all, please tell us how you got started in pole dancing.
I started pole dancing when I was 20 years old. I saw an article in a magazine titled "Lose weight all over your body with pole dancing" and started it for the purpose of losing weight. I went to a trial lesson without knowing what pole dancing was, and it reminded me of a child, like a climbing pole, and I really enjoyed it. So I started taking lessons, but I never thought of making it my job.
I became a dancer when I was inspired by a professional dancer who was performing at ageha, which was the mecca for pole dancing at the time, and I contacted her, even though I didn't know her. She's still someone I'm indebted to, and she was really kind to me, and introduced me to a job in a show.
I had never danced in front of people and didn't know how to perform, but they gave me a lot of support, saying, "You can do it. All you have to do is stand there." And I made my debut at the age of 24. I was very shy and lacked confidence, but I gained confidence when customers praised me, saying, "You looked cool" and "I was moved." However, at the age of 26, I thought about quitting pole dancing.
Everyone around me was desperately trying to perfect their skills in order to enter a competition, but I couldn't find the motivation to do that, and I started to wonder if there was any point in me being a pole dancer. When I realized I had to face myself, I started to seriously study flower essences.
Actually, after graduating from university, I couldn't find what I wanted to do, so I lived in Switzerland, where my roots are. I lived in a share house without relying on my relatives, but I'm originally shy and not a very yelling person (lol), so I got homesick and lonely. That's when I found flower essences at a pharmacy and I was really into it. I thought, That's it! Flower essences! I studied them properly and started taking care of myself, and I was able to continue pole dancing.
- So pole dancing was what led you to become a flower essence therapist! What prompted you to start free diving?
It all started when I went to Okinawa for work in 2019.
Aka Island in Okinawa has very clear water, and when I went snorkeling in the ocean that is praised by divers from all over the world, I felt for the first time in my life that "There are such beautiful places on Earth. Thank you, Earth."
Society has changed due to COVID-19, and I personally felt like I had accomplished everything I could do with my life in Tokyo, so I immediately decided to move.
I wanted to enjoy snorkeling more, and I simply wanted to spend more time in the ocean, so I looked up ways to hold my breath underwater, and the only thing I could think of was free diving. What is free diving? I didn't really want to dive vertically, but I got my license anyway. From then on, I was hooked.
The more you learn, the more you become yourself.
Since I started free diving, a lot of things have changed. In pole dancing, it's important to be strong. You have to be really strong, with all your nerves stretching through your muscles, your fingers, and your toes, so that your techniques and poses are perfect and you look beautiful even just standing there.
The ocean is the opposite. You can't keep breathing unless you let go and relax. It made me realize how bad I am at relaxing.
At first, I was conflicted by the strong desire to dive cleanly, quickly and deeply, but as I surrendered myself to nature, I began to realize that there was no need to be so tense and that it was okay to just be myself.
People in the ocean world are really good at relaxing. They don't care about others, and they don't compare themselves to others. Records are also a battle with yourself. I realized that I've always been comparing myself to others. Compared to other dancers, who is more popular? Who gets more tips? And so on. It's not just about ability, it's also about luck and timing, so there's no point in comparing myself. I was checking my own worth by comparing myself to others. The world of dance is a battle for dominance, and it's an environment where you can't hold your own without a sense of rivalry or competition with others, so I always separated my friends from my enemies.
I used to be very defensive and would confront people with hostility, but since I started free diving I've become able to brush it off easily.
I can dive deeper when the sea is rough than when it is calm. When the sea is calm, it's natural to be able to dive deeper, so I put pressure on myself to improve my record. When the sea is rough, I give up. I go in thinking that it's disgusting and I can't dive for long, but the sea is surprisingly calm, and I think, "Huh? Maybe it's easier to dive! And my record has improved!" (laughs).
When I start to have negative feelings like I'm scared or I might not be able to do it, I can't keep diving. Normally I can do it for 2 minutes, but now it only takes 30 seconds.
In the ocean, you can immediately feel the state of your mind and body. It's really fun because you get to know yourself better.
In free diving, you face nature with only your body, so the deeper you go, the closer you get to death. The closer you get to death, the more life shines. I think it's the ultimate sport for spiritual training.
-- At first glance, it seems like you just go with the flow, but it seems like you attract what you need. And Reiki is part of that, right?
I thought Reiki was very suspicious and scary (laughs).
I like fortune telling and I do flower essences, but I didn't believe in Reiki. But when I was really worried about work and my personal life, I experienced Reiki with some skepticism, and the worries I had at the time disappeared. Like, what was I worried about? It was a shock to see everything become a thing of the past and I was back to my center. I didn't even consult about my worries, I just received a treatment. I thought this was amazing, so I learned Reiki to get myself in order. It was a big deal to learn Reiki and get confirmation of what I had done and felt up until now.
What's interesting is that since I started doing Reiki, the reactions of dance audiences have changed completely. It feels like they're watching me, rather than my style or technique. I always imagine the sun inside me radiating light and that light filling the entire venue before I go on stage, but I've started getting comments from audiences like, "It's dazzling," "Your body was emitting a dazzling light," and "It's so dazzling I can't look at you." It makes me happy to know that people who understand can understand.
--Your flexible side, willingness to absorb anything, and your stoicism in mastering the things you're interested in, are what make you so appealing. What are your plans and goals for the future?
If it weren't for COVID, I was planning to go to Mongolia to train in contortion. I saw the play "O" by Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas and was fascinated by the world of water and contortion. It's strange that I moved to Okinawa unexpectedly and experienced the world of water. I feel that thoughts are connected. I think the sea, dance, flower essences, spirituality, everything is connected. The more I learn about various things, the more I become myself. It makes life easier.
It's really mysterious and I'm grateful, but rather than going out and grabbing something on my own, things are often decided by luck and connections with people. My dream is to produce a retreat that combines the sea and nature, but I'll leave it up to the universe to decide what will happen from now on.
After the interview
LuCyCo's way of life, which is like floating in the sea and letting yourself go, is the result of a series of coincidences and connections, but in a sense it feels like it was inevitable. I hope that many people will receive the message of her soul, which is not borrowed and can be spun out because she has experienced many things.
LuCyCo: Rushiko
lucyco_blue - Instagram
LUCYCO - note
