Interview with Fran: The Art of Fascia, Water, and Touch

In anticipation of the upcoming Biotensegrity training this August at Liquidzome, we sat down with Fran – founder of FasciaSoma and a deeply intuitive aquatic therapist – to explore the philosophy behind his work and what participants can expect from this immersive two-day experience in Sintra.

Liquidzome: Fran, your background is rich with different therapeutic modalities. How did your path bring you to the water?

Fran: My journey began in physiotherapy, but it wasn’t until I received my first aquatic session that something truly clicked. The body’s expression in water is different—freer, more truthful. It opened a door to a somatic language that continues to unfold today. That’s what led me to develop FasciaSoma, integrating fasciatherapy principles into the aquatic world.

Liquidzome: In the upcoming module on Biotensegrity, what are some of the key elements participants will experience?

Fran: We begin with an aquatic diagnosis—feeling into the body through water, listening through our hands. Then we explore the myofascial meridians of the limbs, pelvis, and shoulders. But we’re not just working on anatomy; we’re engaging with systems of adaptation and resilience. Biotensegrity teaches us that the body is not a machine of parts, but a living network of tension and fluidity.

Liquidzome: What role does touch play in this approach?

Fran: Touch is everything. But it’s not just about technique—it’s about presence. We work with the fulcrum, support points, and myofascial release techniques. These tools allow us to meet the body where it is, to invite change rather than impose it. In water, this becomes even more profound. It’s like dancing with the body’s memories and possibilities.

Liquidzome: What kind of people usually resonate with this training?

Fran: It’s a beautiful mix. I’ve had osteopaths, aquatic therapists, bodyworkers, dancers—people who are curious about the language of fascia and the intelligence of the body. But more than titles, it’s about openness. If someone comes with a willingness to listen, to feel, and to explore, they’re ready.

Liquidzome: Lastly, what makes this training at Liquidzome special for you?

Fran: Liquidzome is a space that breathes with nature. The architecture, the water, the silence—it all supports the kind of work we do. There’s something sacred about meeting in a place that already holds the intention of healing and presence.

Ready to join?

Biotensegrity takes place August 2–3, 2025, at Liquidzome in Sintra, Portugal.

Full info and registration: www.fasciasoma.com Or email: fasciasoma@gmail.com

To pre-booking your place now, you must go here in the Trainings tab.

Hugo Oliveira

Hugo Oliveira Aquatic Bodywork Practitioner at Liquidzome

Born and raised with a profound appreciation for nature, Hugo has seamlessly woven his love for the earth into their life’s journey. With time, his passion for the ocean led him to the practice of some water sports like swiming, surf and bodyboard where he found both exhilaration and tranquility riding the waves. In his pursuit of holistic well-being, Hugo ventured into the realm of bodywork, drawn to the healing potential of both land and water therapies. Guided by the principles of Ayurveda, he embarked on a path as a land massage practitioner, integrating ancient wisdom with modern techniques to nurture the body, mind, and spirit. As a water Watsu – Liquid Flow Essence – Fly Deeper – Aguahara – Water Dance practitioner Hugo has began his training in 2017 and since the last 7 years he has being giving sessions in Portugal, Bali and Thailand. For Hugo, life is an ongoing dance with the elements—a journey of love, connection, and harmony with the world he hold dear.

Book here a session with Hugo Oliveira

Hugo Paulino

Hugo is a holistic therapist who sees the human being as a whole in their emotional, social, spiritual, cognitive, and somatic ecosystem. He believes that commitment, trust, and cooperation are the foundations of a therapeutic relationship capable of elevating the individual experience.

His work in water emerges from his formative experience in Watsu, Water Dance, Prenatal Journey, and Shiatsu, alongside his studies in Anatomy, Physiology, Neuroscience, and Psychology. In session, he combines massage techniques and coordinated movement patterns with breathing, in total or partial immersion of the body.

The temperature (34°C) and the natural properties of water create the perfect environment for moments of deep relaxation, promoting motor and emotional release. Aquatic Therapy enhances a more regulated psychophysiological state, creating conditions to deal with stress, anxiety, (chronic) pain, and muscular tension.

This work can be seen as a therapeutic process, as a form of personal development, or as a recreational moment.

Violeta Aguiar Lapa

Aquatic Movement – Aquatic Therapy – Dance in water

Violeta is a person with an enormous sensitivity and went through a unique journey in discovering the element of water. Until a few years ago, she was afraid of the sea and big waves, a phobia that limited her and created constraints. She learned to swim and dance underwater. She then devoted himself to this vocation and her journey has been incredible. Founder of Oceans and Flow, she has taken dozens of people around the world on experiences that merge awareness of movement (or lack of) on land and water. Her main influences are Watsu, Flydeeper, Aquatic Doula, Embryology in water, psychological studies, free diving, sound healing with Tibetan bowls in water, meditation, Ai Chi, Yoga and Dragon Dreaming.

She researches the body “through different arts and body techniques, dancing in the water, freediving in apnea and more recently bodysurfing.” It was in the water that she found a purpose and a mission: “to take her message to more people and everything that this precious element allows us, facilitating experiences of self-knowledge and body awareness, through a unique set of experiences of reconnection with the water and with nature.”