He Haohao, a young woman born in the 1990s in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, is the dancer of an underwater performance titled “Pray,” which has gone viral since it hit Henan TV on Saturday. She has visited Dapeng New District many times to participate in the census, planting and protection of corals, Shenzhen Economic News reported.

A scene from the underwater dance performance “Pray.” 

In her performance, He, a former synchronized swimmer, elegantly portrays the goddess of Luohe River – a mysterious beauty best known in Cao Zhi’s poetry during the Three Kingdoms period.

She learned to swim at the age of 6. When she was 8 years old, she joined a synchronized swimming team in Guangzhou and won several national championships with her team. After retiring from the swimming team, she enrolled in the School of Journalism & Communication, Guangzhou University.

 He Haohao prepares her diving gear in this 2018 file photo.

Currently, she is a coach for SSI (Scuba Schools International) diving and a volunteer for marine environment protection.

She was selected by director Stephen Chow to act in his “The Mermaid” film. She was a stuntwoman for the heroine, Lin Yun, during tough underwater swimming scenes.

He Haohao (4th from R) visits Shenzhen as the champion of the Miss Scuba China 2017.

The year 2017 was a turning point for He. She won first place in the Miss Scuba China 2017. She also acquired an SSI coach certificate and became one of the first coaches in China.

The success of “Pray” comes from her long-time training in terms of stability, smoothness and how long she can hold her breath underwater.

The one-minute and 55-second performance in “Pray” is an achievement of a three-day shooting. He spent almost eight hours underwater each day.

He Haohao attends the first National Coral Day in Dapeng.

Besides being an SSI coach, He is also a passionate environmentalist advocating for preserving marine biodiversity. On June 9, 2018, she got involved in the first China Coral Census at Yangmeikeng in Dapeng New District, where “The Mermaid” was filmed.

He Haohao gives a lecture on marine protection in Shuitou Community, Dapeng New District in 2018.

As a representative of Miss Scuba, she taught a marine knowledge publicity class at Shuitou Community in Dapeng. In addition, she took part in many of Shenzhen’s environmental events, such as planting corals and clearing up marine trash. On the first National Reef Day in 2020, He became one of China’s first coral reef preservation volunteers.

Liao Baolin, a high-level engineer with the Shenzhen Institute of Guangdong Ocean University, praised He’s swimming and diving skills. “We hold charity events regarding marine life from time to time. Every time, we invite He to join, and she always tries her best.”