Weeki Wachee Auditions?

[MermaidCelesteFL]

So, auditions for Weeki Wachee are this weekend, and I'm totally trying out for it (despite the fact that I live in Orlando). I'm not concerned about the 400 yd swim as much as I am about the underwater portion. They seem to be very vague about what is expected of applicants.

Any tips?

[Mermaid Harmony]

Can you do flips, barrel rolls, bubble kisses or anything? Have you ever done any type of dance, I think just looking comfortable in the water and a willingness to try new tricks will go a long way, but I don't know for sure.

[Marie-Josie Cayer]

Good luck for your audition! Be the graceful mermaid you always wanted to be in your heart!

[Mermaid Isabel(:]

Part of the underwater audition is to see if you're comfortable and if you look attractive underwater I believe I read somewhere. Good luck on your audition!! Break a fin ;)

[AniaR]

When I went there they said every girl had to do the deepest dive

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[MermaidCelesteFL]

I wonder how deep that is...?

I have complete faith I can do it, as I can do 30+ feet without a fin, but it's something to keep in mind.

[Echidna]

According to MerMarla, who worked at Weeki, a deep dive can be anything between 80 and 117 feet.

[Mermaid Linda Stephanie]

Saw this a while ago…maybe it could give you some insiders to get ready for your auditions, good luck! :-)

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-04-03/odd-jobs-professional-mermaid

[Meilyn]

I'd kill to swim in heated waters :/ It's a nice 40-55 degrees around me when I swim...

[Green Tea Mermaid]

MermaidCeleste did you go? I wish I would have seen this forum earlier. I live in the Orlando area and I went to the audition. I passed the first two parts of the audition and I have the interview portion on Friday.

[MermaidCelesteFL]

I did go to the auditions and passed both portions but haven't heard anything yet. When did you hear something back?

[Green Tea Mermaid]

They called contacted me a few hours after the audition.

[MermaidCelesteFL]

If you were contacted that soon, I don't think I got in. I thought I nailed it, too. Were you in my group? I was at the 0815 group, I was number 12.

[Green Tea Mermaid]

I know there are two days for interviews. They may wait till after the first round to contact others they are interested in for day two interviews. I was in the 10:15 group. I would have liked to meet you.

[Mermaid Harmony]

So what happened? Any news?

[MerEmma]

I'm also curious how deep you had to dive!

[Green Tea Mermaid]

I'm 99.99% sure I didn't get it. They said they were going to call today and it's about 10 and nothing. However, I am glad that I made it as far as I did.
@Meremma: They did not have us deep dive. I believe that is part of the training once you are hired.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

How did you go clearing those 13 big windows on one breath? Must have amazing lung capacity!

[AniaR]

I'd kill to swim in heated waters :/ It's a nice 40-55 degrees around me when I swim...

ditto usually colder for us actually

[Green Tea Mermaid]

We didn't have to clear the windows as part of the audition. I think that is requirement if you are hired before you reach mermaid status.
I personally think i didnt get it because of my commute. It's an 1 1/2 drive for me and they brought it up several times during the interview. I told them that being from Southern California I am used to those commute times and with much heavier traffic than FL, but to Floridians I've noticed that that seems crazy lol. They even asked if I would relocate. So I am sure this was a huge factor for them.

[AniaR]

I'll be honest and not to make anyone feel bad I think being a mermaid would work against you. When I visited in 2012 they said they had issues with people acting inappropriate in their own mermaid tails at the park so they had to ban them. And I could see from their end it being a conflict of interested. They shut down their camps for younger mermaids because a pro mermaid took all the material and tried to create competition for their classes. I can very easily see them going for someone with no experience because less of a chance of 1. People exploiting them and 2. Viewers thinking you represent weeki off site or your company on site

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[MermaidCelesteFL]

@AniaR- I think that's the reason why I didn't get in. One of my friends who is friends with the head mermaid tipped them off(meaning well, of course) that I had worked with another company as a professional mermaid- and my skills definitely reflected that. It's not that I didn't do well in the auditions, it's probably that I'm already an established mermaid with a history of performing. They probably wanted fresh material. Either that, or they noticed my little amount of belly fat. I dunno.

[Mermaid Heather]

Hi ladies, interesting discussion! I tried out too and thought I 'd nailed the water portion, but didn't get an interview either, though they told me I would as I left the water that day. So I guess that is what was against me too: The belly fat, and being from Gainesville (though I would have relocated, had they asked). I would think my age/maturity/education would have helped me in terms of showing I could behave properly in my off hours, but I guess too old is too old. Sorry you ladies didn't make it either :(

[Rivertee]

My sympathies to the mers who didn't make it but out of curiosity how many of you mers are stationed in FL?

[Green Tea Mermaid]

I am from the Orlando area, about 1 1/2 hours away from Weeki Wachee.

[Rivertee]

Hmmm I heard that they don't usually hire people who live out of state so that shouldn't have been an issue.

[Green Tea Mermaid]

I think they didn't like that I wasn't too willing to relocate because they asked me if I would consider it and I told them I just moved, but possibly in the later future I would consider it.

[MermaidCelesteFL]

I'm from Orlando too. Around the Kissimmee Area.

[Gem Stone]

Now that Weeki Wachee is run by the state, it's a lot harder on them to do things. They can't even practice without four rescue divers in the water with them! So some of this frustration may be state requirements and not nessecarily Weeki Wachee issues.