So you are a mermaid- what now?

While recruiting mers for my waterballet group, I noticed that there are countless "mermaid school"-swimming courses for beginners everywhere- most of them targetted at children-, but very little for people who already are practiced mers and now are looking to do something more with it than just the one con or so a year.

While there are also some training camps for intermediate swimmers, the goal always seems to be becoming a mermaid, but where is the fun stuff for those who already can do what such courses offer?

Is it simply too niche?
Do people feel they are not "there" yet and need more practice before joining something that has being a mermaid as prerequisite?
Is there simply no interest in further mermaid activities other than donning a tail and then decoratively sitting with it?
I struggle to understand the reason why it is so difficult to find more people for fun mer events/groups, because the possibilities are virtually endless.

A few ideas/stuff I've tried:

-mermaid LARP.
Getting together in a suitable location (for example, a small lake in a less frequented area) and doing some old fashioned LARP, but with the participants being mers.
For longer sessions, one could book accommodations nearby and also include time on land -great opportunity to be creative with mermaidy land costumes!
(I know there are some LARPS which have the odd mermaid in it, mostly as NPCs, but I was looking for something focusing on mermaid life and activities plus a lot of swimming)

-mermaid swimming/dancing groups.
practicing musical choreographies, synchronized underwater tricks and other fun stuff in regular group meetings.
If the group remains stable, giving performances or even touring is a possibility.

-mermaid circle.
meet-up group for mers interested in spirituality and nature protection.
Could also be simply for doing stuff together either on land or in water- be it swimming,
dancing, singing, making costumes.


I have tried initiating things like these as regularly occurring events, but despite the overwhelming number of pools now featuring "mermaid courses", everything here is always aimed at smaller kids.
It seems a lot more vibrant and popular in the US.
From what I can tell, apart from some "Miss"-Competitions, adults in Europe seem rather uninterested and/or uncomfortable participating.

Larping with pool noodles as a form of joust could be fun. Might have to get a couple and try that. One fellow in the Perth pod is a great advocate of tail chasey which is fun, but crabsticks, it gives you a workout!

Sadly I don't have a tail yet... But I would really love participating in meet-ups/courses with a special theme (especially the LARP sounds really great, because roleplaying is my passion since the teenager time :D)!

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Originally Posted by The Pool Orca

(especially the LARP sounds really great, because roleplaying is my passion since the teenager time :D)!

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right?
I've taken part in several larp events in Germany. They have a very large and active community with high standards.
Meaning, they expect you to shell out a LOT for looking your part.
A bit restrictive with what races are allowed and which aren't, sadly.
I mean, I wanna see someone going "nah, you can't be a real mermaid" when I'm in my tail and swimming away from them like a fish, BUT doing that in a german lake somewhere, even during summer, would probably result in me frezing to death eventually
:lol:

Hmmmh yeah. You would probably need a lake that's really warm (or just stay on the top two metres in summer) in germany^^. And it would probably be easier to have a merfolk only larp...
but any of your ideas pretty much sound awesome. Especially since I know when I get my tail, that there isn't much around to do with it besides swimming in pools when they're mostly empty. (You may know that people in germany are pretty easily angered about people swimming with 'equipment'... at least in my city)

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Originally Posted by The Pool Orca

Especially since I know when I get my tail, that there isn't much around to do with it besides swimming in pools when they're mostly empty. (You may know that people in germany are pretty easily angered about people swimming with 'equipment'... at least in my city)

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haha, yeah.
It depends on the venue, but I've been frowned at and gotten ill-tempered remarks for wearing a pair of minizoomers :p
meanwhile, "Kampfschwimmer" hitting the people in the adjoining lanes left and right with their paddle boards do not even get a second glance because...no idea why actually.

Anyway, let me know when you got your tail. Depending on where you live, maybe we can start something up.
Do you know how to go about starting a mermaid-focused LARP?
I mean there is larper.ning, but I've only seen one other mermaid on there besides me.

I agree there are not enough swimming based events. I am in the US and we can be in character at lots of dry events (Fairs, parties) but that's not appealing. I don't mind in practice being the only one hanging out underwater making drawings and photos but I would like to get inspiration from other people doing it.

Oh yeah, those people with paddles are the worst :D (well, sometimes I'm one of them, too... but I'm a really careful guy and only use them on swimmer lanes. But I'm also one of the people who always argues that we all would have it much easier in the pool if people would just sort themselves on the lanes based on speed, even if no cords are in there to separate them...)
Well I don't have much experience with larps, especially seeing the page you named for the first time (thanks for the info btw :D). But if it all works out I would love to do some stuff and not be afraid of 'getting my hands dirty' with planning and stuff. But maybe something easier than a larp or something of the like would be best for starters~

I'm from NRW, to be more exact near Düsseldorf btw.

Having dedicated lanes for different speeds would be great.

While some of my pools do have a "fast swimmer"-lane, it is often occupied by either slow swimmers, or overcrowded with too many people with all differing speeds, which means even normal swimming is difficult, nevermind diving :p

If you're new to LARP, I recommend doing some cons first and see how it works. You should be able to find something you like on the ning or the larp calendar.

Probably. I always wanted to get into larping (at least as NPC), but I'm not very mobile since I don't have a car and travel by train tends to be really cumbersome and pricey, and I'm saving for a tail right now xD

I've seen your post, sadly BaWü is really far away. Would've loved to join someday Q.Q xD Maybe I can get something similar up and running when I get my tail.
It would be really nice to have a network of merfolk from all over germany to connect and stuff! That would be pretty cool *o*

I would love a mermaid larp, unfortunately, i am unable to travel far though.

distance is always a problem.
It's what made maintaining my group so difficult. :/

I hope you can find something similar in your vicinity!

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Originally Posted by Echidna

distance is always a problem.
It's what made maintaining my group so difficult. :/

I hope you can find something similar in your vicinity!

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there isnt anything in my area sadly and i am not one to make one myself.