performances in groups?

**Delphinus** · 04-22-2015, 03:30 PM

Since I don't have any experience yet, I was wondering if there would be any pros or cons in working in a group for events? It seems fairly logical that photo shoots would be more flexible, but I'd like to eventually get into the aspects involving performing, and I see a lot of solo acts when hired by different places. Is there any plus or negative to trying to get a little group together for gigs? (I was thinking of trying to assemble about 3 or 4 mers, once I'm able to get myself off the ground and into the water) Good idea? Bad? I'd appreciate any thoughts!

**Echidna** · 04-22-2015, 04:51 PM

I love performing with a group, but it is significantly more difficult to put together a show act with several people compared to a solo, especially if the associated medium is water.
As a group of dancers, any bigger room will do for rehearsals, but with mers, you need a pool that is open when all of your planned members have time, and the schedule must coincide with free lanes/space in the pool, and so on.
Then sometimes there is a risk that someone will take your ideas if you have a special act or performance, and once they have it down, they simply go solo with your stuff.
It's not nice when that happens, so I understand when people don't wish to bother with a group.

Also, you probably will have higher expenses and lesser income with a group due to division, especially if the others expect to be paid before putting in effort

Unless with performance, you mean donning a tail and then swimming about a bit, which won't need endless rehearsals.

Whether you go solo or with a group, I wish you luck.
(In a group is more fun imo, but also more hassle depending on whom you find)

**Seatan** · 04-22-2015, 05:01 PM

in a group=loads more fun
alone=much more room

The downside of performing with other mers (even if you are not doing an orchestrated performance) is what I call the "out in space effect." AKA, you have two more directions to worry about than you do on land: Up and down. When you're just swimming it's not usually a big deal because people tend to stay near the surface and because feet are pretty small. But when you are swimming with fins you tend to be beneath the surface and you're flapping a huge fin around. It is VERY easy to hit someone in the face, descend on top of someone, or get hit in the face by someone above you because people don't tend to look up and down before moving--it's not in a landlubber's nature to worry about those directions. Beginner SCUBA divers are a hilarious sight to see, and I have found mers who haven't claimed one area as their own tend to have even more of a problem since they usually aren't wearing goggles and can't see as well as SCUBA divers! So definitely give it some practice before swimming with someone else with ANY type of large fin in a space as confined as a swimming pool. One thrust of a monofin can get you halfway down a pool length, so you don't have much time to think before you move!

**Delphinus** · 04-24-2015, 02:29 AM

You think it would be worth writing out a story, or do you think that the downside to group mer projects is too risky? As an author, I'd love to try my hand at writing out something for a few mers to be able to do for various applications (parties, birthdays, etc, events, etc), but now I'm a little concerned about it. :|

I've always been in love with writing and performing, and I feel that I could get something fun together.