South Florida Mermaids Team Up For Aqua Spectacles

MIAMI, FLORIDA — The founder of South Florida's only mermaid school is moving on to bigger seas. Charlotte Towne has teamed up with one of Florida's best known mermaid models — Miami Mermaid Elle — for a synchronized mermaid spectacular that has already found its way into Mar-a-Lago, the Mondrian South Beach hotel and may be coming to an event near you.

"It’s an upscale synchronized swimming mermaid entertainment company," explained Towne "We are the only performing mermaid troupe."

Called AquaViva, the show features Mermaid Elle, born Elle Jimenez; Towne, other mermaids and even two buff mermen.

"Nobody else does it. Our swimmers are beautiful mermaids," Jimenez explained. "All of the mermaids are gorgeous and they're great swimmers. Some are men. Some are models. We're starting to build our mermaid empire here in Florida and hopefully beyond."

Unfortunately, that means time is running out to take one of Towne's mermaid classes through AquaMermaid of South Florida.

The school has trained some 250 mermaid hopefuls since starting up in May of last year. It will be packing up its fins at the end of this May unless Towne can find someone else to take it over.

"The last opportunity would be Memorial Day weekend to either book a party or take a class," she shared. "I’m currently seeking another passionate mermaid who wants to continue on with this unique company that brings joy to everyone who experiences what we have to offer."

With a little mermaid and a little merman at home as well as an expanding law practice that specializes in entertainment law, Towne said she simply doesn't have enough hours in the day to pursue of all of her mermaid passions.

"I know everybody who swam with me or my instructors, they absolutely loved it. They will cherish their experience forever," she said of the classes. "When I posted on my personal Facebook and Instagram that I would not continue on after May, I had so many of my former students posting that they were going to miss me and how it was such an incredible experience."

Towne's weekly classes at local hotels teach students how to swim like a mermaid, wiggle into the mermaid tail and perform graceful mermaid moves.

"It truly is such a joyful experience and a magical experience," she said. "You feel beautiful. You feel powerful and you get a great workout on top of that."

The basic mermaid movement is called a dolphin kick with variations that include the Torpedo, Kangaroo, Corkscrew, Mermaid Shell-O and the Mermaid High Five. Students learn all of them.

The original AquaMermaid school was started in Canada three years ago but franchises splashed up in Chicago, Arizona, and Las Vegas before washing ashore in South Florida, where classes have been regularly offered at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa along with the Hotel Morrison in Dania Beach.

While hour-long mermaid lessons only cost about $60, the cost of a mermaid show ranges from about $500 for a single mermaid at an event up to $6,000 for a complete synchronized swimming show with a full troupe of six mermaids and mermen.

Jimenez and Towne said they initially bonded over a lifeguard certification course, which was difficult even by mermaid standards.

"We're blood mermaid sisters," said Towne.

For more information on the classes, visit AquaMermaid.com or call 866-279-2767. For information on booking a mermaid synchronized show through AquaViva call 305-833-3907 or visit MiamiMermaidElle.com.