You’d swear it’s a mirage. The same face of disbelief as if you saw a corrupt politician resign. It is inevitable: as soon as the blind is raised, a swirl of curious in front of the window. Passers-by stop dead, they rub their eyes as if they had just seen Barça win, there are those who blow kisses in the air. Only the crab is missing ‘The little Mermaid’ giving you elbows But what does one do? siren in Ciutat Vella?
Mermaiding House, announces the sign at the entrance (Corders, 13). This Friday has opened the first “mermaid house” from Barcelona. Here they are sold and rented tails scales of all sizes. They are not costumes, no: these queues are used to swim really, with monofins camouflaged under the scales. Soon they will also organize sessions of ‘merfit‘: fitness with tail. “To have a laugh with the mermaid instructor & rdquor ;, Andreina advances.
Andreina Mermaid, Presents itself. Mermaid = siren in English. A Disney casting would pass without batting an eyelid: he can last 4 minutes under water and his hair reaches his scales, as Wikipedia dictates. Venezuelan with removable tail, 36 years old. She has been earning a living in Barcelona as a mermaid for six years. “professional mermaid&rdquor ;, he says with a routine touch. “I have already gotten used to being looked at strangely when I say what I do & rdquor ;, she laughs.
there are a few mermaids on LinkedIn. Professional outings with scales? “Teaching is a way –replies the Venezuelan-. Others are dedicated to modeling Already luxury party events. There are sirens that go with their tanks, like giant fish tanks, to do shows & rdquor ;. It was his intention: to open a store with a tank to swim in. “But they did not give permission & rdquor ;.
In the US they were already made mermaid performances in hotels in 1953, details the bible with scales: ‘The Mermaid handbook’by Carolyn Turgeon. At this point, there are international meetings, caravans like the Coney Island Mermaid Parade and bars with aquariums where mermaids swim (see Sip ‘n Dip Lounge of Great Falls, Montana). “Sirens are everywhere & rdquor ;, attests the author. “In the US it is very popular, very popular & rdquor ;, Andreina snorts. Now in Spain it is beginning to evolve, she adds. “But a very big job is still needed to continue making it known & rdquor ;. Soon she will take out a online course to learn to be a mermaid. “Focused on those who want to start in the world -advances-. The business opportunities what’s up & rdquor ;.
Six years ago Andreina opened the first mermaid academy in Barcelona. Teaches swimming with a tail in the pools Picornell. 5,000 people have already passed through his classes, he calculates. “There are mothers who tell me: ‘My daughter gets into the bathtub to wait for her scales to come out’”. But not all girls are overdosed on Disney princesses. have also been sighted 74 year old mermaids and a lot triton. One third of the students are children and parents. “sports are done&rdquor ;, promises the Venezuelan. How many mermaids have you seen with cellulite?
It is known as “mermaiding&rdquor ;: swimming with a mermaid tail. “The new sport that causes fury& rdquor ;, fitness gurus have insisted for years. “Now it is much more & rdquor ;, guarantees Andreina. The concept has spread to other scaled hobbies: train design, collecting, jewelry, crowns, decoration…
The Little Mermaid would leave here with the Visa shaking. It seems the Zara of the sirens. From the hangers hang tails of all colors, monofins, scaled ‘leggings’. You can see mirrors with shells, crowns that Ariel would like, seahorses in necklace format, posters that warn that “a mermaid lives here&rdquor ;, in case you had not noticed.
What makes you want to pour a bucket of water on yourself to see if scales come out, like in the movie ‘Splash‘? Here anyone can become a mermaid/merman without getting soaked: below they have a giant shell mini-study for express photos. “We rent the queues, either to do a photo shoot or because you want to try it out at sea,” reports Andreina. It is recommended to exercise abdominals before trying pose with tail if you don’t want to appear in the photos looking like you’re looking for Nemo.
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You have to come with time: it is more difficult to choose a mermaid tail than a pair of jeans. They are of all colors. Silicone, lycra, neoprene. With generic scales and own designs. here they are from 75 euros to 350. There are even 20,000. “You want to see mermaid skin Really? & rdquor ;. Andreina now takes a piece of scales from a mini-trunk that looks like it was rescued from a shipwreck. She makes them with silicone.
They plan to set up craft workshops and even fitness sessions with a mermaid tail: ‘merfit‘, they have already baptized him. The co-founder of the Mermaiding House, Sergio Gomariz, is a fitness instructor. “The objective is to work the muscles of the legs, buttocks and abdomen – he advances – using a monofin and a lycra lining in the shape of a mermaid’s tail & rdquor ;. It is assumed that more calories are burned with flakes: just for the laughs of seeing how you move on the floor with the same ease as if you were in a Leticia Sabater video. “You see – Andreina laughs – that it is not easy to be a mermaid, isn’t it?”.