AquaMermaid recently opened up their newest location of mermaid school in the Kitchener-Waterloo region.
AquaMermaid was founded in Montreal by Marielle Chartier Hénault, who created the idea as a way to introduce a new fitness activity while also bringing the childhood dream of being a mermaid to life.
Currently taking place at the Lyle Hallman Pool, this Monofin Mermaid dream is holding classes for birthday parties, bridal and bachelorette parties, regular classes for individuals and coming soon and workout classes.
“As we gain more interest we would have more or less a fitness class where people can return to and have a membership,” Courtney Johnston, manager of the K-W location, said. “We would do more regular workouts, focusing on primary muscles to get that high intense workout and getting in their cardio.”
KW is the newest location for the AquaMermaid school and has been introduced here because it is thought to have a population that would take advantage of the activity.
AquaMermaid plans to expand within the K-W region and begin lessons and workout classes in various pools. In addition to expanding, AquaMermaid Kitchener has been looking to branch into both Wilfrid Laurier University and University of Waterloo pools, hoping to provide the opportunity for students looking to participate in a more accessible location.
Participants will begin with the basics of learning to swim with the Monofin, focusing on swimming on your front and back and eventually a butterfly swimming motion to create that mermaid effect. After the basics, participants will be taught new techniques and tricks that you can do with your Mermaid fin, such as a mermaid ‘high-fin’.
Classes begin at 60 dollars and participants will be provided with the tools and guidance to learn how to swim like a mermaid. Tails come in various colours and sizes, ensuring a tail for anyone interested.
“We want to be able to bring this opportunity to you as best as possible,” Johnston said.
The popularity of this new swimming trend has increased since the company began. It has since become a franchise with nine locations in different cities across Canada and the United States. In addition, swimmers are now able to purchase their own mermaid fin to use outside of classes and at increasingly more public pools.
The new swimming technique has not only been popular for children; many adults have also attended classes of their own. AquaMermaid has noticed an increasing number of bachelorette and bridal parties and the new swimming style has become very popular for men and women between the ages of 20 to 35 years old.
“We are gaining more popularity and classes are becoming more frequent, and we’re trying to get people to come back as regulars [by] having that membership opportunity open,” Johnston said.
AquaMermaid ensures that the swimming style is completely safe. All classes have rented lifeguards, instructors and other employees to supervise. Children must pass two swim tests and be over the age of six. It is also very easy to take off the tail if the swimmer has to do so.
KW is the newest location for the AquaMermaid school and has been introduced here because it is thought to have a population that would take advantage of the activity.
“[It’s] great to have the opportunity to introduce that new fun activity to a city with a great population of younger people, whether it be students or young families,” Johnston said.
“And we do get a lot of senior citizens too, it’s a fun workout.”