The Mermaid Institute – Be Ariel For A Day!

When in Manila, the privilege of being a mermaid is no longer confined to the likes of Charlene Gonzales and Anne Curtis. With the humble efforts of The Mermaid Institute, you too, can make your wildest ‘wet dreams’ come true!

Mermaids, like Unicorns, are a part of every young girl’s fantasy. From the flowing hair, to the vibrant fins that catch the light of the sun, everything about these fairytale creatures is magical. But being able to get a glimpse of what they are just brings you to a place beyond anything you can ever imagine!

Being one of the girly girls, I’ve had my share of Ariel and Dyesebel role playing moments. With the Little Mermaid topping my Disney favorites, I would often daydream about living under the sea. And like everyone else, I thought everything about being a mermaid was beautiful and light—I had no idea it was going to be one tough job.

Headed by Pro-Mermaid Roxy Barrios–who spends most of her days marinating in salt water or chlorine–being the product of a swimming coach and a scuba instructor trainer, The Mermaid Institute was born out of a genuine love for water and the will to share this passion with fellow water babies and dreamers like you and me!

Don’t we all need to work hard for our dreams, though? Before getting into this, you should at least know the basics of swimming and diving to ease you into the whole mermaid training. Like I said, it seems a lot harder than it looks but once you get the hang of it you’d be swimming from end to end in no time. It’s like working out in style!

Roxy has been giving swimming lessons since her teenage years and I can say that she is a natural. She has a very charismatic and endearing way of approaching kids. Oh, and she’s quite cute too! She is competent in anything aquatic and has significant mermaid experience in quite a number of Filipino films. Rest assured, you will be in very good hands.

Synchronized swimming is said to be a great intro to Mermaiding and you may want to consider this as it might give you an edge. The Mermaid Institute offers both brief and extensive courses on how to spotlessly swim like Ariel and Dyesebel, though.

If you want to experience the feeling of moving around in a mermaid’s tail and just trying it for kicks, they have the “Mermaiding” Intro Session (1500php), which is a 1.5-hour class that includes warm-up swimming exercises, basic dolphin kicks (a mermaid swimming technique) and swimming with the monofin and colorful tails.

Feel like having an intimate session with your friends? You may choose to arrange for the private sessions, as well! This will make you feel more at ease and confident about yourself. It’s also a lot more fun trying it out with your favorite gal pals. Ditch the slumber party and the cocktails for a change!

But for those who want to take Mermaiding seriously, kick it up a notch and go for the 5-Session Certificate Program (5500php). This comes with a marine conservation class, advanced mermaid swimming techniques including spins and hand stands, lots and lots of fun, and a one-of-a-kind certificate upon finishing, which indicates that you’re a PRO-Mermaid! Now isn’t that the coolest thing in the world?

I’m sure you or your kids would want all the bragging rights to this enviable title!

SCHEDULE OF CLASSES

-CORINTHIAN GARDENS-

5-SESSION CERTIFICATE COURSE

Mon|Fri|Sun – 9:00-10:00AM

1-SESSION INTRO COURSE

Sunday – 8:00-9:00AM

-GREENMEADOWS-

5-SESSION CERTIFICATE COURSE

Tue|Thur|Sat – 9:00-10:00AM

1-SESSION INTRO COURSE

Saturday – 8:00-9:00AM

Both courses also come with a photo shoot, so you can forever remember the day your dreams came to life!

The courses are open to boys and girls of all ages, though they would refer to boys as mermen instead. I would also recommend that the kids go through the 5-session program because of its slower-paced nature and the educational aspect that comes with it. However I assure you: no matter what age you are, you definitely need to try this at least once in your life! If it doesn’t give you the excitement of living a fantasy, the challenge of the routine itself will surely get your adrenaline pumping.

Lessons start on March 17 at Corinthians and Greenmeadows but are expanding to Manila Polo Club in Makati and The Palms in Alabang soon!

When in Manila, start making your mermaid dreams a reality and sign up with the Mermaid Institute!