Creative Capital: Singapore’s first professional mermaid not only performs but also teaches
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Artistic Capital: Singapore's first professional mermaid not only performs simply likewise teaches
Cara Neo is a mermaid, teacher and owner of ii companies. She also started the Singapore Mermaid Schoolhouse which, she says, is the first in the world to offer a progressive syllabus integrating theory and physical learning.
Cara Neo is Singapore's commencement professional mermaid. (Photo: Joshfather Photography)
29 Dec 2022 08:49AM (Updated: 21 May 2022 04:20PM)
If someone were to ask you to proper noun some of the physically most-enervating professions, acme of mind might exist things like ballet dancer, MMA fighter, or even mason. I'll wager y'all'd never remember "mermaid".
Firstly, it's not a profession that is ever height of mind, and secondly, if you lot've e'er seen a professional mermaid show, the young lady in the tail doing acrobatic flips under h2o looks like she'south have a wonderful fourth dimension.
But the reality is that that young lady is probably in much meliorate shape than you or I. And to be able to dispense her torso; hold her jiff long enough to requite you a good show; and smile with her eyes broad open (under h2o!), you have to be pretty darn physically and mentally tough.
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These are things I have learnt from Cara Neo, aka the Singapore Mermaid aka Syrena. Neo is our country's first professional mermaid, having begun her career part fourth dimension in academy and diving in full-time upon graduation.
She performs, teaches, and owns 2 companies. That terminal part is important. While Syrena is a performing mermaid, 27-year-one-time Cara Neo is a smart, passionate and adamant entrepreneur with a eye as big every bit the pools she swims in.
HOW DID THE SINGAPORE MERMAID Get HER Showtime?
It's been a lifelong journey. I like to retrieve that there are myriad little moments that have led upwardly to everything that has happened: fiddling Cara curled upward on a stormy night reading her favourite books most mermaids, faeries, and myths under the covers; little Cara gazing out over the body of water view at a bayfront eatery and imagining the blink of mermaid tails through the water; and little Cara running in a sunlit garden with her siblings and cousins and playing innumerable games of pretend.
All of these moments accept led to me becoming the person I am today, a person who takes a hard line that there is space – and indeed, a necessity – for magic in this world of steel and chrome. And then this person dipped her toes into the wonderful globe of "mermaiding" when she was in university. I stumbled upon this thing called a "swimmable mermaid tail", which I thought sounded like an absolute dream come up true. I got my outset tail, and started carving out a niche for myself in whimsical, novel mermaid performances.
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I really was blessed, because what started out equally a part fourth dimension task and a hobby grew to the bespeak that every bit soon every bit I graduated academy, I turned information technology into a total-time business.
Kids parties and corporate events were my staple, only after a few years I decided I wanted to expand and betrayal more people to this wonderful world of fantasy, fitness, grace, and strength.
That's how the Singapore Mermaid School was built-in. It's the showtime mermaid school in the world to offer a progressive syllabus integrating theory and physical learning. And more than that, it'southward a family, and a motility.
WHERE DID THE NAME SYRENA COME FROM?
It was a name from one of my childhood mermaid books. I loved the way it sounded and rolled off the tongue. Later, when I watched Pirates of the Caribbean area, I loved even more that it was also the proper name of the mermaid who took a gamble on humans and believed that there was good in them.
It was merely further on in my career, while performing for a Smoothen client that I discovered "Syrena" actually means "Mermaid" in Polish. So all the times I've introduced myself equally "Mermaid Syrena", I've been saying "I'thou Mermaid Mermaid"! Simply I guess it's a scrap too tardily to alter my proper noun now!
I UNDERSTAND YOUR Showtime SERIOUS TAIL, PURCHASED BACK IN 2013, Toll Due south$5,000. WAS SPENDING THAT MUCH A LITTLE SCARY FOR YOU? WHAT DID YOUR PARENTS THINK AT THE Time?
A little scary? At the time, information technology bordered on terrifying! It was something so new and unexplored on the marketplace, and no-i I knew personally had done information technology before. I can say, though, that it was an investment I don't regret.
A beautiful bonus is that I got to know my tail-makers, who are now some of my closest friends. They'll exist flying to Singapore next year as bridesmaids for my wedding ceremony! They're incredible, and we've been through a lot together. It'south nice to come up full circle like this.
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At the inception of my career, my parents were naturally concerned. "Are you certain about this? Can you make a proper career out of it? Why don't you do marketing or PR or content cosmos instead?" But through information technology all they remained supportive and loving. They trusted me, which meant a lot.
Non once did they put their pes downward and say "no, y'all can't do this". And funnily enough, my job has incorporated, in some way or other, aspects of all the various job disciplines they'd suggested to me.
It's meant the earth that they've trusted me and supported me all this while, because in business concern you endure so much, and information technology is so important to have people to give you lot second opinions, and to lift you lot up when yous need information technology.
Their support, and the support of my amazing entrepreneur fiancé – who was the one who broached the possibility of this career choice in the first place – have seen me through a lot.
HAS THE Business organization EVOLVED THE Mode YOU PLANNED?
Yes, and no. I've accomplished milestones that I set out for myself, like founding the Singapore Mermaid Schoolhouse, or becoming the premier professional performing mermaid in Singapore.
At the same time, no, because it'south exceeded all my expectations! I came into this with a love for doing what I do, and I had hopes for it, but, and I tin say this now, I didn't dare to hope too much. I idea that with Singapore being a place without the type of natural waterscapes and landscapes that ordinarily encourage a belief in and inclination towards things like myths and legends, similar for example Ireland and Iceland, and existence a country with an accent on pragmatism and realism, information technology would exist difficult to blaze a path here. And it was, but it's besides been so, and then rewarding. I've expected trees and take been blessed with forests.
I've been invited to perform at history-making events that have been the starting time of their kind in Singapore. Recently, I performed in a custom-fabricated tank at ION Orchard for their tenth anniversary. Information technology was the offset e'er fourth dimension such an installation had ever been done here.
I worked with the Singapore Zoo to choreograph, direct, and perform in Singapore's first e'er mermaid aquarium show. This twelvemonth, we just wrapped up our 3rd iteration. I take a weekly testify at JW Marriott South Embankment'southward Fishpool Bar, which is Singapore's first ongoing mermaid aquarium-type performance.
On the mermaid school front, the Singapore Mermaid Schoolhouse was a get-go of its kind in terms of structure. It's known for beingness an industry leader in training and nurturing mermaids, too as providing some of the near desirable "finternship" opportunities with some of the biggest names and brands for our students.
Last year, I likewise released the earth'southward first mermaid course to be taught in a performative aquarium setting.
WHAT'S BEEN THE TOUGHEST PART BEING A MERMAID AND RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS?
A lot of people see the stop product and retrieve that mermaiding is easy. It's actually really hard. The pull a fast one on is to brand everything wait effortless.
There are plenty of concrete challenges that come with this job. When performing, you lot tin can't come across anything clearly. The water is burning your eyes and sinuses, and you're property your breath for any length of time. You lot take to endure all of that and brand it look like you're enjoying it, so your audience enjoys themselves.
At kids' parties, yous have to do all of the above, while keeping up constant interaction with niggling ones who are tugging at your tail and bombarding you with all sorts of fabled and often mystifying questions. It'south definitely multi-tasking on a different level, and it takes dedication, practice, talent and skill to make it work.
I have a personal performance motto I live by, "Look pain, make magic." Railroad train in the hardest conditions, learn to stop fearing discomfort, push your hurting threshold a little further each time, challenge yourself in a new way each time, and you'll be prepared to brand magic well in whatsoever state of affairs.
Practice YOU Recall PEOPLE SOMETIMES UNDERESTIMATE Yous OR MISJUDGE Yous Because THEY CAN'T Dissever BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR AND A MERMAID?
I've been lucky to come across people who, for the most part, know of me and what I do. So they ever come up armed with plenty of questions. I suppose mermaid life can exist quite intriguing!
If anything, I have it every bit a compliment when people conflate the businesswoman and the mermaid. What I create and what I sell is a fantasy, a promise, a path out of the everyday and the ordinary into the extraordinary and the magical. I'thousand more than than happy when people subscribe to it and savour it as much equally I do.
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HOW DO Y'all Separate YOUR TIME AND THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF THE Concern?
It's besides ever a challenge to residuum the admin work and the physical work. Lesser known fact, being a professional mermaid is 90 percent admin, 10 percent glamour. I juggle replying emails, managing PR, generating social media content, with deploying mermaids to gigs and performing at gigs myself.
You need to be able to balance the creative side of yourself, with the more than detail oriented, logistics oriented side of yourself. And that's a tightrope that's consistently challenging to walk.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST SATISFYING Matter ABOUT BEING THE SINGAPORE MERMAID ALL THESE YEARS?
Surviving, and thriving, despite the initial odds. There's a great quote from Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones, "Never forget what you are. The rest of the earth will not. Clothing information technology similar armour, and it can never be used to hurt you."
When I started out, the idea of an Asian mermaid didn't exist in the modern cultural collective consciousness. I didn't know what chances I had. But I took that "what if", and I weaponized information technology as 1 of the key tenets of who I am equally a baron, as a performer. I was unapologetic about who I am and where I come from. I worked it into my branding.
And now, to see the Singapore Mermaid and Singapore Mermaid School brand recognized and loved past our local clientele and in the international mermaid customs, that'south incredibly rewarding.
It's been wonderful seeing how far the mermaid trend has come up too. The landscape when I showtime started and the landscape now are completely different. And with that changing landscape, some pretty amazing clients and students take walked through my doors. It's been such a smashing journey, and I know in that location'll be more than adventures to come.
TELL US More Virtually THE SINGAPORE MERMAID SCHOOL
Nosotros accept two demographics: kids and adults. For kids, honestly, big kudos to their parents. I take so much respect for parents who permit their kids live their dreams, and encourage them to pursue artistic learning. And the kids? They're easily-downwards one of my favourite things nigh this task.
For adults, we become students from all walks of life and of all ages. Each grade is incredibly diverse. Y'all might have an auditor, a lawyer, a childcare teacher, a Pilates instructor and a homemaker all in the same batch.
They all share i thing in common, though. They are beautiful and intrepid souls, every single i of them. They are beyond brave to follow their dreams.
Our students all have various reasons for signing up, such as fitness, or an interest in mermaids, or wanting to learn a new hobby. Only I've found that 1 overarching reason is this, a drive to find a place where they belong.
Social connection gives our life pregnant, and purpose. Yet and so often, especially in the cutthroat corporate world, we don't find it. Or nosotros notice ourselves ensconced with toxic friend groups.
At the Singapore Mermaid School, we place massive emphasis on sisterhood. Nosotros've created a community-building culture of dearest and of raising each other up.
Honestly, my girls are amazing. I am continually blown away past the capacity of love they have for each other. It but shows how total of love and goodness human beings tin be, when they're encouraged to thrive in the correct culture with the right values. Then people find a family hither. A tribe.
And I truly believe that a big reason for our success is because nosotros're not just a business, not but a brand. We're a community and a movement with center.
HOW Large AN INVESTMENT IS IT TO BE A MERMAID LIKE YOU?
If yous're in this professionally, and not as a hobbyist, information technology'south a huge undertaking. One would perform in a hyper-realistic, custom-made silicone mermaid tail. These are the couture pieces of the mermaid world. They're handcrafted, realistic, and start at several thousand dollars.
Having done this as long as I have, I accept a few different tails, to adapt different looks, client requests, and performance environments. All of them are works of art, and crave defended maintenance and upkeep.
Then you need the rest of the await – the collection of custom-made, matching mermaid tops and mermaid crowns, all of which unremarkably cost a few hundred dollars apiece, and have waiting lists of months because of their quality.
You need the mermaid makeup, which, for me, at least, has involved hundreds, if not thousands of dollars of trial and fault to decide which products work best underwater. To say nothing of the wigs, hair extensions, necklaces, bracers, and other accessories!
The Singapore Mermaid School's inventory also requires constant updating. I have a large collection of lighter-weight, textile tails that I loan to mermaid students.
Because of the sheer frequency of use, these accept to exist replaced often, which isn't a cheap endeavour. So you lot need to gene in other costs like venue fees, transportation, etc. It all adds up really quickly. It'due south a massive undertaking.
GIVEN YOUR BUSINESS, Yous MUST END UP DEALING WITH THE OCCASIONAL SLEAZE Bag. ANY Practiced STORIES TO TELL?
Really, in mermaid lingo, we call them "mer-verts"! There have been a few uncles who accept followed me to various public events. They'll pop upward with their cameras and stay for hours snapping away, oft a petty likewise conspicuously.
Then they'll hang around later the events, for a trivial too long. There was also one time I encountered an older, obviously extremely wealthy man who made very serious attempts to set me upwardly with his equally old, every bit wealthy friend.
I just try to grinning and be polite, just non engage too much. I e'er accept my mer-tender with me at events too, and then that helps.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
My honey for old myths and legends has stayed with me from childhood to the present-day. You'll notice that it'southward had a salubrious influence on many of the Singapore Mermaid School theory modules. There's a lot that these dusty onetime legends tin teach the states about life. Information technology'due south a bit of an practise in introspection.
For example, 1 of the Singapore Mermaid School theory classes teaches most the Selkie – a mythological animate being that swims as a seal in water, but shifts to a woman on land. Often, the Selkies would have their sealskins stolen by farmers and fishermen wanting to make them their wives, and so they could never return to the bounding main.
That sense of loss of identity resonates with a lot of united states; we've been taught to quash certain vital aspects of who we are. We demand to recognize that loss, so we can work on finding ourselves again.
WHEN You'RE Non SWIMMING AROUND, WHAT ELSE ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?
When I'm non a mermaid, I'm a princess! Two years ago, I founded my 2d visitor, the Academy of Enchantment. Kids deserve the best kind of magic, then the Academy of Enchantment focuses on bringing immersive, premium princess entertainment to birthday parties and events.
The emphasis on immersion means preparation and deploying a team of highly interactive, trained performers who dearest kids and who have talents in interim, singing, and dancing; curating movie-grade wardrobes worthy of a real princess; and conceptualizing party programmes and set lists for each princess.
It really is a dream come truthful to exist in a business that comes total circumvolve from the very magical babyhood I had; I just wish that four year one-time me simply knew what was going to happen!
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