MIDDLETON, Wis. — Ariel’s famous line in “The Little Mermaid” — “flipping your fins, you don’t get too far” — is just not true for southern Wisconsin’s premiere professional mermaid entertainer.
“I go by Echo, with land legs and with a tail, so it’s easy to remember,” they said.
The nonbinary University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee student is working on a master’s degree in freshwater sciences.
Echo said their mermaid mission was to help children with inclusion and conservation education. They said the brightly colored tail and “sea-nymph” look helps get kids’ attention right off the bat.
“Kids need to play, they need to pretend, and they need to feel safe doing so,” said Echo. “Let them believe in mermaids!”
Mermaids in Middleton
On a windy late June day, the deep end at Bob Joers Aquatic Center was full of snorkeling fins and shimmering tales.
Echo was teaching a special multi-day mermaid class certified by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI).
Being a mermaid may look easy, but it can be dangerous work if not done with proper equipment and training.
“Because before it was cool, people just bought anything off the internet and put their kids in it, which wasn’t safe,” said Echo. “I was like stop, let me show you the right way to do this!”
Echo began their business at 17, and since then, the seasoned pro-mermaid and lifeguard has been able to swim in a pool of growing profit and popularity.
“Now people are like, ‘Oh, now we would like to pay attention to you and have you at our birthday parties and events,’ and that’s great,” said Echo. “But I think that there also needs to be a realization that we’ve been fighting for the same messages of aquatic safety, aquatic conservation, and inclusivity for a long time, and we’d love for you to join our world.”
Joining their world
On day two of the $300 mermaid class, 11-year-old Eve Thompson from Eau Claire pulled her tail on and got into the chilly water.
“My dream is to be a mermaid at little kids’ birthday parties and events,” she said.
In class, Thompson found her name, “Mermaid Cascade,” and earned a new tail. She passed the course and picked up a ton of confidence and new skills.
“It does take time, and it’s not gonna happen overnight,” Thompson said of her effort to not only hold her breath for long periods but also keep her eyes open in stinging chlorine while creating gorgeous underwater poses.
Her mom, Melissa, said she was beyond proud of her daughter’s underwater achievement.
“It’s a really safe spot, and she’s never gonna forget how hard she worked and all that she did,” Melissa said.
Seeing a child thrive in class makes all the practicing in the pool worth it for Echo.
“If it looks glamorous, if it looks easy, then I’m doing my job right,” they said.