Mermaid Gem receives a lot of questions, both in and out of character! She responds to some of her most commonly asked business inquiries below. Have another question that you don't see answered here? Please visit our CONTACT page and fill out the form! |
Q: Can you walk in your tail?
A: Not at all. With their base being that of a monofin and skin-tight material, swimmable mermaid tails are not designed to walk in.
Q: Where did you get your mermaid tail/gear?
A: My silicone tails were custom made by Sirenalia and MerNation. My signature gem pendant is a Swarovski Elements crystal. I also have a Whimsy tail by Mertailor that I use occasionally. Everything else is made by a plethora of artisans. If you want to know more about a specific piece, let me know!
Q: Will you teach me and/or my child how to swim in a mermaid tail?
A: I'm unfortunately not certified to teach mermaid swimming at this time, but I am working on doing so in the near future! In the meantime, as long as you are already a competent swimmer and the proper safety measures are met, I am happy to offer tips and tricks on tail swimming!
Q: Do you make/sell mermaid tails and accessories?
A: I do not make tails. I do customize the accessories and gifts included in some of my event packages, but they're not listed for individual sale at this time. I would however love to create a merchandise store soon enough though, so stay connected!
Q: Do you work with other mermaids?
A: Yes, I work with other mermaids all the time! Especially with my local troupe, The Ohio Mermaids!
Q: Do you swim with sequins or glitter that could get loose into the pool?
A: While Mermaid Gem loves to sparkle, she is very careful never to swim with glitter or sequins. While she does use these things occasionally for dry appearances, she makes sure it's always biodegradable so as to stay environmentally friendly.
Q: How did you get/pick your mermaid name, “Gem”?
A: “Gem” is simply a shortened version of my real name, “Gemma", which is an Italian name meaning “precious gemstone”. The idea was inspired after a conversation with my friend. Very fitting, easy to answer to, and easy enough for people (especially kids) to remember and pronounce!
Q: Do you offer appearances as Ariel, "The Little Mermaid"?
A: I unfortunately do not perform as Ariel, nor do I plan to any time soon. I will however sing songs from the movie at events upon request!
Q: How did you get into mermaiding?
A: I've been obsessed with mermaids since childhood! I was in high school when I found out about professional mermaids, and I immediately knew it was my destiny. I was very shy at first, but with the help of some dear friends, I was able to come out of my shell. I chased my dream, and the rest is history!
Q: What made you choose your motif and color scheme?
A: Blue and pink have always been my favorite colors! The shades I chose are reminiscent of the bluest ocean alongside gorgeous pink sand beaches. And naturally, I based the glittery/shiny motif on the fact that I'm Mermaid "Gem"!
Q: Do you Gemma, relate a lot to your mermaid character Gem?
A: I really do! Her personality and experiences are loosely based off of my own. She's basically a mermaid version of myself, and expresses exaggerated versions of what I feel are my own best qualities.
Q: How long can you hold your breath?
A: As a SCUBA trained performer, my static breath hold is 2 minutes. But how long I can do really depends on the day!
Q: How does your makeup stay on underwater?
A: I've done lots of research, and use the very best in theatrical and waterproof makeup on the market for my performances.
Q: Do you rent out your tail?
A: Primarily for liability reasons, my tail, top, and everything else that I own for mermaiding is not available for rental.
Q: Do you hire new mermaids?
A: I will occasionally recruit new mermaids through my company as needed. Please contact me or The Ohio Mermaids to see if we are actively hiring at a given time. Even if we're not, we're always accepting applications (form coming soon)!
Q: Who/what inspires you as a mermaid?
A: In the beginning, I was mainly inspired by the mermaids I saw in films and TV! Now, I'm inspired every day by all the wonderful mermaids I've befriended and worked with through the years (you know who you are)!
Q: Can you walk in your tail?
A: Not at all. With their base being that of a monofin and skin-tight material, swimmable mermaid tails are not designed to walk in.
Q: Where did you get your mermaid tail/gear?
A: My silicone tails were custom made by Sirenalia and MerNation. My signature gem pendant is a Swarovski Elements crystal. I also have a Whimsy tail by Mertailor that I use occasionally. Everything else is made by a plethora of artisans. If you want to know more about a specific piece, let me know!
Q: Will you teach me and/or my child how to swim in a mermaid tail?
A: I'm unfortunately not certified to teach mermaid swimming at this time, but I am working on doing so in the near future! In the meantime, as long as you are already a competent swimmer and the proper safety measures are met, I am happy to offer tips and tricks on tail swimming!
Q: Do you make/sell mermaid tails and accessories?
A: I do not make tails. I do customize the accessories and gifts included in some of my event packages, but they're not listed for individual sale at this time. I would however love to create a merchandise store soon enough though, so stay connected!
Q: Do you work with other mermaids?
A: Yes, I work with other mermaids all the time! Especially with my local troupe, The Ohio Mermaids!
Q: Do you swim with sequins or glitter that could get loose into the pool?
A: While Mermaid Gem loves to sparkle, she is very careful never to swim with glitter or sequins. While she does use these things occasionally for dry appearances, she makes sure it's always biodegradable so as to stay environmentally friendly.
Q: How did you get/pick your mermaid name, “Gem”?
A: “Gem” is simply a shortened version of my real name, “Gemma", which is an Italian name meaning “precious gemstone”. The idea was inspired after a conversation with my friend. Very fitting, easy to answer to, and easy enough for people (especially kids) to remember and pronounce!
Q: Do you offer appearances as Ariel, "The Little Mermaid"?
A: I unfortunately do not perform as Ariel, nor do I plan to any time soon. I will however sing songs from the movie at events upon request!
Q: How did you get into mermaiding?
A: I've been obsessed with mermaids since childhood! I was in high school when I found out about professional mermaids, and I immediately knew it was my destiny. I was very shy at first, but with the help of some dear friends, I was able to come out of my shell. I chased my dream, and the rest is history!
Q: What made you choose your motif and color scheme?
A: Blue and pink have always been my favorite colors! The shades I chose are reminiscent of the bluest ocean alongside gorgeous pink sand beaches. And naturally, I based the glittery/shiny motif on the fact that I'm Mermaid "Gem"!
Q: Do you Gemma, relate a lot to your mermaid character Gem?
A: I really do! Her personality and experiences are loosely based off of my own. She's basically a mermaid version of myself, and expresses exaggerated versions of what I feel are my own best qualities.
Q: How long can you hold your breath?
A: As a SCUBA trained performer, my static breath hold is 2 minutes. But how long I can do really depends on the day!
Q: How does your makeup stay on underwater?
A: I've done lots of research, and use the very best in theatrical and waterproof makeup on the market for my performances.
Q: Do you rent out your tail?
A: Primarily for liability reasons, my tail, top, and everything else that I own for mermaiding is not available for rental.
Q: Do you hire new mermaids?
A: I will occasionally recruit new mermaids through my company as needed. Please contact me or The Ohio Mermaids to see if we are actively hiring at a given time. Even if we're not, we're always accepting applications (form coming soon)!
Q: Who/what inspires you as a mermaid?
A: In the beginning, I was mainly inspired by the mermaids I saw in films and TV! Now, I'm inspired every day by all the wonderful mermaids I've befriended and worked with through the years (you know who you are)!