I’m a pro mermaid – I used to be afraid of water but now I wear a $5k tail to perform with stars & make $8k per show
MERMAIDS are no longer just mythical creatures — you can now make a living performing as one.
Despite being afraid of the ocean, one woman took the unusual job and is now making up to $8,000 every time she wiggles into her tail.
Elle Jimenez (@themermaidelle), 34, has spent the last eight years performing as a mermaid at kids’ birthdays or corporate events.
The Puerto Rico native, now located in Miami, has performed alongside celebrities such as the Jonas Brothers, Bruno Mars, and DJ Khaled.
She can make up to $8,000 for just an hour of swimming but she wasn’t always so comfortable with the water.
“I was scared of the ocean and the water, I never saw myself as a mermaid at first,” Elle explained.
“I took three months of swimming lessons, then went on to get my Scuba certification and lifeguard certification.”
Once she became confident in the water she began to appreciate the scenery.
“When I saw the ocean, I thought there was nothing more beautiful,” she said.
“It was so inspiring but also the scariest experience of my life.”
A born performer, Elle started her entertainment company in March 2016.
When she was unexpectedly asked to perform as a mermaid by a client she spent three months learning to swim.
“Most mermaid wages are around $300 an hour. I am more of an expensive mermaid,” she said.
“I charge anywhere from $600 to $2,000 an hour, and sometimes even $8,000.
“It’s about knowing your worth and knowing your craft. It’s a lot of expertise and investment.”
Elle now travels around the world as a mermaid with her boyfriend, Darren Joshua Leonardi, 35, a photographer.
The silicone tail takes around 15 minutes to struggle into, then another five minutes to make myself comfortable.
Elle Jimenez
“My boyfriend is my handler, and he comes with me everywhere for safety reasons,” she explained.
“He looks like Aqua Man, and I have trained him to be a mermaid so he will be starting to perform with me.”
Part and parcel of Elle’s work is her extensive mermaid costume selection.
She has a $5,000 silicone tail, which she has to use lube to squeeze into.
“The silicone tail takes around 15 minutes to struggle into, then another five minutes to make myself comfortable,” she said.
Elle also has 30 fabric tails from Cape Cali, who make the items with eco-friendly and recycled materials.
To complete her magical wardrobe, she has a variety of tops, which cost her $500 each.
“I have around 10 different tops, mostly silicone and hand-sculpted, which are super beautiful, I think I love the tops more than the tails,” she said.
Elle and Darren are set to be the first professional mermaid couple in the world and are scheduled to perform at the Miami Grand Prix in May.
She described their appearance at the Formula 1 race as “the biggest event in mermaid history.”
“We work in sets, so for an hour, I am in the water or sitting by the pool, and then I will take a break,” she explained.
Elle has also written a children’s book Mermaid Elle Saving the Seas, which is coming out next year.
She said the donations will be going towards the non-profit charity for ocean conservation.