Now, a French synchronized swimmer is trying to translate another aspect of the American mermaid obsession: mermaiding schools. Ms. Sardella said that about 500 people took her introductory courses at a hotel in Marseille, with some returning for more advanced instruction. “It’s great for your abdominals,” said Ms. Sardella, who also practices Pilates. PhotoThe original Danish version of the fairy tale “The Little Mermaid” is hardly the stuff of Hollywood: It ends bitterly with the mermaid unable to bear life as a human. “Some people come for curiosity,” she said, “some because they have a dream of being a mermaid.”

Source: New York Times June 29, 2016 09:00 UTC