Dr. Jalondra A. Davis, also known as Mami Melusine, is a Black feminist scholar, cultural critic, professor, mermaid, dancer, and content creator. She has published several articles on science fiction and fantasy, including essays on Black mermaid books, art, film, and performance in Shima Journal, Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts, the Routledge Anthology of Co-Futurisms, and the Los Angeles Review of Books. She is working on a book project entitled Merfolk and Black Being in Water about African diasporic mermaid lore. She hosts the Merwomanist Podcast, a weekly show about mermaids, fantasy, aquatic culture, self-care, spirituality, and play. She is a frequent public speaker on topics of Black women’s studies, Black literary and cultural studies, and blackness and race in fantasy.
Stop by The Merwomanist Podcast booth in the vendor hall to learn more.
Attend Dr. Jalondra Davis’s Sessions:
– Water Spirits Across Place and Time
Award Winning Underwater Photographer Brett Stanley is an internationally published artist known for his crisp and clean portraits of people underwater.
This touchstone of the mermaid world teaches underwater photography around the world and is returning to MerMagic Con to offer private underwater photoshoots as well as a new seminar for models and photographers alike.
Attend Brett’s Sessions:
– Book a Photoshoot
– Underwater Photography for Mermaids
Aimed at providing the best education and travel experiences to divers in the Washington, DC area while harnessing the excitement and adventure of scuba to help protect the ocean.
We go beyond providing scuba certifications: we meet each student’s needs with personalized, flexible instruction that fits into busy schedules.
We are committed to connecting people to the life in the ocean and fostering awareness of the threats facing essential water ecosystems. We work closely with environmental organizations and local communities to foster sustainability. We recognize that the ocean is being ravaged by pollution, coastal development, and global warming, and we believe that active, informed divers can help restore the health of our planet’s ocean.
Attend Blue Planet’s Sessions:
– PADI Discover Mermaid (Adults)
The Enchanted Teapot is the largest premier character company in Pennsylvania. With over 100 characters to choose from our characters can attend events, birthdays, weddings, corporate events, you name it! Princesses, Superheroes, Alice in Wonderland, Star Wars, Toy Story, Harry Potter, Villains, Halloween and Holiday characters, mascots, mermaids, fairies, elves, and even mermaid tanks!
The Enchanted Teapot is generously sponsoring all the non-pool Kid’s Programming. Catch fun classes, interactive parties, and of course their magical characters all weekend long.
Mermaid Brizo has been performing since 2018. Brizo makes regular appearances at Jenkinson’s Aquarium in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ and she is a Circus Siren Pod performer.
Brizo is an underwater performer but swims up to the mainland to offer Edu-tainment with conservation originzations, including NY/NJ Baykeeper, The Watershed Institute, The Sustainable Princeton Greenfest, and Save Barnegate Bay.
She studied marine science at a vocational high school and went on to receive a bachelors of science in marine science from Stony brook University. Through the lens of her mermaid performance, she strives to empower people and mers alike to use education as a tool to help our planet.
Attend Brizo’s Sessions:
– Mermaid Brizo’s Ocean Show
– Ocean Trivia Game
– Marine Science for EveryMer: Pearl Jewlery Making
Mermaid Chè Monique is a DC area based mermaid performer, model and MERtivational speaker. Being a mermaid was a lifelong dream of Chè’s and mermaiding is her way of reminding the world that anything is possible. Chè Monique’s high glam images spread messages of body positivity and defy stereotypes in a fun and celebratory way. Chè creates uplifting and motivational videos found on her YouTube channel.
Chè Monique is the founder of Society of Fat Mermaids, a size inclusive clothing line and celebratory community. You can find Mermaid Chè Monique online.
Attend Chè’s Sessions:
– Diversity in Mermaiding
(Panel)
– Fat Mermaids Make Waves
(Panel)
– Society of Fat Mermaids Group Swim
Merman Andy is a world-famous underwater performer and content creator with a career that spans the globe. As an Official Mertailor Ambassador, a proud member of the PADI Mermaid Team, and a certified PADI Mermaid Instructor, Merman Andy combines artistry with professionalism to inspire merfolk worldwide. Andy’s accolades include being crowned the King of the Sea in the King and Queen of the Sea’s Competition, and earning second place at the China Mermaid International Competition.
From performing on some of the world’s largest stages to working with renowned photographers and videographers, his expertise extends across film, tank performances, and beyond. Merman Andy’s mission is to share his passion for merfolk culture, sport, and artistry.
Attend Andy’s Session:
– Underwater Performance Workshop with Merman Andy
Leigh Targaryen is a Maryland based mermaid. Before she grew her tail, she has been a dancer, choreographer, instructor, and costume designer.
Leigh Targaryen is a Maryland based mermaid and member of the Circus Siren Pod. Before she grew her tail, she has been a dancer, choreographer, instructor, and costume designer.
Attend Leigh’s Children’s Session:
– Dancing in an Octopus’s Garden
– Tails and Sails
– Mer-movement
Alexis has an established background in not only the mermaid industry, but also business. Alexis has a bachelor’s degree in marketing along with a minor in entrepreneurship, as well as her masters in business administration. Being a small business owner of not just one, but two businesses: Mystic Marketing Solutions & Fusion Permanent Jewelry. Alexis has over 21 years of performing experience, performing as a dancer in the 90th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as well as performing as a professional mermaid up and down the east coast as Tails of Alexis and with the renown Circus Siren Pod.
Alexis is an experienced underwater performer having experience modeling above and underwater. Along with certifications in Advanced Open Water Scuba and Freediving. Alexis has an extensive background in marketing herself into the professional realm with business and mermaiding working with top clients and is ready to share her secrets and knowledge!
Attend Alexis’s Sessions:
– Marketing & Content Creation for Mermaids
– Sharks are Friends
MerBeast Irie is certified personal trainer and a fitness professional dedicated to leading the merpeople community into healthy lifestyles using the activity they love! Meet your new MerTrainer as he leadings morning stretches to prepare you for a day of swimming and exploring MerMagic Con!
Attend His Sessions:
– Morning Stretch with MerBeast Irie
Luna Minuit has been working as a professional aerialist, dance and circus instructor since 2018. She is a member of the Circus Siren Pod and enjoys open water diving in the islands. Her background in dance and movement has informed all of her creative endeavors, as well as her Trinidadian-American roots. Luna is passionate about sharing the joy of creative movement with all bodies, whether it is in the air, on land, or in the water.
Attend Luna’s Session:
– Sweat and VIBE
Carrie Wata of House H2O, the First of her Name, Queen of the Ocean and Protector of the 7 Seas, Mother of Fish and breaker of Pollution!
The fun and charismatic founder of AfroMermaid.co and sponsor of MerMagic Con is on a mission to break barriers in the black community. Attend her panel session and ask her how you can attend the Afro Mermaid Summit this summer.
Attend Carrie’s Session:
– Diversity and Representation in Mermaiding
Dennis Carter Jr grew up in a show biz family, so playing characters and dressing up in costumes had pretty much been his life. Over time hos intresrs grew to behind the scenes of film and television. Dennis has been a part of all different crazy things. From being an extra in film and TV shows, to writing his own plays and films, to voice over work and special effects for various companies, etc, etc, etc.
Attend Dennis’s Session:
– Of Men, Mermaids, and Monsters
Kelsee Eggleston is the Founder of Kelsee Aquatics LLC where she provides pool and risk management, facility maintenance, and Lifeguard services with added value and customer focus. Her duties include natatorium and facility upkeep, lifeguard staffing, promotion of swimming programs, event planning and booking, personnel training’s, and participating in a multitude of community organizations that are near and dear to her heart. She is also a Red Cross Lifeguard / CPR/AED & First Aid Instructor.
Kelsee has been working as an Aquatic Professional for 8 years and has participated in and led several developmental projects within her alma-matter Texas Southern University Recreation Center. Her primary interest included initiating the TSU Tiger Shark Club Swim Team in 2018, developing an operational events calendar, and strengthening our collaborative partnerships with other university departments.
Prior to joining Texas Southern University, Kelsee was the Events coordinator at the Downtown Aquarium, where she led the special events department in the booking and planning of interested clients celebratory celebrations.
Kelsee is a member of the Houston Live Stock Show & Rodeo-Ticket Services Committee as well as the
Texas Adopt a Beach Clean-Up Program. She is a PADI Advanced Scuba Diver and has obtained multiple certifications below to teach swimming as a life skill and educate surrounding communities about drowning prevention.
• Certified Pool Operator/NSPF
• Lifeguard/CPR/AED & First Aid Red Cross Instructor
Attend Kelsee’s Session:
-Transforming Mermaiding into a Revenue Stream
Merfolk Nettles has been involved in the LARP and Tabletop Roleplaying communities for over a decade. They enjoy costuming, SCUBA, crafting, and have an interest in both magical and native wildlife. In 2024, they became a PADI Mermaid Instructor and love to combine mermaid swimming with aquatic creature makeup “lurks”. Merfolk Nettles is a proud member of the Appalachian Mermaid Society.
Attend Nettles DnD session:
– Dice in the Deep
Captain Kayse has run tabletop role-playing games for 15+ years, bringing groups to star-freckled nebulas, fantasy vistas, and buzzing cyberpunk networks. He enjoys helping players overcome challenges and tell entertaining stories. He enjoys LARP, biking, and computer programming and is a terrible swimmer.
Attend Kayse’s DnD session:
– Dice in the Deep
CSO, Life coach, Pilates instructor, mermaid, freediver and underwater artist, Mermaid Brooke Adair has a deep and passionate love for helping others feel comfortable and accepted as they express themselves in the water. Brooke is a freediver, SCUBA diver, PADI mermaid, and underwater artist.
Growing up with her family in the SCUBA industry and competitive swimming she was often made fun of by family and friends for her fear of the ocean. At the age of 40, with a little help from Submerge Underwater, Brooke conquered that fear and fell in love with the ocean and all the creatures in it, changing her life forever. She now uses her background in film and design to create and make art underwater. You will often find her working with Submerge Underwater on one of a kind sets, backdrops, and costumes that push the bounds of what can be done beneath the surface.
Attend Brooke’s Session:
– Breathwork Made Fun
Venessa is a Nuyorican author, illustrator, and aspiring mermaid who writes fairy tales about the real world so she can draw them too. They hold a BA and MA in English literature with concentrations in film from the University of Delaware and the George Washington University respectively, and their illustrations have decorated LGBTQ+ books worldwide. Venessa lives in Washington, DC, with their spouse, two sons, and an overabundance of teacups and washi tape.
Attend Venessa’s Sessions:
– When The Tides Held The Moon: Author Reading and Q&A
Distinguished by his extensive experience in a wide range of aquatic environments: from the reefs of Hawaii, to the Florida Springs, to the kelp forests of California, – Josh has been there and swam that.
Diving into Mermaiding in 2015 connected Josh to his childhood, and lifelong passion, shark preservation and education, and set him on the path to a career in fostering the deep connection humans can have to the ocean: a connection Josh has always felt.
Today, as a model, content creator, and collaborator for Merfolk Media, Josh has been instrumental in showcasing the magic of underwater world in the online space for companies such as Submerge, Last Swim of Summer, and of course, MerMagic Con!
Attend Josh’s Sessions:
– Sharks are Friends
– Underwater Performance Workshop with Merman Andy
Opal Whiptail a fun loving mermaid who teaches different things from the ocean: including how bubbles work and how to make music with a conch shell. Opal can also use a bull whip and break the sound barrier.
Attend Opal’s Sessions:
– Conch Shell Horns and How to Use Them
Mermaid Montara has been flipping her fins in the mermaid community for almost 10 years now. As a plus size mer, she has been breaking barriers and promoting inclusion with her catchphrase, “Every body can be a mermaid”. She is the owner of the Sugar Sirens, a diverse performance team, and has performed at festivals and Renaissance Faires. Since her start, she’s been eager to try everything the underwater world has to offer and had found her niche in the pageant world, joining Miss Mermaid USA in 2019 and had participated in every available mer pageant since, most recently becoming the Director for Monarch International
Attend Montara’s Sessions:
– You Should “Sea” Me In A Crown
Jessie Jewels is a multi-talented artist and educator with a passion to help others find the magic in life. She swims to MerMagic Con from the beautiful waters of Rhode Island where she leads conservation projects and helps educate folks on the importance of protecting our ecosystems.
Attend Jessie’s Sessions:
– Beginner Skills and Drills
Yl’luria has appeared at faires, festivals, cons, & other events for the past 9+ years, singing, dancing, flipping her fins & creating art of all kinds above & below the waves. From social media to makeup & traditional arts, she loves the arts in all its forms. But regardless of medium, as a “fluffy,” visually impaired mer, her goal is to entertain, uplift & educate, while helping to inspire EVERYbody to live their dreams.
Attend Yl’luria’s Session:
– Movement in water with limited sight
Claire Tate is a dedicated PADI Mermaid Instructor with a passion for safety, exploration, and community. With a focus on both skill development and fun, Claire creates a supportive environment where students feel empowered to explore the underwater world and connect with others who share their love for the water. Her courses are designed not only to teach the art of mermaiding but also to encourage lifelong friendships. Claire is committed to making learning enjoyable and accessible, ensuring that students leave with both new skills and lasting memories.
Attend Claire’s Session:
– PADI Basic Mermaid Certification
