About Linda, the Instructors, and Mainly Mermaids

Growing up on the coast of southern California, I don’t remember a time when I learned to swim. I just remember swimming. A lifelong love of dance beginning at age 5 included ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, musicals and modern dance. Attracted to the water, I also mixed in competitive springboard diving, synchro, and advanced swimming levels as a young teenager.

At the age of 16 I began teaching dance and taught and worked for the California Ballet School. I eventually owned 3 studios and a professional dance company. It was easy to walk down to swim in the ocean since my studios were only 2 blocks away. I moved to Maine in 1981 to raise a family and taught the dance program for the University of Maine at Fort Kent. Moving downstate I taught for a variety of studios and recreation departments. Another former dancer enticed me to become a Certified Group Exercise Instructor for a fitness center. I taught a number of group fitness classes and worked for an Adult Education program.

The fitness center had a pool and swimming once again was front and center in my life. Having studied mermaiding in Florida, I would bring my mermaid tail to the pool at dusk and swim when no one was around. I noticed that very few people used the pool. Wanting to bring my passion for mermaiding to the fitness world, I decided to go to Florida and acquire my Red Cross Water Safety Instructor Certification that qualified me to teach swimming. I currently teach public and private swim classes, as well as mermaiding classes.

Wanting to raise the standards for quality, fitness, and safety in mermaiding was at the forefront of establishing Mainly Mermaids. I developed a systemized level of classes that are safe, fun, a great workout, and take the very beginner mermaid all the way to professional and competitive status.

Being a mermaid has enhanced my love of the water. Combining that love with mermaiding in fitness-based and fun classes is my passion.

 Linda Holmes, Owner of The Maine Mermaid LLC, is a Certified Red Cross Swimming Instructor, a Certified AFAA Group Exercise Instructor, a Fin Fun Mermaid U Affiliate, CPR-AED Certified, and Member of the National Recreation and Park Association.

Contact Linda Holmes at mainlymermaids@gmail.com or call/text (207) 956-1094.

Merkara is Senior Instructor at Mainly Mermaids

Her qualifications include:

Red Cross Certified Lifeguard

CPR-AED Certified

Advanced PADI Mermaid

PADI Mermaid Instructor

Instructs Levels 1 thru Elite Atlantis, MerCouples, MerKids, PADI Mermaid Instruction, Events and Parties.

"I always said that I would be a mermaid. As a young person I participated in gymnastics, cheerleading, and dance. I have almost a decade of experience teaching dance, Zumba, and fitness classes in Maine and Hawaii. I love helping people to feel strong, beautiful and graceful at any age or fitness level."

MercyBright is an Instructor at Mainly Mermaids

Her qualifications include:

Red Cross Certified Water Safety Instructor

CPR-AED Certified

Certified Professional Life Coach

Wilderness First Responder