Brooklyn NY, Saturday, July 21 – The Mermaid Lagoon, a benefit party for the Oceanic Preservation Society and the Gulf Coast cleanup efforts took place at the House of Yes in Williamsburg.  The House is a school of aerial arts so full of personalities and stories that is deserves its own book, but on Saturday night it served to host a gathering of angry mermaids.  The conceit of the evening was that the ocean home of these mermaids had been gravely threatened by the BP oil spill and they want it fixed.  The decor worked with what it was given, an air conditioning-less warehouse crowded with trapeze artist junk.  Blue fabrics were draped and twined, lights strung, and a local sculptor contributed large-scale UV reactive foam sea creatures that had an ethereal, if day-glo, effect.  The bar was serving alcoholic fruit smoothies, which were reported to be perfect for the temperature indoors.

Veronica Varlow

Desert Sin

The “mermaids” of the lagoon, that is, the performers and staff, presented a broad spectrum of entertainment.  The night’s opening act was Desert Sin, a non-traditional bellydance group in elaborate costume. The performance seemed to interpret the darker power of the sea, intense stares and rippling arms abounded.  Then came a fire-palm dance by burlesque performer Veronica Varlow.  Kai Altair, Varlow’s sister and the MC for the night explained that mermaids are famous for seductive dance and song that lures men to their doom and that this particular one was intended for the BP executives.  Altair herself performed her mystical/tropical music with great warmth and enthusiasm later on that night.  Other entertainment included Cassandra of Lady Circus in a breathtaking glass-walking performance inspired by the Little Mermaid, and Ali Luminescent (Coney Island’s Mermaid of the Year in 2009) on trapeze.  To tickle more academic fancies, a doctor of oceanography gave a lecture both on the ramifications of the oil spill and Japanese dolphin fishing in full mermaid attire.  Among other prizes, love letters from Ms. Varlow and prints of the resident oceanographer’s photography were raffled off as further fundraising.

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