Synchronized teams pool talents in show

The grand finale of the local synchronized swimming scene was a huge splash. More than 100 girls jumped into Baker Pool at Fremont Middle School to perform a synchronized masterpiece at the 2001 All City Synchronized Swimming Show.

Swimmers from Las Vegas, Henderson and Clark County recreation programs combined their talents to put on a show with more than 13 water ballet routines. Most of the children performing in the show were participants in summer synchronized swimming classes. The Southern Nevada Desert Mermaids, the area's only traveling competitive team, participated as well.

While most of the participants were girls, the men of synchro, a pack of teen-age Las Vegas City lifeguards, received some of the best crowd reaction.

Las Vegas Recreation Field Supervisor Mary Killion gave the guys a fast track lesson the day before the big show.

"I never actually know who's on my team until 5 p.m. when I start practice. They're fun. They're all hams anyway. They do it to be supportive."

Killion said it's sort of fun watching the guys discover that synchronized swimming is not a sissy sport. Swimmers Ben Dowdy, Josh Bleazard and Steven Pace said the sport is not easy. The guys said the most challenging move was the two-man linked dolphin with a half twist.

"That genie move wasn't easy either," Pace said.

"We're men of many talents," swimmer Scott Irvine said.

The girls were the real masters of the sport. They worked all season learning to glide across the waves and suspend themselves upside down in the deep end.

Synchro Supervisor Linda Tannenbaum said children can begin swimming in the program at age 7, but it's recommended they wait until age 8 or 9. Participants need a good swimming background with proficiency in freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke. While some of the performing is done in the shallow end, kids need to be comfortable in the deep end as well.

The All City event is one of two combined swim meets held each year. The mid-summer event is a strait competition, with emphasis on style and technique. The season finale event is exhibition only with themed costumes, waterproof makeup and glitz.

"Glitz makes it fun but it is a hard sport. We like to give kids a balance between the two," Killion said.

This year's event was a pirate themed adventure. Kids sketched on anchor tattoos or wore eye patches, bandanas and stitched up skirts.

"Here feel her hair," Desert Mermaid's advisor Allinda Zionch said pointing to Miranda LaBlanc's head. The teen's short bob cut was coated in gelatin that made it hard as a rock. Many of the little hair buns in the crowd were kept in place the same way. LaBlanc said the gelatin is simple to get out with soap, water and a stiff comb.

A steel drum band from the West Las Vegas Art Center opened the event followed by the swimmers in a parade around the pool. They threw out candy coins and plastic necklaces and popped confetti bags. Then each team took their turn in the pool. Linda Tannenbaum's husband weatherman Nate Tannenbaum served as event master of ceremonies and City Councilman Gary Reese dropped by to welcome the crowd.

"It's really fun," swimmer Christina Culver said, "This is my fourth summer and it's fun to have something to do."

The 15-year-old skipped a family vacation to perform in the show, but she said it was worth it.

"It's great getting all dressed up with the makeup and performing," she said.

Linda Tannenbaum said many of the kids in the city program show promise. The swim instructor is a former world champion competitor and former "Splash" swimmer.

"There's always potential if they would stick with it year-round and go from the recreational program into the Southern Nevada Desert Mermaids. It just takes a lot of hard work and a lot of time and also the desire," she said. "It was a good way to travel the world."

Now that Linda Tannenbaum has retired from competitive swimming, she concentrates on sharing her talents with local kids. She choreographed the all city grand finale and taught the number to the swimmers the night before the show.

When the big moment came, Tannenbaum perched out on the edge of the diving board and waved her costume pirate hook in the air while directing the children in their movements. Never once did she worry about falling in.

The summer swim season is done, but Las Vegas and Henderson sponsor limited year-round synchronized swimming classes. The Clark County program will start back up next summer. For more information, call Las Vegas at 229-6309, Henderson at 450-8813, or Clark County at 455-8508. For more information about competitive level synchronized swimming, contact Allinda Zionch with the Desert Mermaids at 227-6834.