mermaiding

300px|thumb|alt=A woman wearing a golden costume mermaid tail and a bikini lies on the beach.|Woman wearing a costume mermaid tail (Miami, Florida, 2003). 300px|thumb|A mermaid performance in Jakarta, Indonesia Mermaiding (also referred to as artistic mermaiding, mermaidry, or artistic mermaid performance) is the practice of wearing, and often swimming in, a costume mermaid tail.

In the beginning of the twentieth century mermaiding was sometimes referred to as water ballet, but it is not currently a term that is commonly used. Mermaiding should not be confused with modern synchronized swimming, although there can be some overlap if a mermaid performance troupe is performing a synchronized routine.