The Sirens
In Greek mythology, the sirens were a mysterious,
deadly group of female creatures capable of seducing sailors throughout the
Mediterranean Sea. While the earliest archaeological records most commonly give
the amorphous sirens more bird-like forms, more recent eras have immortalized
their true nature as nautical fish-tailed mermaids. In the Big Easy this
time of year, you can find these mermaids dancing outside Superior Seafood
on St. Charles Avenue.
Founded in 2010 and making their parade debut in 2011, The Sirens of New Orleans have quickly come to establish themselves as one of Mardi Gras' preeminent dance troupes. With a busy Mardi Gras schedule that includes both the Cleopatra super-krewe and the Krewe of Morpheus, the Sirens' dances are no walk in the park—even if they may or may not pass by Lafayette Square.
Dance rehearsals for the Sirens begin on Labor Day, occurring
several times a week all the way into the Carnival season, including 12
original choreographed song routines per year and an intricate set of
connective numbers to string them along swimmingly. While nautical motifs are a
staple among both Carnival krewe names, as well as individual parade year
themes, the mermaid dancers of the Sirens bring that aesthetic to the forefront
like a tidal wave, in everything from their own dance routine to their "Sailor"
and pirate assistants, as well as their unique message-in-a-bottle throws.
If just swimming across the parade routes isn't enough, the Sirens also take their own twists for both the traditions of year-round events and exclusive throws. A tradition first added to their parading in 2011, the Sirens' "Message in a Bottle" throws consist of hand-painted and decorated glass bottles, usually containing different messages, puns, or other nautical ephemera. With Jennifer Lee, secretary and founding member of the Sirens, estimating that only a few hundred handmade items are made and distributed over the two parades, the Sirens' bottles count as some of Mardi Gras' most exclusive throws (or, if not "throws," more fragile glass handed out by Sailors).
Whereas many Mardi Gras groups can be found hosting elaborate Carnival balls this time of year, the Sirens decided to go for the other end of the calendar, hosting a Halloween Party fundraiser, "Mermaids and Mayhem," every October and benefitting local and water-minded charities such as the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation.
The Sirens can be seen again this weekend, marching in
the Krewe of Morpheus on Friday, February 9 as the final Mardi Gras parade of the busy Vendredi Gras—the
final Friday night of the Carnival season. The Krewe of Morpheus begins
parading at 7 p.m. at the intersection of Jefferson and Magazine Streets in
Uptown, with a route that takes Magazine and Napoleon to St. Charles, headed
downtown and ending at the intersection of Tchoupitoulas and Poydras Streets.
For more information on the Sirens, as well as info on becoming a Siren or
Sailor, visit The
Sirens' website.
