Taylor Dunstan
Reporter
On Tuesday, May 25, junior Marina Hoffman and freshman Rebecca Trinklein traveled to New York City to participate in a promotion for TLC’s new summer line-up. As members of the New Canaan YMCA Aquianas Synchronized Swimming Team, Marina and Rebecca, along with four of their teammates, had the opportunity to showcase their talents in front of a TLC camera. Besides being filmed, thousands of people passing through the city could see Marina and Rebecca in a tank that was connected to the back of a truck.
The Aquianas program assisted in bringing the swimmers to this opportunity. “We have connections to the United States Synchronized Swimming Association and they offered the opportunity to be filmed to us because the team has a very high record and we’re in a prime location,” Marina said.
Filmed on 6th Avenue and 48th, across from Radio City Hall, the girls arrived at the location at 10 am to begin the day. “They gave us the outfitting, which consisted of that oh so lovely white flower cap and red ‘Ester Williams’ bathing suit,” Marina said.
From 11-7, the girls performed moves of theirs, alternating with other synchronized swimmers and a scuba diver. “Basically, we showed short synchro moves to the pedestrians walking by in order to catch their attention and spark their interest in TLC,” Rebecca said. “Sometimes, a lot of us would go in for a lift or something, but usually it was just two or three in the tank rotating around.”
The girls didn’t perform these moves in the typical deep-water pool used for synchronized swimming, but instead in a transparent tank of water. “The pool was maybe the size of a table at lunch; it was pretty small and shallow,” Marina said.
When the girls weren’t in the water, the swimmers were able to take advantage of the experience with the television station. “One of the coolest parts was that I got to meet the Little Couple and the Cake Boss, who both made appearances at some point during the day,” Rebecca said. “They even talked to me, which was so awesome.”
Not only did the girls get to provide pedestrians with entertainment, but they also received their own perks. “They were handing out free TLC flip flops and lemonade, so we got tons of that. Shirts to match, too,” Marina said. “My favorite part was definitely swimming in the tank because random strangers would take out their iPhones and Flips to video us. Even when we were out of the water, people would steal us to take pictures with them.”
The footage of Marina and Rebecca in the tank can be found on TLC’s facebook page and on TLC’s website, www.TLC.com.
Photos by Anne Trinklein
