Student Connection
Southwest Texas State's proximity led to strong connections between Aquarena Springs and local college students. Countless students held jobs at Aquarena from the 1950s through the 1990s; they learned to perform underwater as Aquamaids and clowns, trained to drive boats and give tours of the lake, worked in various parts of the village, and helped maintain the grounds.
New underwater performers trained for several weeks to learn breathing techniques and to maintain buoyancy while performing routines. Even simple moves underwater required a great deal of strength and endurance.
Training materials highlight the work involved in becoming an Aquamaid or a Glurpo the Clown, ranging from acquiring physical skills to performing synchronized ballet and jazz sequences to learning cues and maintaining show schedules.
A typed script for the show titled "The Legend of Many Springs" includes the narrator's script along with notes about timing and choreography.