waterskiing vintage postcard
Isn't this an absolutely peachy chorus line of waterskiing beauties? These prima ballerinas of Cypress Gardens (located in Winter Haven, Florida) waterskiied into the hearts of spectators in the 1950's. I was a barefooting champ as a teen:) It's one of the most thrilling sports out there! I HAVE to try it wearing a cotton candy pink tutu now:)
I have a serious youtube addiction. But.... I found an actual vintage waterskiing clip from the Gardens!
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Waterskiing in a Tutu
Posted by Marie Reed at 8:56 AM
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51 cool cats commented:
If I do the same : PLOUF !
Thank you for strolling by my blog....
They are very pretty and full of energy. That must have been fun. I like Claude's comment too :-)))
ballet and waterski? she has so much grace and strength in those movements. Amazing!
~Silver
You find the coolest tidbits. :)
Thanks for visiting my site. I just love that postcard :)!!
I want a tutu and the swimsuit so badly :D
I love those bathing suits! I think I would wear one!
great post!
hugs
vivian
I have heard of Cypress Gardens and the waterskiing, but had never seen it1
What a beautiful postcard! Ballet & waterski - such skill!
Came across your site via the Magical Mme Moonspinner and love it! Will come back again soon to look over older posts too!
Hope you're having a great week,
xxLOL LOLA & Nora:)
PS Don't know if you've heard Moonspinner has been "KIDNAPPED" by Johnny Depp today over at my place and I'm "calling" around blogpals for suggestions how to rescue her!!
I love the radio voice commentator..."Glamorous Willa McGuire..."
And, her lovely frock and head piece completely UNRUFFLED! Go figure!
What a wonderful image.
I love it.
Haha, I just visited your blog and signed in, and when I retourned to my dashboard, you visited mine.
All the best
Janine
Such amazing grace! Another of my fav postcard from your blog.
We used to see so much more synchronized swimming when I was growing up - especially in the Hollywood movies.
Evelyn in Montreal
we all must definitely get tutus. You can barefoot ski, I'll sit gracefully on a chaise lounge on the pier and wave :)
I have never water skied. If I did, you can bet it would be in a tutu. Fantastic postcards!
Marvelous cards !
I never saw one of these shows, but I remember seeing the ads and commericials featuring these dancing waterskiers--I always wanted to be one!
I just scrolled down and watched the rollerskating babies--hilarious! I'm going to share that one with my daughter. Thanks for posting it!
Amazing...and they keep that smile on their faces the whole time like a true professional! I'd look like a wet dog...and I'd be sure to fall! ha-ha!
Florida has so many nice old linen cards.
I tried waterskiing once and couldn't get up. I never tried again.
Thanks for your visit! I enjoyed watching the video of the waterskiing.
Youtube has a lot of French chansons, hasn't it?! I also like them!
Seeing this post's title in my Blog roll made me picture Hippos in tutus on waterskis .. I was not disappointed when there werent Hippos .. cause the real deal was still smile inducing!
Wow, that is too cool! Never could get water skiing down pat! lol
We have been to Cypress Gardens and I've got a bunch of these kinds of photos - not from this vintage, of course...I've heard it's been sold or shut down or something...
Great old shots...
And by the way, re: your comment on Ocala DP, I'd guess you're quite "cool"!
I used to adore the esther williams movies with the swimming and waterskiing productions! I actually used to try and copy the ballet moves when I skied. oh dear!
I just love this postcard, and the video of Willa doing her moves. Wonder if she's still around!
When you say you were barefooting champ, does that mean you were water skiing on bare feet? Awesome.
Check you out, Champ! I can just picture you out there in a pink tutu! That was a great vintage clip, by the way. ~Lori
She made it look so easy!!
You did that too? WOW!
Wow! What a trip back in time to the waterskiing girls of yore! Loved the card and the video!
We visited Cypress Gardens in around 1958. My dad took old movie footage of me toddling around on a leash, but none of any waterskiers! We do have a bit of some of the fam on a lake here in Maine, lol. Loved the postcard and the youtube.
Oh! The 50s...so glamorous. Everyone was so fit, classy and talented. Where are those ladies now?
Marie, you have a lot of enjoyable and interesting postcards! I'm thrilled about them!
Love the waterskiing beauties post card! Wish I had the grace of these ladies...trust me, when I'm on waterski's there anything BUT a smile on my face!
Hugs,
Karyn
As close as I live to Cypress Gardens, one would think I'd seen this show...but I haven't.
I never really thought of waterskiing as graceful and beautiful but after seeing the postcard and clip, I'm now convinced. That's pretty!
That looks like oodles of fun! You know something, despite growing up in a town with two big lakes (and province with tons more!), and summers spent at the beach 24/7, I don't think I've ever tried water skiing. Crazy! ;D
Thank you very much for your lovely comments, my dear!
Have a beautiful weekend,
♥ Jessica
hey! My good friend and Dental Hygiene classmate waterskied there in the shows.. and her parents too! In fact, her dad and uncle were water ski/competitive/performers champions back in the early 60's - her dad was known as Joker Osborn.
Good heavens! She swivelled around, holding the thingy with her FOOT!! That's an amazing skill!
I had no idea ballerinas ever did waterskiing. I'd have thought they'd have been afraid of injuring themselves, but I guess ballet isn't exactly an injury-free activity.
I want one. I'm all in a twizzy over which bathing suit to wear to the water park (as if all eyes will really be on me). You've made up my mind; it's a pink tutu for me. I'll betcha all eyes would be on me then!
If you waterski in a pink tutu I hope you post that video to Youtube too! The waterskiing ballerina was wonderful and she made it look so effortless.
This so reminds me of the Tommy Bartlett Water Ski Show my Aunt Myrtle and Knuckle Matt made sure my sister and I were able to attend each and every summer, growing up! "Princesses Piled High" (as I referred to the fancy dressed and crowned human triangle on skis pulled behind an excellerating speed boat) was my favorite "display" (Not even a close second to "The Dancing Waters" Tommy was famous for. NOT EVEN! LOL!)! Then, days after the show, my uncle could be found in the garage trying to scrape/solvent off the Tommy Bartlett bumper sticker ad that had been AGAIN (another yearly "event") placed on "unsuspecting" show attendees' vehicles during the darkest part of the night by "Bartlettes" with flashlights moving like a swarm of manic fireflies! Thanks for the wonderful ride on the Wayback Machine!
I had to go look it up, because I thought Cyprus Gardens had closed a few years back - but I was wrong...it is very much open and they still have water skiing shows.
Isn't the announcers voice just perfect? Although he doesn't mention her outfit at all - which is priceless lol
Great postcard find, Marie!! You are the best!
I haven't thought of Cypress Gardens in years! Thanks for the trip down Memory Lane! The swimsuit-plus-tutu may seem corny now, but the show wouldn't have been the same without them.
I love vintage watersports epehemera!
WOW, how much time has changed! What a fun post card and you tube clip!
Marie: I visited Cypress Gardens a few years ago. They still have the water show but the costumes have changed.
Honestly ~ where do you come up with these? This one is hysterical of course it would not be near as fun without your witty comments! Blessings! kt
The girl on the far right is my Mother, she is wearing one of her many Miss Florida Crown's. I spent almost every summer there or at the Pope's private lake. I own this card and many more like.
my grandmother used to do this stuff! a lot of my family has done it preofessionally, actually. i didn't read through the other comments yet, but i was wondering if by gardens u meant callaway or cypress or busch? - awesome vid, btw! that's some pretty impressive tricking! :-)
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