Your first mermaid class

Your first lesson in a tail is relaxed, usually one-to-one, and starts in water where you can stand. Nobody expects you to be graceful on day one. This guide walks you through the days before, the lesson itself, and what comes after, so nothing takes you by surprise.

Underwater dance starts differently, with no tail. There is a short section on it near the end.

When you book: tell us

A few details make a big difference to how we plan your lesson.

• Your health. Any condition, injury, medication or recent surgery, however small it seems. See Health checks before you start.
• Your swimming. Be honest about when you last swam and how deep water feels to you. See How well do I need to swim?
• Nerves. Plenty of adults feel anxious in water. Telling us lets Aliyah set the pace from the first minute.
• Contact lenses or glasses. More on this below.
• What you hope for. Fitness, photos, a long-held dream, or a first step towards performing. It helps us shape the lesson.

We share the pool's location once you have booked.

What to bring

• A swimsuit
• A towel

That really is all you need. The tail, fin and mask are lent to you for the lesson. We do not provide wetsuits; if you feel the cold easily, ask us before your lesson.

A few optional extras make the day easier:

• A hair tie, if your hair is long.
• Flip-flops for the pool deck.
• A bottle of water. Singapore is warm, and you lose fluid in a pool without noticing.
• A comb and anything you need to get ready afterwards.

Contact lenses and glasses

If you need them to see, wear your contact lenses: the mask keeps most water away from your eyes. Take them out as soon as you leave the water, throw them away or disinfect them, and put in a fresh pair. Daily disposables make that easy. Never sleep in lenses that have been in the pool.

The reason for the care: the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that water can carry germs that cause serious eye infections, and advises keeping lenses away from water altogether. If water gets into your mask, close your eyes and clear it. If your eyes are red, painful or blurry after a swim, take the lenses out and see an optician or doctor.

Jewellery and make-up

Leave rings, bracelets and dangling earrings at home. They can snag on the tail, scratch the fin, or vanish down a drain. Waterproof make-up is fine if you want it for photos, but expect it to move.

The day before and the day itself

• Sleep well. Tiredness makes everything harder in water.
• No alcohol before your lesson.
• Eat lightly. A light meal a couple of hours before suits most people. A very full stomach makes the dolphin kick uncomfortable.
• Drink water through the day.
• Do not come if you are unwell. The CDC asks people not to swim with diarrhoea, which spreads germs to other swimmers. A cold or blocked nose makes it hard to clear your ears. We would much rather move your lesson.
• Cuts and grazes. The CDC advises staying out of the water with an open wound, or covering it completely with a waterproof dressing.
• Arrive a little early, so you are not rushing into the water.

At the pool, shower before you swim. The CDC notes that even a one-minute rinse removes most of the sweat, dirt and body oils that use up the pool chemicals meant to kill germs.

What happens in the lesson

Every first lesson is shaped around you, but most follow this outline.

1. A short talk on land

Aliyah explains how the tail and fin work, the safety rules, and the simple hand signals you will use in the water: OK, not OK, and coming up. You can ask anything.

2. Putting the tail on

You sit at the edge of the pool and put the tail on with help. Before you swim anywhere, you also practise taking it off yourself. Royal Life Saving Society Australia stresses that anyone in a tail should be able to free their own feet from the fin. We agree, and it is the first thing we make sure of.

3. The shallow end

You slide in where you can stand. You learn to move with your legs together, glide, turn, and get back to standing whenever you want. This is where most people laugh at themselves for the first time.

4. Building up

As you settle, Aliyah adds a little more: the dolphin kick, swimming on your back, and resting at the surface. Everything is at your pace, and you rest whenever you need to.

5. Photos

If you want them, once you are comfortable. Nobody is rushed into posing.

6. Wrapping up

You take the tail off, talk through how it went, and look at what could come next.

How it will feel

• Strange at first. The power of a mermaid kick comes from your chest and hips, not your knees. Your body will try to bend at the knee anyway. That is normal.
• Tiring in new places. A tail works your core, back and hips. Expect to feel it there tomorrow.
• Full ears, if you go down even a little. Equalise early and gently, and stop if it hurts. See Equalising your ears.
• A little water in the mask. It happens to everyone. Stand up, lift the mask, and reset.
• Wonderful. Most people describe a moment, often around halfway, when it suddenly feels right.

Tips for a great first lesson

• Go slowly. Smooth beats fast in a tail.
• Breathe normally. Never take big, fast breaths before going under. See Breath-holding and shallow-water blackout.
• Rest often. There is no prize for staying in longer.
• Say when something feels wrong. Cold, tired, an ache, a worry. Aliyah wants to know.
• Keep your tail on only where you have learnt to. After your lesson, the same rules apply: a pool, someone watching, and never alone.

Common first-timer mistakes

• Kicking from the knees. It feels natural and gets you nowhere. Think "wave", not "kick".
• Holding your breath without meaning to. Many beginners tense up and stop breathing at the surface. Keep breathing.
• Pushing through tiredness. The last ten minutes of a tired swimmer are the least useful and the least safe.
• Comparing yourself with videos online. Those mermaids have trained for years. Your first lesson is about comfort and control.

If your first lesson is underwater dance

Underwater dance uses no tail, and no dance experience is needed. Underwater Dance (D1) begins with a theory session and a land session before the pool sessions, so you learn the basics on dry ground first. The water is deeper than you can stand in, so you need the swim and float shown on the Underwater Dance page before you start. Everything else in this guide, from what to bring to how to look after yourself, still applies.

After the lesson

• Shower and rinse your swimsuit. Chlorine is hard on fabric.
• Drink some water and have a snack.
• Expect mild muscle soreness the next day. It fades quickly.
• Do not rush out to buy a tail. Gear is lent during all our courses, and it is worth learning what suits you first. Our guide to tails and monofins explains the options.
• Think about your next step. Aliyah will suggest one, but the course pages lay out each path: MFI Mermaid, PADI Mermaid and Underwater Dance.