Mermaid school is a real thing and they take it very seriously
Many of us can but dream of metamorphosing into a mermaid.
One woman, however, is turning both adults' and children's dreams into a reality with a special mermaid academy. That's right, it's a school that teaches you how to become a mermaid.
Mayim Mermaid Academy in Bournemouth, UK, teaches "mermaiding students" how to swim and perform with mermaid tails, which consist of a plastic mono-fin covered in fabric.
Michelle Forsbrey, who goes by the mermaid alias MerShell, is the founder of the mermaid academy. She's been developing the skills of 300 wannabe-mercreatures on the south coast of England since launching her academy in summer 2015. "I love mermaids, I love the water, the ocean, the beach. I live four minutes' walk away from the beach and that is not close enough," says Forsbrey.
She teaches children aged 6 and over, as well as adults. She says her oldest mermaids have been in their sixties. She says she and her students "laugh and have an incredible time under the water."
"Swimming as a mermaid is incredible. It's peaceful, dreamy, and a lovely form of exercise wearing a beautiful tail," says Forsbrey.
She says kids and teens are obsessed with mermaids at the minute because they're watching Netflix's Mako Mermaids series. "They are going crazy over mermaids!" Forsbrey continues.
She says that mermaid tails aren't accessible everywhere and it's really important for wannabe-mermaids to learn the safety aspects if they want to swim like a sea creature. Forsbrey has accreditation from the International Mermaid Swimming Instructors Association, and a range of swimming and diving qualifications. She's also a qualified lifeguard and Red Cross lifesaver.
So, what exactly do mermaid lessons entail? Just like swimming, mermaiding has a series of levels that you can work your way up. Beginners will learn the basics, like putting on a mermaid tail, safety and care, and how to enter and exit the pool. Students will also learn basic swimming techniques, like "mermaid breast stroke", and treading water, along with some "under water fun" like finding treasure.
More advanced mermaids will learn stuff like breathing techniques, handstands, rolls and underwater poses. You'll also learn choreography and will be able to make up your own routines. Fun!
Prices for classes start at £80 per person for two-person classes, and one-on-ones are £100 per person.
Dreams really do come true, it seems.
Rachel Thompson is the Features Editor at Mashable. Rachel's second non-fiction book The Love Fix: Reclaiming Intimacy in a Disconnected World is out now, published by Penguin Random House in Jan. 2025. The Love Fix explores why dating feels so hard right now, why we experience difficult emotions in the realm of love, and how we can change our dating culture for the better.
A leading sex and dating writer in the UK, Rachel has written for GQ, The Guardian, The Sunday Times Style, The Telegraph, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Stylist, ELLE, The i Paper, Refinery29, and many more.
Rachel's first book Rough: How Violence Has Found Its Way Into the Bedroom And What We Can Do About It, a non-fiction investigation into sexual violence was published by Penguin Random House in 2021.
