Michelle Dand: Designing purpose-led group fitness at David Lloyd Clubs

David Lloyd Clubs’ Head of Product and Programming, Michelle Dand, joins us to break down what modern GroupX really means in 2025. She shares how David Lloyd scales premium, family-first experiences across 130+ clubs, why programming now starts with “how do you want to feel,” and how community events like Blaze Community Games build loyalty. Michelle unpacks the evolution from choreography to experience, multi-modality design across Blaze, Battlebox, Cycle, and Rebels youth formats, and the rise of spa retreats and recovery. She gets candid on instructor recruitment and education, translating programs across six languages, sustainability wins, and where tech and wearables actually help members. Quick-fire highlights include myths she wants to retire, her favorite classes, and advice for coaches who want to stand out. It is a masterclass in building programs with purpose, data, and heart.