|
What a week!
The wife went to visit family in Minnesota and I put
my son on a bus headed for camp. He and about 50 other
teenagers from the high school are headed for Virginia
for a week of camping, hiking, white water rafting
and so on. With a few days off, I decided to do some
home improvement projects (minor ones). This is my
favorite way to relax and ponder. Although I do not
consider myself an "internet junkie", I
will try at least once a week, to get online and see
what ballroom dancers are talking about. I came across
a subject on a Dancescape discussion board on "Sweaty
Partners - Etiquette and Hygiene". What a hoot!
It was very interesting to read comments and suggestions
from dancers on how to handle a stinky partner. Everything
was discussed, from overly sweaty partners, stinky
shoes, and farting during practice! We all can relate
to the experience of dancing with someone who is wearing
too much cologne or maybe, not enough! But, do we
really think that we have never offended somebody?
Of course not, because the one who is being offensive
isn't aware that they are. I would find it hard to
believe that anybody would say to themselves, "you
know, I think I'll skip the deodorant and breath mints
just to torture my partner"! These "episodes"
a part of any sport but there are some things we can
do to keep things to a minimum. Here's a couple of
suggestions:
If your partner has smelly pits:
This is really the pits if your partner is a female
and she is wearing a sleeveless blouse! Uggghhhhhh.
Where does she think I am suppose to put my wrist
when in dance position? It's a bummer for the teacher
who has to teach the rest of the day with a stinky
arm and no amount of scrubbing seems to get rid of
the odor. "Tanks and sleeveless outfits are not
permitted" would be an easy enough sign to post
in the studio. It can be just as frustrating for the
women. Let's face it. Men are probably not as concerned
about their body odor as women are. Soooo what should
the lady do when she notices her partner has been
wearing the same practice shirt for the last year
on a daily basis? Ladies, please be gentle. You know
how sensitive we are. By the same token, go ahead
and hurt our feelings! We will thank you in the long
run...I think. You know how they have vehicle emission
tests? Maybe we could have a body emission machine
called "The Stinkymeter"! Every studio and
dance hall would have the stinkymeter, strategically
located by the edge of the floor. In order to step
onto the floor, you must pass the body emission test!
Am I a genius or what? Ok, on to the next one. I'm
on a roll now.
Look! Out on the dance floor. It's
a bird, it's a plane, NO it's the HUMAN SPRINKLER!:
This is the dancer who starts off with a glow and
by the end of the first dance you want to take them
home to water your lawn. Their hair is so wet with
sweat that your only concern is how to tell in advance
if they are going to spin so you can time your ducking!
This is always fun when standing on the edge of the
floor judging! This is one problem that we have to
empathize with, however, because there is actually
very little one can do about it, especially if they
are competing. So, unless terry cloth turbans become
a trendy thing to wear, we will be forgiving. During
practice however, you can bring a towel along to wipe
down with and a spare shirt to change in mid practice.
There are actually two positive aspects of this problem.
You can get really cool pictures of yourself looking
like a dancesport gladiator, and let's face it, sweating
is HEALTHY!
If the shoe fits!: I do have a suggestion
for this one. Several weeks ago I was teaching at
a local studio. Before I got there I put my keys,
my gum, (which I always have), and my cologne into
my shoe bag. I started teaching at 10 AM and got my
first break at 5 PM. Whew! Seven hours in a row. My
dogs were barking and I couldn't wait to take my shoes
off. In the process of removing my shoes I was having
a bit of a struggle with the right one. I pulled and
tugged and finally was able to remove the shoe. Unfortunately,
I took the shoe pad out with it as it was stuck to
my sock. Somehow, a stick of gum, wrapper and all,
had landed in my shoe and had been there since the
beginning of my day! The teacher and student just
stared at me, not quite knowing what to think. I looked
at them and said, " What? You mean you don't
put chewing gum in your shoe? It keeps my shoes smelling
like mint. All the champions do this you know"!
Ok, they didn't buy this and to be honest, it had
done nothing to help the sweaty odor of my shoe. I
just wanted to tell the story! Seriously though, a
common courtesy is to find a place in the ballroom
where no one else is sitting and change your shoes
there. Use some foot powder and replace your shoe
pads every now and then. Or, try the gum! Haha.
Last, but not least: Whether you
smelt it or dealt it, it's not much fun for either
partner! Although you can control it somewhat by eating
less before you practice or staying away from certain
foods, it can also be caused by nerves, which many
dancers experience during practice and performance.
The person who has the hardest time with this is the
man. Why the man you ask? Because "passing gas"
is a part of man humor. We think it's funny, so it's
extremely hard sometimes to control the urge to laugh
and ask "who did it"? Women do not think
it's funny. So, my advice is, if your feeling a bit,
shall we say, gassy, quickly request a foxtrot or
another moving dance so your not stuck in one spot!
Your toast, and so is your partner, if there's a rumba
playing!
So, there are my suggestions! Some
serious, mostly silly. But, if you can't find humor
in some of the above, you picked the wrong sport.
This is a sport that requires touch and connection
between two people and all of the above are a natural
part of the human body. I do have one suggestion if
you are too embarassed to talk to your partner about
some of these issues: Give your partner a care package......a
dancer's survival kit. You could have all kinds of
items useful to a dancer nicely wrapped in a gift
bag such as: breath mints, Odor eaters, cologne, deodorant,
a power bar, a sports towel, and a personal card thanking
them for being a great partner!
I could go on and on but I'm
a bit late as it is so, I'll sign off. See you closer
to the regularly scheduled time of publication next
week (Monday or Tuesday).
Dan
Messenger
06-21-2001
|
