How to deal with a smelly dance partner?
Question by MadamBarbie
I take dance classes, and there’s an elder person in the class whose body and breath odor isn’t pleasant at all. I’m thinking about leaving dance school cause my enjoyment turns into agony the times when i have to dance with him — I have to hold my breath.
Have you had any similar situation? If so, how have you dealt with it?
Answers
User Neinna
Ask your teacher to pull partner aside for a chat about hygiene
User ueenPingu
Definatly talk to your teacher, you are probably not the only one finding it hard.
I live and dance in Australia, and I’m a parter dance teacher. The smell thing happens, I would prefer to know and have a conversation with the person then loose students who are otherwise enjoying the class.
User Kiwi_bananas
My local classes have body spray and breath mints out on a table for everyone to use. Anything like that there? Could suggest it to the teacher? If it’s a problem for you then others are probably also struggling. Getting him to use it is another story though…
User jakejacobjako
Tell him he stinks.
Or buy him some deodorant and tell him to use it.
This might be seen as rude or disrespectful, but you are establishing your own boundaries. If he doesnt listen, you dont have to dance with him.
Personally, I always appreciate when someone tells me how I’m fucked up. I always feel ‘dirty’ when I know someone has been putting up with something I do without telling me.
Seriously. Honesty is appreciated more than you know.
User WSJinfiltrate
Just tell him in the nicest way possible. Sometimes people just don’t realize.
User CatJBou
Going to go against the grain of advice here; have you considered learning to deal with this from your end? It could possibly be something the person isn’t aware of, but it could also be a situation that’s not entirely in their control. There are a ton of medical conditions that can lead to bad smells that have nothing to do with the person’s hygiene. Learning to repress your disgust reaction and have compassion for someone is a practice that will serve you well in life.
I have had to deal with this in a salsa class with a younger guy who just had bad body odour, even if he’d showered right before class. I just reminded myself that a bad smell can’t hurt me, but being told you aren’t welcome somewhere because of something outside of your control has to hurt like hell.
