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What is that Funky Smell?
http://www.dancescape.org/ezine/articles/31/1/What-is-that-Funky-Smell/Page1.html
Nadine Chan
Nadine is from San Francisco and has been dancing and teaching with Salsa Salvaje since 2002. Her dance experience includes Lindy Hop and Argentine Tango. Watch her and you'll find that Nadine's style is playful, graceful, and sensuous. Don't be intimidated by this striking goddess. She's one of the most approachable followers you'll meet. By day, Nadine is PhD student in public health and does research on how to prevent cancer in Asian Americans.  
By Nadine Chan
Published on 02/1/2006
 
So the other day, I was asked to dance by someone I didn't know. Turned out to be a fabulous lead. I twirled and swayed and laughed with glee during the dance. I barely noticed his body odor (B.O.). The following week, the same person asked me to dance. This time, I couldn't focus on following ...
Nadine Knows ... What is that Funky Smell?

So the other day, I was asked to dance by someone I didn't know. Turned out to be a fabulous lead. I twirled and swayed and laughed with glee during the dance. I barely noticed his body odor (B.O.). The following week, the same person asked me to dance. This time, I couldn't focus on following because I was HIGHLY distracted by that NASTY FUNKY ODOR emanating beyond his pores through his shirt, and CLINGING on to moi!!

I could feel my beads of sweat trying their hardest to repel his. To no avail. I half-panicked every time we ended up in some body-to-body position.

After the struggle/dance was over, I politely thanked him, and excused myself to the Ladies room, where I lathered up and tried to rid myself of that armpittish scent. Heck, I should've washed my shirt right then and there in the bathroom sink, because believe it or not, for the rest of the night, I caught that scent on ME. ICK to the nth degree!

People, this has GOT to stop. Are we not in the enlightened age of deodorant, colognes, perfumes, deodorant, mountain-fresh-soaps, scented body wash, and did I mention DEODORANT?!!?

Salsa dancing is a close contact activity. I don't particularly love smelling like some dude's cologne at the end of the night. (Do some of you guys do your laundry with your cologne instead of A-L-L or what?) But I'll take the cologne anyday over pungent-weight-room-sweat. There is NO reason I should catch an acrid waft of anyone's funky armpit odor.

This is a public service announcement, sponsored by Nadine Knows.

For more discussion about Body Odor, please visit the Global Dance Forums:  Sweaty Dance Partners (Etiquette & Hygene).