[Tango-L] Tango etiquette - odor

[Steve Littler]

  With permission from my teacher Andrea Pham in Gainesville to all her 
students:
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I get questions from time to time regarding tango etiquette (on and even 
off floor). I thought it is a good idea to talk about this important 
aspect of tango dancing, one etiquette at a time. And the topic of this 
week is odor.

Well, we all know the famous 'close embrace' of Argentine tango. The 
name says it all. Even dancing in open embrace this etiquette is still 
worth to practice. Because we dance so close, hygiene is a number one 
concern, and first is the odor.

Rule #1: Do not wear perfume (or strong after-shaved cologne). If you 
must, choose a very light one. Someone might get allergic to your 
perfume no matter how nice it smells.

Rule #2: On the other end, bad breath is a number one killer of 
pleasure! Please pay close attention, especially when you are taller 
than most of your dance partners.

Plenty of mints are in the jars on the dining table, and there is 
mouthwash in the restroom. Feel free to take a quick break anytime for a 
mint or a wash even you are unsure how good you smell :).

Rule #3: Not odor but breath-related issue. Leaders, do not breathe out 
directly (often strongly) on your partner's face no matter how good your 
breath is:). A good dancer might leave you after one song, not because 
of your dancing as you might wonder, and how easy it is to fix!.

Next week will be about body sweat.