Re: [TANGO-L] Oh No! the dreaded BO

[Tom Stermitz <Stermitz @TANGO.ORG>]

> On Fri, 13 Feb 2004 17:19:55 +1300 "bob.ramsey-turner"
> <bob.ramsey-turner  @QUICKSILVER.NET.NZ> writes:
>  Top of the summer here in Auckland New Zealand. The dreaded Body
>  Odour has shown up recently.  Has anyone got a prepared, politically
>  sensitive, script that can be passed out at classes?
>  Thanks for your help
>
>  Bob

I lost a student once when I brought it up with him. He got fairly
defensive. My mistake was letting it go on too long. When I brought
the subject up a couple times to the whole class, he didn't believe
it applied to him. But, in the end, I was losing so many students due
to this single person, that it was tell him to change or shut down
the class. Maybe if I had been immediately proactive, he would have
changed early on, before the embarrassment or defensiveness built up
too much.

Of course, teachers face similar problems of students who are
offensive in other ways. Sometimes it is specific behavior like
aggressive attention to another student, but sometimes it isn't even
objectively offensive, they just feel creepy or talk too much or are
otherwise anti-social.

On the positive side.

Sometimes all it takes is one comment, such as "Remember, this is a
close dance. If you want her to dance close with you again, take care
of all these things: Bath, fresh shirt, etc..."

Watch the men who get it with a single comment. These are the same
guys who lead nicely, take care of the woman's balance, change shoes
mid-milonga to escort her to the car in the parking lot, and have
pride in improving the quality of their dancing.


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Tom Stermitz
http://www.tango.org/
stermitz  @tango.org
303-388-2560