Thread: This isn't funny (OK yes it is)

I'm trying to convince myself it's not funny, but there's no use. I'm laughing. You can too.

There is a problem. It is someone's feet. When the shoes come off for warm-ups...wow it's bad. They don't wear socks with their shoes either, and the shoes smell too! It is very much noticed by anyone in the room.

How exactly would you handle this? I'm thinking maybe getting a foot spray and setting it out for everyone?

...I have a feeling this thread is going to be serious *and* silly.

Whoa, someone is in denial about their foot odor. Oh dear. I think you have to take the person aside and as gently as possible tell them that it's disturbing others in the class.

Maybe they can't smell their own foot b.o. Just hold your nose shut and say "Whew, foot b.o.!" and look around the room - every individual will think it's their b.o...l;,

ewww!!! ..thats right, nothing constructive..just ...Ewwwww!!

If you know who it is, take them aside and mention it. Seriously. They may not realise. I've had problems with severely stinky feet before - I think it was hormonal - and unless someone says it to you you just think you're being paranoid and the smell is not that bad.

You could just suggest maybe a product that is for dancers foot oder? "Wow I was reading an article about this and tried X, it really works.!" and follow up with saying wow this would be good since the warm wheather is coming! and some sort of joke about having to wash your feet after a hard days work when you have to bare them for belly dance.
If this doesn't work then take the offender aside?

Oh who am kidding? All the odorless ladies will be rushing to get rid of foot odor and the offender will not even get it!..c::

Originally Posted by faaria

Oh who am kidding? All the odorless ladies will be rushing to get rid of foot odor and the offender will not even get it!..c::

..l;,..l;,

Originally Posted by faaria

Oh who am kidding? All the odorless ladies will be rushing to get rid of foot odor and the offender will not even get it!..c::

..l;, That's exactly what I was thinking! If I did something like bring in the foot spray, everyone else would get paranoid and rush, and the offending feet would stay stinky.

ETA: I asked my Mom about it, and she said "Well, is there anything in belly dancing about having nice feet? Maybe you could give them a history lesson, and mention that part?" I about rolled on the floor.

I would hate to have to tell someone that...I don't envy you!

And really stinky feet generally can't be cured by a foot spray. I think those people have a pH imbalance or something that allows the wrong assortment of bacteria and yeasts to grow on their feet.

They had this problem at my son's dojo where he takes karate. The Sensei just made a generally announcement that since everyone touches and contacts the floor so much, it is critical to have clean and odor free feet. He provided an area to wash feet in the summer and even cracked a joke about how his socks smell.

The reality is though, I don't know if I would be able to ever address my dance class with a straight face on this.

Good luck!

thats a tough one.
ita - pull them aside privately so as not to embarrass them and use the "in the interest of the welfare of the class..."

try to recommend they spray their shoes inside too with something or the ick will just return

such a hard thing to have to tell someone

I've had to take people aside and tell them about odour problems before (usually armpits/when I worked in a gym). It is a horrible thing to have to do, but your class will thank you for it, and hopefully the culprit will too, despite the initial agonisingly cringing moment!!
Tough one, but you've just gotta do it. Please be kind!

Yes if you announce it to the air the offender will probably be mortified and never come again - and perhaps so will others.

I would think that part of the problem is no socks so the foot sweats into the shoe.

Shoes can be deodorised by putting in bicarb over night.... i mean putting in the shoe

Originally Posted by firefly5

I've had to take people aside and tell them about odour problems before (usually armpits/when I worked in a gym). It is a horrible thing to have to do, but your class will thank you for it, and hopefully the culprit will too, despite the initial agonisingly cringing moment!!
Tough one, but you've just gotta do it. Please be kind!

But you don't have to wash your floor down after smelly armpits!

I'd second actually taking the person aside and speaking to them. Announcements into the air may go over their head and worry other people.

I'd take them aside for the reasons mentioned above, but if possible try to do it when you and the owner of the offensive feet are alone, that means not in the corner of the room because they will still feel like everybody knows what you're talking about & be embarassed. Maybe bring up that you noticed it especially because you've had this problem before and are sensitive to it yourself. Suggest what you used. Ok, I realise this might be a little white lie, but is probably better than isolating her. People feel better if they know they're not the only one.

I like the idea of someone's sensei announcing to everyone that since we all come in contact with the floor, it's imperative to have clean and odor free feet. I may have to take them aside yet, and have a talk. Maybe I can grab her early, or ask her to stay a minute late to work on something and mention it then.

You could have a box of baby wipes by the front of the class for washing feet.
I think you will have to approach her. I had to do this with a stinky student who didn't wear deo and rarely washed. I told her I was very sensitive to odors, and that I was asking a few people in the class to take extra care to wash and/or put on deoderant on class nights to help me out. I think it kind of helped her to hear that it was "my problem" and that she wasn't the only one I was speaking to about it (even though she was the only one at that time).

I agree, be direct & approach the offender. I *always* go over hygenie at the first class--both the importance of having clean feet--because we do dance barefoot, and odor free--no heavy fragrances, body sprays, lotions et cetera & no super funk b.o.
I keep it light & friendly but I also say that I have had to address the issue more directly & its awfully embarrassing for everyone involved. I also say that if someone has specific concerns to discuss them with me so that I can be sensitive & proactive.
During a nutcracker season I once had to discuss hygene with a dancer whose tights smelled really really really bad...down there. Her male partners who had to lift her had mentioned it first & then it became pretty noticable backstage. In this small company dancers provided their own foundation garments & hosiery. She was re-wearing the same dance thong for every show w/out washing it, ditto for her tights & it was her fragrant time of the month. Yup.

Oh I think if you smell them, everybody else does too so you could maybe crack a joke and say, "it smells like feet in here!" and if she doesn't get it, then you may have to do that fun thing and pull her aside and gently tell her.

Might it help to make some (deodorizing/antibacterial) talcum powder handy and encourage its use on the soles of the feet (and after class, "oh, and feel free to sprinkle some in your shoes if your feet are sweaty")? I had a teacher once who kept some handy - supposedly because it kept balls of feet from sticking to the floor during turns (which it did). I never thought until now that maybe it was also because of this very problem! Might make things too slippery, though, depending on the floor (you'd definitely not want to use it on a nice wood floor).

-Devora

I received this in a joke email recently - perhaps it would be useful to you.

I saw a few different doctors on tv recommend soaking feet in strong black tea daily for 30 min. After a week the smell should be gone. After that person can do it when necessary. The tea kills the bacteria on the feet. Sprays won't help.

Originally Posted by Surida

I received this in a joke email recently - perhaps it would be useful to you.

..l;,..l;,..l;,

Usually with "offensive odors" it is the armpits of dancers who don't wear deodorant or wash. One dancer told me, "I'm not going to shower and then get all sweaty again in class and have to shower twice." This was in response to a general statement by her teacher that "all students need to be aware of the need for personal cleanliness and deodorant before class in consideration of others in room". My response: well, if you are just practicing at home the only person you can offend with your armpit odor is yourself, but it's not polite to subject others in a class. A quick shower just doesn't take very long or even a swipe with a warm washcloth and some deodorant, pulease!

Another problem I've encountered is the one where a student douses themselves with a gallon of strong perfume - whew, one lady actually had my eyes watering and stomach heaving it was so strong. I had to leave the class after 20 minutes and I talked to the teacher afterwards, who took care of the problem by having a private talk with the dancer who stopped using whatever it was that was so overpowering.

The foot odor issue is a new one; but all the "stinky" smell issues in a classroom have to be dealt with by teacher and I think the direct and private talk with "offender" is best. It's not an easy conversation but necessary.

I'm thinking of a new spinoff thread about "standards of attire" in class. (runs off to type this up, you won't believe what the issue was.......,f::,f::

this is one of those subjects that is funny unless it is about you....

You could address the problem with a general announcement saying "it's not directed at anyone in particular but to EVERYONE" and go over hygeine.

also, once she takes her shoes off, the odor might also be coming from her SHOES! My daughter had the same problem. She wore the same shoes all the time and OMG they could be classified as a biological weapon! For some reason, something in her skin reacted with something in her shoes and major stinko!!! I washed them and the next day they stank just as bad! Lysol did not help. I ended up having to switch to all-cotton shoes for her and it helped. Her feet sweated so bad they could not breathe in synthetic shoes. The odor clung to the shoe and they had to go out onto the porch at the end of the day. She is 20 now and it isn't as bad so maybe it's hormonal for her and for the women in your class?

Not sure what I think about this, but there is this website

No Offense Or Anything - send anonymous email to someone with body odor!

and this one, which I quite liked fragrant tree anyone?

A Librarian's Guide to Etiquette: Odor, On dealing with the pungent stench of the guy sitting next to you

I also heard about one that sends a gift of appropriate items to the offending party, but I can't seem to locate that one. I think they word it really nicely.

Originally Posted by ssipes

I would hate to have to tell someone that...I don't envy you!

And really stinky feet generally can't be cured by a foot spray. I think those people have a pH imbalance or something that allows the wrong assortment of bacteria and yeasts to grow on their feet.

Right on the money. I had a period of time for a little over a year where it did not matter what shoes I wore, how often I washed, sprayed or powdered them or if I was wearing socks or not - my feet just reeked.w.:! I mean bad, I would take off my shoes and knock everyone out of their seats. Now, at the time I wasn't dancing so as far as classes I can't really help. It did become a running family joke for awhile tho. They would say something and I would threaten to take off my shoes if they didn't stop.

There was seriously nothing that I could do about it and knew how bad it was. So be gentle and know that this person may know just how bad it is and can't help it. Thank god I don't have that problem any more.

I saw this at Whole Foods last summer: Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal - Foot Spray with Soothing Aloe Vera - 4 oz- VitaCart Offers Discount Foot Spray with Soothing Aloe Vera from Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal

It's great for sandals and, I imagine, would be wonderful for dance slippers.

When I was a high school teacher occasionally a student (usually a boy) didn't shower regularly and the other students would complain to me and ask for their assigned seats to be away from the student. If I was helping the student one-on-one with a (math) question, I sometimes couldn't breathe properly. But I was able to talk to the school nurse, who would call the student in for a hygiene consultation.

Originally Posted by Surida

I received this in a joke email recently - perhaps it would be useful to you.

Haha, that reminds me of one of my kittens: she pulled a sock out of the laundry basket and kept looking at it from safe distance and every now and then she would poke it to see if it wasn't a scary monster. Normally like likes clean socks and hides them, but this sock was one of my partner's after he worked all day...

Btw if the problem can't be solved: stong incense might be the solution ..l;,