Deodorant
Beginner Level
The foundation — what every new dancer needs to know
Your most important dance accessory — because no amount of styling can compensate for body odor in a close-embrace dance.
Beginner focus
Apply deodorant before every dance event. Keep a travel-size stick in your dance bag for reapplication. If you tend to sweat heavily, consider an antiperspirant applied the night before (they work better with time to absorb) plus a deodorant before the event. This isn't about shame — even the cleanest person needs help after hours of physical activity.
Tips
- •Unscented or lightly scented deodorant is ideal for dancing. Your partner's nose will be very close to you — subtle is better.
- •Antiperspirant works best when applied to dry skin, ideally the night before. Deodorant is your day-of layer.
- •If someone you trust mentions body odor to you, thank them. They did you an enormous favor.
Common mistakes
- •Applying deodorant only once and expecting it to last through five hours of dancing
- •Substituting cologne or perfume for deodorant — strong fragrances can be just as off-putting as body odor
- •Being too embarrassed to reapply midway through an event
Practice drill
Check your dance bag right now. Is there a travel-size deodorant in it? If not, put one in today. Set a phone reminder to reapply at the midpoint of your next social event. Make this automatic and you'll never have to worry about it again.