Saturday, November 7, 2009

Practice Good Habits--More Than Just Dancing

"Cover your mouth when you sneeze!"

We've been told this for as long as we can remember. So we automatically put our hand over our mouth when we sneeze. Problem is the germs are now on our hands, which we use to open doors, pull out chairs--and in dancing--offer to our partner.

So how do we continue to safely enjoy dancing in this coming flu season--especially with the spread of Swine Flu?

1. Sneeze into your arm, not your hand. This will contain the germs on a less-spreadable part of your body.

2. Sanitize your hands. Immediately after sneezing excuse yourself and wash your hands or use hand santizer. Do the same before and after class and periodically throughout the night at a dance. We have a big bottle of hand sanitizer available at all classes and dances.

3. If you don't feel well stay home, even if it's a class or dance you really want to take. There's no way around the fact that dancing is a contact sport. Another dance will come. If you're taking classes with Got2Lindy Dance Studios, we allow students to begin up to the second week and you have the opportunity to make up missed classes in our other locations (Stone Ridge, Kingston, Highland) at any time during the four-week series. And even if you can't make up the missed class, we always review to make sure you have the material.

4. Don't rotate. If you come to dance class with a partner and you suspect you might be coming down with something or just getting over something, stay with your partner for that night.

5. Read the article below, share it and follow it! It was emailed to me by one of our students.


PREVENT SWINE FLU--GOOD ADVICE based on an article by Dr. Vinay Goyal

The only portals of entry for the virus are the nostrils, mouth and throat. In a global epidemic, it is almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 so in order to prevent proliferation practice the following good habits:
1. Frequent hand-washing.
2. Hands off the face approach. Once you become aware of how often you touch your face, you'll be amazed. Resist all temptations to touch any part of your face until you've cleaned your hands.
3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water or Listerine. H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate so gargling is a great preventive.
4. Clean your nostrils at least once a day with warm salt water. If you are not familiar with the yogic method of doing this using a Neti pot, you can simply blow your nose hard once a day and swab your nostrils with cotton balls dipped in warm salt water.
5. Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C or take a supplement that also contains Zinc to boost absorbtion.
6. Drink warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc). This has the same effect as gargling except the viruses are rinsed from the throat to the stomach where they cannot survive.

By following this good advice, and making the extra effort to protect yourself, you'll be protecting all your fellow dancers.

By the way, if you haven't already heard, Chester and Dorrie won 2nd Place at the American Lindy Hop Championships Pro/Am Division. Read about it in the Poughkeepsie Journal article.

UPCOMING DANCE EVENTS
Saturday, Nov 7 Alzheimer's Benefit Dance with Swingin' Jive Patrol
Monday, Nov 9 New Kingston Series begins (FINAL FOR 2009)
Wednesday, Nov 11 (my birthday!) New Highland Series begins (FINAL FOR 2009)
Saturday, Nov 14 Swing Out Intensive Technique Clinic 5:30-7pm
Saturday, Nov 14 Second Saturday Swing Dance Port Ewen 7-10:30pm
with New Paltz Food Pantry Drive (bring a can of food to donate)
Sunday, Nov 15 & 29 Balboa Sunday, Poughkeepsie 3-5pm
Saturday, Nov 21 Fill-in-the-Memory-Blanks Workshop 2-4pm for 2009 Got2 Lindy Students
Tuesday, Nov 24 New Stone Ridge Series begins (FINAL FOR 2009)
Friday, Dec 4 Capital Swing Dance, Albany with Cool Cats & Kittens & Dorrie & Chester performances
Saturday, Dec 5 & Sunday, Dec 6 Big Apple Lindy Hoppers Weekend Worshop, Dance, Performance Extravaganza
Saturday, Dec 12 Second Saturday Swings Port Ewen Holiday Swing Dance & Performance
Saturday, Dec 12 Technique Clinic 5:30-7pm (FINAL FOR 2009)
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR 2010
Classes begin week of January 4
First dance of the year January 9

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