Are there any tricks you use? I just try to keep more of a distance than usual but customers sometimes get angry with that. I need to get thicker skin to just stop caring about this I think. What do you all do in this situation?
Are there any tricks you use? I just try to keep more of a distance than usual but customers sometimes get angry with that. I need to get thicker skin to just stop caring about this I think. What do you all do in this situation?




I tend to take nights off if I'm actually legitly sick, get lots of sleep, and eat all the garlic. Usually better by the next shift.
If a customer wants to get a dance off me, I'm not going to change anything just because I'm sick. I'm not coughing on their face obviously. Honestly they're more likely to get sick from touching money than getting a ld from a dancer with the sniffles.
Garlic is great (but maybe not during a shift). You may be right about the likelihood of getting sick from money quicker than from us but I'm not completely sure, since we do get pretty close for long periods if multiple dances are happening. I really should probably stop worrying about it I guess since there's not much we can do either way.





I try not to work when I'm sick, as I don't want to give it to any of the other girls...mainly because then I'll end up just catching from another dancer again in a week when I'm already over it lol. But, I understand that sometimes you just can't avoid working with the sniffles. I'm not proud of it lol, but I've worked "on my death bed", banked, and customers haven't noticed before. Maybe try to dace with your face away from them (they'll love the booty action and you won't be coughing in their faces) or do more floor work (if there's room).
If I do have to work, then I usually use hay fever tablets instead of cold and flu tablets because it stops my nose from running more effectively than over the counter cold medication (but that's just me). It's hard to get better quickly when you aren't sleeping properly and are putting any extra strain on your body, like dancing.
You can get a combination tablet of vitamin C, Zinc, Garlic and Echinacea that will help to fight off your cold. Also, if it's gets chesty a Golden Seal and Eyebright combo' tablet will be really helpful (it's nothing short of amazing IMO and is available at most health food stores or online). Other than antibiotics (if it's a flu or a persistent cold)...rugging up at night to try and “sweat it out” and taking paracetamol (to bring down a fever, if you have one) can help you recover faster. Try to avoid taking cold and flu medication while you are just at home, as it stops you from couching up/blowing out (yuck lol) the germs and can prolong your cold.
Feel better soon![]()
When I must work while sick I take Dayquil. I also use an herbal throat spray from Whole Foods if I need it.
I try to not take cold meds unless I am working. I treat myself to veggie juice with extra garlic from the juice bar at whole foods and load up on vitamins and herbal remedies when I am not at work.
Try to just do what you can. If your throat hurts, then just don't talk to people. See how it goes.





In terms of customers being angry about you working sick, years ago another dancer told me to say my hayfever allergies were acting up (not that I had a cold).
Thanks. I've never had a customer get angry about me having a cold but some have gotten crabby when I tried to keep a distance during dances because of it. I do have to admit that I care a lot less about the risks of giving them my cold when they're not nice.



Having a cold is no big deal. How often do we all get colds a year? Like a billion times. If the customer comes in wheeling an oxygen tank behind them or if they're in a bubble, then yeah, give them the heads up that you're sick and maybe they should get a dance with someone else but other than that, dance as you normally would. I'm pretty sure the only thing the customers really don't want you to give them during a dance is a snail trail.
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