Runny Nose in Class

[balletdoll101]

During fall I get seasonal allergies quite bad (runny nose, sneezing, itchy eyes, etc...) I do take an allergy medicine but by the time my evening ballet class comes around my medicine starts to wear off and I'm left with a very runny nose. Would it be okay if I took some tissue into class with me to blow my nose? Would it be disrupting to the rest of the class if I blew my nose? Thanks!

[vrsfanatic]

Definitely tell the teacher you are having allergy issues and yes, take the tissue to class!

[Guest ABTgirl101]

I have seasonal allergies too. But don't worry what i usually do is ask the teacher if it is ok to bring in a box of tissues. then i set then if she or he is ok with it i set them at a spot at the bar where their not very distracting. I also bring a bag (plastic) so i can throw awaythe tissues with out having walk accross the studio every single combo...good luck!

[Mel Johnson]

It also depends on where you are. In Japan, you'd have to leave the classroom, even to use tissues. Nose-blowing is considered incredibly gross in that culture. But for most intents and purposes in the US, you should be OK just bringing the tissue in and disposing of it as mentioned above.

[NHBnutcracker]

When I know I am going to have a runny nose, I ususally just tuck a few tissues into my leotard. That way there are no distracting boxes. I usually do have to walk to the trashcan though- which is why I usually stand near it!

[vrsfanatic]

LOL Major Johnson! I was so ill with a terrible cold this year in Japan and unfortunately learned this very important rule of Japanese culture only after the fact!

[Mel Johnson]

Only in recent years has Nippon TV taken on this "delicate" subject. A fairly regular sitcom plot will have one character with a bad nose, and the sight gag is them blowing their nose (usually with outrageous sound effects), just like "All in the Family" had the sound of a toilet flushing!

[balletdoll101]

Thanks everyone for their replies and help!

[balletbum74]

It might also be nice to bring a small bottle of hand sanitizer (if allowed) so you don't get the barre dirty. It would be more important if you had a cold, but if it is a problem for you...

[Skye90]

I think tissues are essential in class for runny noses...there's nothing worse then turning when you need to blow it. And sniffing is almost more impolite then just quickly using a tissue.

What actually would they do in Japan if you blew your nose? Would they just look offeneded or send you out of class altogether? And if you had a cold, would you stay away from class until even your nose had dried up? I'm just a little curious

[Mel Johnson]

In Japan, your classmates would probably not say much. However, the nose-blowing would occasion a loss of face, which could count against you socially. Often the Japanese will wear a surgical mask when going out into a crowded environment. Usually, though, when it's a foreigner, they'll just shrug it off as "those silly daijin", and pretend not to notice.

[ballaurena]

When I had a runny nose during Nutcracker season, I would use a nasal spray called Anefrin before class. According to my dad, who's a respiratory doctor, it constricts the blood vessels in your nose and decreases swelling so mucus runs down the back of your throat instead of out your nose. It may tickle a little but it really does work to stop a runny nose. I don't know if it's sold under that name anywhere but I'm sure you could find a generic version at any drugstore.

[Mel Johnson]

When I was first in Japan, in the early 70s, I had been forewarned about the social stigma attached to nose-blowing, but a friend gave me an over-the-counter spray whose name I cannot now remember, but it worked, too. The funny side of it was that it was a time when, if a product had even a small amount of English on the label, it was looked upon as somewhat classy. The problem was that they didn't check the usage of the words they used for this one. It was labeled, "For the relief of nasal congestion and excessive snot."

[vrsfanatic]

What actually would they do in Japan if you blew your nose? Would they just look offeneded or send you out of class altogether? And if you had a cold, would you stay away from class until even your nose had dried up? I'm just a little curious

 

Skye90, I was very ill with the flu this summer in Japan. Not knowing anything about their social issues with blowing the nose in public, I blew away. For four days no one said a word to me. My "position" in Japan was "very honored international ballet judge" for a lovely ballet competition in Sapporo, Japan. In the utter silence of a competition (accept the music) I blew my nose, repeatedly. After the competition I was told by an American friend, who now lives and teaches ballet in Japan, that the blewing of one's nose is a very big social faux pas! How it will effect my future in the Japanese ballet "scene" remains to be seen. If I do not get an invitation to be a judge in a competition I have been judging for 4 years, I guess that will say it all.

 

I can say however that once I was told about the disrespect one shows by the blewing of the nose in public, I never blew it in public again. Actually amazing since I spent another week in Japan, very ill. When I got back to the US I took a course of anti-biotics that finally did knock it out of me.

[Mel Johnson]

Perhaps, but the Japanese are such hospitable people that they probably would just shake their heads inwardly, and think to themselves, "Poor dear, she just doesn't understand." They are quick to appreciate efforts by outsiders to adapt to their cultural norms, and even quicker to overlook errors from foreigners. We can learn a lot from them.