Similar to speed dating but without any words, Eye Gazing is the new craze for people looking for love. Singles attending the event are given a quick guide on how to make good eye contact. The strangers are then told to pair up and stare into each others eyes, 2 minutes a go, for a total of 20 gazes during the evening. It’s intense, uncomfortable and difficult to do, but that’s the whole point. So much singles chatter involves pointless small talk that we often avoid making real contact with one another.

Eye Gazing was created by salsa dancer Michael Ellsberg who says that strong eye contact was often the most important yet often lacking ingredient when creating a good dance. Realising the parallels between dancing and dating he set out to see if the magic from the dancing world could be transferred to the dating world.

It’s been a brilliant success as “afterwards conversations and phone number exchange with ease because people feel an inexplicable closeness to one another”. When asked why eye contact? His response:

“Eye contact is, hands down and lashes up, the single best way to establish a meaningful connection with a new person in a short amount of time.  It gets quickly past the social roles that we often put up in interacting with one another which allows a quick penetration into a deeper layer of who we are as people which then allows us to feel more seen, understood, and open to each other. “

—

A little bit weird but still interesting stuff. If you’re a blusher and you really want to stop blushing then this should be one of your goals. I know that if an event ends up in my town then I’ll be going!

Eye Gazing Parties