How To Mingle
at a Dance Party Mixer
for Singles

To mingle means to come in contact with, to move about (as in a group). My club, Professionals Guild, hosts monthly parties and mixers for single professionals and those interested in meeting single professionals.  If you have never been to a dance party/mixer for singles, you may be somewhat shy and wonder how to mingle. Here are some tips you may find useful.

Arrive early. Many people like to come to a party fashionably late because it is more exciting at that time: there are lots of people and the party is going strong. You can easily blend in when you come late.  When you come early, there are just a few people there and things are quiet. This can be a bit unsettling. Even so, it is better to come early because you have a better chance of connecting with someone.  If you come late, some people will have already connected making it harder for you to meet them. So come early, enjoy your favorite beverage and relax. Move about. As each person comes in give them a warm and friendly greeting.

Participate.  At many parties, there is some kind of mixer game. Often you can learn something from participating in the game and it does make it easier to meet new people. So  take a chance and participate in the mixer game.

Another way to participate is to volunteer. A greeter usually stands near the entry way and greets party goers as they arrive and explains how the mixer game is played. By greeting you get a good idea of who is coming to the party and you can then go and learn more about them once your greeter shift is over.

Don't sit with friends. Although it is a good idea to come with a friend, it is not a good idea to sit or stand with friends for very long at a dance party/mixer for singles. This is a very common mistake made by friends that come together. The reason: others will find it hard to approach you and break into your conversation. A much better approach is to split up and agree to meet back together at a certain time and location at the party. In the meantime, move about and greet others, perhaps looking for common interests.

Look for Common Interests. When you meet various people, find out what their interests are. "What are you doing when you are enjoying your favorite hobby?" is a way to invite someone to expound a little bit about their favorite hobby. When you find someone who has a common interest, it may be the beginning of a long friendship. But if you don't explore common interests, you may never know that someone enjoys the same things as you do.

Ask someone to dance.  After connecting with someone for a while through conversation, ask him or her to dance when a song comes on that inspires you. If you are a lady, don't be shy about asking a man to dance. If you are not comfortable dancing, consider taking some lessons. What many people want is a partner they can enjoy dancing with. And dancing is an extremely healthy and pleasurable activity.

Make sure you can reconnect. When you connect, be sure you can reconnect.  A good approach is to say, may I give you a call some time or send you an email? If you are not comfortable giving out your own phone number, try using one of the new free social networking phone systems. These free systems let you make and receive calls without using giving out your own phone number. To learn more, contact me at Professionals Guild. (see listing information on page ___).

I hope you've enjoyed reading these tips on how to mingle. Remember, mingle means to move about. So don't stand or sit alone. Mingle! Thanks for your interest in...

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