Supercharge your dating life and reinvent yourself from the inside out with South Africa’s leading dating and attraction expert…

Love is in the air and South Africa’s “Romance Rescue Team” have announced they will be hosting the first ever Social or Single seminar on the 12 February. The perfect aphrodisiac to Valentine’s Day, guests attending the event will be treated to an evening of lively, entertaining talk by leading dating and attraction experts. Not just for the actively unmarried, the event is open to all and being held at the celebrated Preview Theatre in Bagleyston. It will start with a glass of champagne between 18h30 and 19h00.

“The first of its kind in South Africa, this event promises to be such fun,” enthuses top dating coach and SA’s answer to Hitch, Ramon Thomas. “There will be talks on every aspect of attraction including dating techniques and body language, image projection and personal style, sex, love and romance; everything you need to know to supercharge your dating life and relationships.”

Master of Ceremonies for the evening, Thomas, will also present a powerful talk on how to shift your dating life from scarcity to abundance. “Dating in the 21 century is challenging,” he maintains, “whether you want to attract more of the right kind of people into your life or transform your relationships so they deepen and last longer. So I’ll be tackling topics like how attraction really works, for both sexes, why living in a heavily populated city actually makes it more difficult to find a mate, and how changing your mind will change your life.”

Thomas will be joined on stage by Koketso Masego, founder of the BeautyLUSH image consultancy, who will be demonstrating how to find and exploit your personal sense of style by performing a ?live? image makeover. “There is a powerful, symbolic relationship between your outer appearance and your inner feelings and thoughts,” explains Masego, “and I want to show the audience how to tap into that exchange to heighten and express their attractiveness.”

Two internationally-recognised authorities on romance and relationships, Prof Helen Fisher and Dr John Demartini, will also be sharing their expertise with the audience through two highly entertaining and engaging video presentations. “Prof. Fisher will be exploring both why we love and why we cheat and Dr. Demartini will be sharing his powerful ideas on how to transform our relationships,” notes Thomas.

Guests will also stand a chance to win a complete personal ‘dating life’ makeover, valued at over R4000, in the Grand Prize Draw at the end of the evening. “One male and one female guest will each win a free attraction-consultation with Koketso and me,” explains Thomas, “but nobody will leave empty handed because we will also be giving out complimentary DVDs of the entire evening’s info-tainment.”

Brought to you in association with SMARTdate, South Africa?s leading dating agency, tickets for “Social or Single” cost R100 per person and can bookings can be made through the SMARTdate website or by calling 072 464-4253.

Notes to Editors

South Africa’s #1 Dating Coach, professional speaker and regular media commentator, Ramon Thomas is an expert on dating, attraction and romantic relationships in the 21st century. A member of the National Speakers Association and Toastmasters, Thomas is an experienced compeer available for keynote presentation and seminars.

Managed by local cinematic legend, Italo Bernicci, the celebrated Preview Theatre is available for hire as a venue and regularly presents screenings of classic movies. Located on Valerie Crescent, Bagleyston, Johannesburg.

For further information please contact Ramon Thomas directly.

Popularity: 34% [?]

In a country just opening up to the culture of the dating scene it?s hard when you?re newly single to know what to do or where to go. SMARTdate owner Jenny Cereseto will present a number of workshops, with Ramon Thomas, a well known dating coach over the course of the controversial exhibition, Sexpo with intent to educate single people about the dating game.

“As an exhibitor I want to make the dating concept something people understand and remove any hesitation they may have had in the past,” says Jenny Cereseto, owner of SMARTdate. “Most of my clients find speed dating helps expand their social life and in that way meet new people for dating and relationships. Speed dating is a great way of improving confidence, developing social skills and finding a partner.”

Sexpo began in Australia, where the biggest public exhibition is held. Joburg’s version is expected to draw up to 30 000 visitors. The expo, being held from September 27 to 30th at Gallagher Estate, will host 100 exhibitors offering books, toys, gadgets, health, fashion, dating and lingerie.

“Most people today are overwhelmed by choice. Internet dating and cellphones make things easier and more difficult at the same time,” says Ramon Thomas, South Africa’s #1 Dating Coach. “My mission is to show people how to convey what they have to offer and meet better quality people.”

Some of what men will learn at the Sexpo:
- how to overcome social programming
- attraction vs romance vs love
- advanced body language
- eliciting women’s values
- setting up short, medium and long term relationships

An interesting dichotomy emerges in the dating industry with all online dating and SMS dating companies are run by men with majority of users being men. The opposite holds true for most speed dating and dinner dating companies. They are run by women and attract more women than men to their events. ?Men hide behind their computer or cellphone screens instead of going out and meeting woman,? says Thomas. ? I’m determined to show them how to do it.?

There are currently over 40 dating service providers operating in South Africa. This number excludes most SMS services who come and go and old fashioned social clubs, who advertise mostly in local classifieds. Most dating companies do not offer any advice to their clients. While the worldwide trends are that they partner with dating gurus or life coaches.

Thomas confirms the biggest problem in the dating industry is that there is no regulation. Users of online, speed or SMS dating services have no independent body to report any complaints to for investigation. And Thomas has become the unofficial industry ombudsman.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Ramon Thomas, Dating Coach
Cell. 082 940-7137

Jenny Cereseto, owner SMARTdate
Cell. 072 464-4253

Popularity: 18% [?]

Shannon Smith started modelling at 18 doing fashion shows, commercials, editorials and then went to London for a year in 2004 to work there and try earn British Pounds! After returing she joined ICE Model Management and has been working non stop ever since! She came 9th in 2005 in FHM 100 Sexiest Women in the World poll and is Miss March in 2006 FHM Calander. Shannon has done TV commercials for Jet, Samsung, Gillette, Shield Deodorant, Danone, and more. She briefly presented Tourism Biz on SABC3 early in 2006 for a few episodes and then decided to do a television presenting course with On Cue Communications, which she has just completed. She has done various voice over work for television commercials and MC work for a few functions and events. Shannon has a Diploma in Event, Conference & Exhibition Management and currently works for an Event company in Rivonia.

RT:What is your current relationship status …and why?
SS:I am currently in a stable relationship with a wonderful guy and I am very happy.

RT:What are the characteristics and qualities you find attractive in a man and why?
SS:Definitely honesty, and he MUST be able to make me laugh- which isnt too difficult. I also like tall guys with good bodies, and I am a total sucker for romance.

RT:How do you as a woman get what you want in a relationship?
SS:I think you need to make it clear in the beginning of every relationship what it is you want out of the relationship and establish boundaries etc right up front so that its smooth sailing right from the get go. If you start off letting little things slide by and not saying anything, you are bound to have problems in the future.

RT:What things do men do that turn you off?
SS:Definitely guys that think they are Gods gift to women. The guys that look in the mirror more than their girlfriends and guys that take longer to get dressed than me- NO WAY!

RT:Do you believe in opposites attract and why?
SS:I think in some relationships opposites attract but not my relationships, I need to have a lot in common with my guy, same interests and goals in life etc.

RT:Do you believe in love at first sight and why?
SS:No, I believe in LUST at first sight, thats how I felt about the guy I am dating now when we first met!

RT:Whats the worst pick-up line that’s ever been used on you by a man and how did you respond?
SS:I dont really hear many pick-up lines, I think guys feel intimidated coming up to me, like I will turn out to be some terrible person and turn my back on them or laugh, but I am actually very friendly.

RT:What’s the most embarrassing date you’ve ever been on?
SS:I went out for dinner to Monte Casino once with a guy, and when it came time to pay the bill he told me he didnt have cash on him so he needed to go draw, when he came back he said he had no cash in his bank either. I had left my purse at home, so I had to call my dad to come pay for the meal, AND he had to ask total strangers for spare change to get out of the parking!!!

RT:How do men react when you are alone vs. when you are in a group setting?
SS:I think guys are more easy going and relaxed when in a group situation and definitely more cocky and sarcastic, but when its just me and a guy alone most guys get all shy and dont have much to say, maybe thats coz I can talk the hind leg off a donkey!

RT:How has the feminist revolution affected life for women in the 21st century?
SS:Well I am no Miss South Africa so I am not gonna be able to give some hectic answer to that question, but I reckon its been exceptionally good for us, we have loads more respect from men, and loads more respect for ourselves!!

RT:What kind of relationship issues do you and your girlfriends discuss most often?
SS:We mostly discuss sexual issues and as we are all getting older, I realised we have started talking more about kids and marriage etc more often, OH DEAR!

RT:Do you have any suggestions about what women can do differently to become more successful in dating and relationship with men?
SS:Dont let men push you around, stand up for what u think is right and dont settle for 2nd best, there is definitely the PERFECT guy out there for EVERY woman. NEVER SETTLE!!!

RT:Do you have any suggestions on how guys should approach a woman?
SS:Lay off on the attitude and quit thinking you are THE MAN. Be genuine and funny and charming, DONT SWEAR, I hate men that swear.

RT:What is your idea of the ideal date?
SS:A private dinner table for two on a beautiful exotic beach, eating sushi and watching the sun set, then a walk on the beach after dinner and lying on the beach sand watching the stars above trying to spot shooting stars!

RT:What do you think of Speed Dating and would you ever try it?
SS:No I would not try it but it must work for some people coz I have a very good friend that has a perfectly good relationship and they met in a speed dating experience.

RT:What do you think of Online Dating and would you ever try it?
SS:No I would not try it, its too risky, people are never honest in those things. So you think you are talking to a 25year old Brad Pitt look a like but in actual fact you are talking to a 51 year old divorced father of two!

Checkout Shannon Smith’s MySpace profile for more photos… You can also contact her booking agents through ICE Models and Celebridex. You can also connect with her on Facebook.

Popularity: 15% [?]