Dating at a (social) distance

It's hard to get to know a potential matewhen you have to stay two metres apart. But singles and those in the dating industry say social distancing has set the stage foran interesting social experimentas romance moves online.

Since the pandemic hit, Mandia Nantsios has seen a spike in her social media traffic, with potential suitors trying to make a connection.

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Nantsios, 23, is an Ottawa musician and influencer who doesn't use dating apps, but recently met someonethrough a group hangout platform called House Party.That's led to video dates, chatting overglasses of winesipped in separate living rooms.

"This is a good time to get to know people," Nantsiossaid. "Everybody has time to connect. It just forces younot to rush anything. I'm looking at it as a positive."

From in-person to online

Dating companies are hoping to cash in on this new virtual market by pivoting from in-person to virtual matchmaking.

When the virus hit,bookings for Dashing Date's speed-dating events came tohalt. The company has now made the jump to hosting its events on Zoom, and offersFacebook Live talks on how best to date at a distance.

CEO Kavita Ajwani saidthough some singles are opting to take a break right now, many are choosing to devote their extra hours to the pursuit of love.

"There is a silver lining for singles that they have a lot of options right now. You need to stay connected now more than ever," Ajwani said.

Local app Wandure also scrambled to adjust to the new reality. Launched last December, Wandureis focused on getting people to meetin real lifeshortly after matching online.

Now, for a flat fee of $5, Wandure will set you up on a home-based video date, with a member of their team facilitating a trivia night. Co-founder Chelsea Sauv saidthey've actually seen an increase in their numbers.

"There are people who are quite stressed by the fact that their dating life is at a standstill for an indeterminate period. In these times it's especially clear how wonderful it would be to have someone to discuss this with that emotional contact," Sauvsaid.

Virtual dating etiquette

Nicole Soon, 36, saidthere's another advantage to virtual dating: it's easier to be confidentwhen you're on home turf.

"It's more relaxing, there's less anxiety and you can be more yourself. I think everyone gets first date jitters, so it's nice to talk over a screen," Soon laughed.

Soon has taken up online dating in a big way during her 14-day self-isolation in Vancouver she recently cut short a five-month trip to Asia and saidshe's struggling to keep up with the influx of messages she's now receiving from other bored singles.

But for Sarah Martin, 23, who's been laid off from two of her three jobs, having more time to spend on dating doesn't necessarily make those connections more satisfying.

"You have all the time in the world but no motivation. I'm half into it because it doesn't feel like it's going to go anywhere," she said, noting that a few of her conversations have fizzled due to "pure boredom."

Thenthere are questions about how to date virtually. Do you dress to impress, at least from the waist up? Do you drink alcohol? Should you worry about the lighting?

Melissa Guenette is waiting to see the long-term consequences of this social experiment.

The Ottawa social media marketer, 34, isn't currently dating, but is hearing from single friends who are using sites like zoomer.love to organize coffee or cooking dates, oreven to watcha Netflix movie.

She compares the situation tothe Netflix series Love is Blind, where singles get to know each other withoutseeing each other. Guenette wonders if self-isolation might just influencepeople to start focusing on substance over surface.

"Because you're not looking for the guy with the six-pack who goes to the gym and eats boring chicken and quinoa. Now you might be looking for someone to hang out and enjoy pizza and Netflix with you, someone to hibernate withyour quarantine buddy. Or maybe somebody who you want to go through a doomsday scenario with the next epidemic."