By Laura J. Schaefer

Body language is the language of seduction. If you’ve mastered the art of communicating your desires in a subtle way, dating is a thrilling dance and you’re Mikhail Baryshnikov.

Whether he’ll be able to read your unspoken messages or not, well, that’s another article. But as long as you have such a powerful communication tool at your disposal, you had better work it. Use your body to reveal your interest, or move to deflect an unwanted advance – all without saying a word.

Body language that shows you’re interested:

• Eye contact. To express your interest in someone new, make eye contact several times in quick succession. Smile, and briefly raise your eyebrows.
• Pointing. By pointing your body in his direction, you send a clear signal that you would like to speak with him. You can do this while sitting by pointing a crossed leg in his direction. Keep your body posture open and relaxed.
• Touch. Touch is perhaps the most powerful form of body language at your disposal. Men may miss just about everything else you happen to do, but they’ll definitely notice if you touch him, even briefly. Grooming behavior, such as picking a piece of lint of his shoulder or smoothing his shirt, is a common way to incorporate touch into a body language repertoire.
• Playing with hair and jewelry. To draw attention to yourself, touch your hair or jewelry once in a while. Look at his mouth, and moisten your lips occasionally. He’ll instantly wonder what’s on your mind.
• Leaning. If you are sitting near them, lean in a little. If you are standing, stand slightly closer than you normally would. By subtly invading his personal space, you send a clear message that you would, ahem, like to get to know him better.
• Mirroring. We unconsciously like people who are similar to us, so imitate some of his movements.
• Smile. By flashing your pearly whites regularly, you will make him feel comfortable and happy. If you happen to be in a big group of people, make a point to listen to what he says and smile at his cracks.

How to move if you’re not interested:

• Looking away. If eye contact is a clear indicator of interest, you communicate an equally powerful message by keeping it to a minimum. Be sure to avoid looking at his mouth.
• Fidgeting. By playing with your drink or whatever else happens to be at hand, you send a signal of boredom and disinterest.