By Shauna Scott Rhone
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Michael Williams (left) and Jenee Allen spend three minutes together during the speed dating event for African-Americans. (Mike Simons photos) | ZOOM |

Jenee Allen and Miriam Hilton stood tentatively in the doorway of the party room at Jillian's. The first two singles to arrive for the evening's Progressive Daters event, they had the room to themselves and began to chat.

Allen, 36, of Middletown, and Hilton, 37, of Dayton, both had seen the Oprah show that featured this popular speed dating service.

"I also saw it on the Internet," says Allen, "on aroundthenati.com," the Web site spotlighting events for African-Americans.

For Hilton, a reference librarian, and Allen, who works for a brokerage firm, the prospect of a room full of singles speed dating was too good to pass up.

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"I'm really just looking for a hangout buddy," says Hilton. "I'd like a really worthwhile relationship."

Progressive Daters, the Cleveland-based three-minute speed-dating company, has conducted more than 200 events in the Cincinnati area since August said Mike Donnellan, Progressive Dating's local coordinator. This one at the Covington club was specifically for African-Americans, an under-represented group at previous events.

Although neither Allen nor Hilton had been speed daters before, Allen says she has attended other singles events. Both noticed more women than men showing up for this event. The love score was nine to three.

"I've gone on cruises for black singles," says Allen, "and there were always more women than men. But I still had a good time. If there was a man at the table at dinner, I'd strike up a conversation with him. I'd always find someone to dance with if I felt like dancing. I had a ball."

Hilton agrees that you bring your party with you.

Miriam Hilton participates in speed dating at Jillian's. | ZOOM |

"You have to learn to step out of your comfort zone," she says. "You can't just sit there and expect a man to walk up to you."

Close to the event's starting time, a man entered the party room. He walked in slowly, and took a seat on the far side of the room.

Although he decided to delay the first three-minute date, Donnellan was also concerned about the lopsided man-woman ratio. He had scheduled a simultaneous event in another room on the same floor. That one, overwhelmingly filled with white singles, had numbers he was more used to handling.

"Most of our events fill up quickly," he said. "We had 69 people at our last event in Cincinnati," although he says Columbus and Cleveland sell out quicker than their other five cities (Akron, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Dallas and Fort Worth).

For the African-American event, however, there seemed to have been reservations about making reservations. By the time the event started, there were 12 women. And three men.

"That's great," says one guy. "I was afraid there'd be more men than women."

The evening turned out to be a male bee's feast in a garden of lovely women. The women all sat quietly. Some might have been bored, but not one left in agitation or demanded her $30 back.

As each of the three men made their rounds, they approached, smiled and honored each woman who sat before them. No 'hey, baby' banter or clumsy conversations.

Three men, three minutes.

Nine women, sitting like a bouquet of roses.

A few matches were made and, because of the small numbers, the event was over in half the usual three hours it takes to meet everyone.

Three girlfriends, who came to support each other, were pleased with their speed dating experience. In fact, they want to help host the next event for African-Americans, scheduled for July.

"This is fun," says one. "We're gonna do it right in July."

Hilton says she would recommend speed dating to her friends as well.

"Sure, why not?" she says. "It's something interesting to try at least once."

E-mail srhone@enquirer.com