“No matter how experienced you are, you can always learn something new,” said Michael Christian, author and guest speaker. On Feb. 5, Christian, otherwise known as William Cane in his books and speeches, gave his lecture entitled The Art of Kissing in Bryan Junior auditorium. It was sponsored by Guilford’s Student Union.

Christian’s inexperience pushed him to research and write. “I went to the library and there was virtually nothing on kissing,” said Christian. “I wrote The Art of Kissing to improve my sex-life … and it didn’t happen.” This was the start of The Art of Kissing.

The show has received national awards. When asked why students would be interested in something like The Art of Kissing, Guilford’s Coordinator of Student Involvement and Leadership Adrienne Craig said, “It’s near Valentine’s Day. It’s funny and interactive.”

Craig pushed for something unusual that would provoke student interest, since recently there’s been a lack of attendance at guest speakers. She worried that students wouldn’t come.

But Christian was nominated Speaker of the Year in 2001, and could entertain any audience. From the barber shop to the first date, and the dentist to the car, Christian taught students how to kiss in multiple scenarios.

The butterfly kiss, the talking kiss, the upside-down French-kiss, neck kissing, “kissing on the beat,” the hickey, the lip-o-suction, teasing, Japanese and vacuum kisses were just a few of the many kisses Christian reviewed and introduced.

When showing a packed Bryan Junior how to give a hickey, Christian said “Hickey marks. They’re badges of pride!”

Along with Christian and his microphone were his 10 volunteers. With one of each partners exposing an arm, the other five couples sucked their partners’ arms. After 10 seconds, the audience saw how the hickey came to be.

As for kissing, he explained several different types. The butterfly kiss involved simply brushing one’s eyelashes against their partner’s cheek. This intimate kiss was the only one of the evening that did not involve lips.

“Kissing is not always a prelude to sex,” said Christian. He also made the point that women like kissing more than men.

According to Christian, “Women like to be kissed more on the ear and neck.” Much to everyone’s amazement, “men like to be bitten.”

During the show, Christian came out wearing goggles, microphone in hand, and dove into the midst of two life-size tongues. He proceeded to explain that precise place where tongues should venture for a French kiss.

“There’s more to (kissing) than people give credit for,” said first-year Katie Watson. “It’s an art form. And this presentation shows that.”

“Kissing always starts with desire,” said Christian, as he wrapped up the evening with the infamous “South Pacific Kiss” (nibbling at the bottom lip of someone while ripping out the hair, soon after biting off eyelashes.)

Humorous and informative, Christian finished by thanking the audience for taking interest in the event.

“I was an English teacher for 14 years at Boston College and it was too easy,” said Christian. “So I decided to study kissing.” What a career change!

For more information on the art of kissing, go to Kissing.com. Or buy his book, The Art of Kissing by William Cane, and learn about the 35 romantic kisses he taught, plus many more.