Io is not flashy by nature. Outwardly, she’s quite unassuming: in fact, if you passed her on the street you might not even notice her at all. That doesn’t mean that she doesn’t have a flashy inner life.

Here at the Arthur Murray World Dance-O-Rama, her inner life can emerge and be seen. Io is generally a quiet dresser, but every now and then she does love to sparkle a little.

Of course, sparkling “a little” doesn’t take you far at the World Dance-O-Rama. You’d better sparkle A Whole Lot if you don’t want to just vanish into the shadows at the edges of the room.

It takes most people a long time to do their hair and makeup for the Dance-O-Rama. Io is pretty glad she doesn’t have hair.

The thing about dancing is: the better you are at it, the easier you make it look. Io knows, however, that dancing is hard work.

Io is having the time of her life. Everyone is encouraging and friendly. And everyone in the room loves to dance, knows how, and will take every opportunity to get you to dance, too.

This was Arthur Murray’s idea: he thought everyone should learn to dance. It was he who invented the dancing footstep diagrams, which were the basis of his highly-successful mail-order dance lesson business, through which people could learn right in their own homes.

But why dance at home when you can dance at the Marriot Marquis Times Square with dancers from all over the globe?

Io is exhausted. Her head hurts a little from the headband, and her feet from the shoes. She’s ready to return to real life and comfortable frumpy footwear:  now that her sparkly, twirly inner self has had her turn on the floor, Io can carry that self with her at all times.

Io is made from two old cloth napkins.

Ever since Bernice gave me the black sparkly fabric I’ve been looking for an opportunity to use it. It was perfect for Io’s dress, with insets made from peach fabric from the discard bin on West 40^th Street. Her dancing shoes are made from pajamas. Her headband comes from Elizabeth V., the neckline of her dress is costume jewelry from my mom, and her gloves are made from lace from Jennie. Her robe is a black slip trimmed with satin ribbon.

Io’s forehead is embroidered with French knots, which I only learned how to make a few months ago. When I was a kid I tried and tried to make them, but could never do it. Like dancing, French knots are probably best taught in person, not through diagrams.

You’ve heard of Pavlova?

Well Jack, move over

Make way for the queen of the dance!

—from “Arthur Murray Taught Me Dancing in a Hurry” by Jimmy Dorsey