Participants disco down at Metropolis event

Officials with the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights timed it just right.

On a frigid Friday night, with below zero temperatures and double-digit wind chill, they hosted their annual "Metropolis Meltdown" for patrons to warm up from the cold, and shake cabin fever.

And they found plenty of takers. In fact, for the second year in a row, the event sold out, and raised money for children's programming within the Metropolis' School of the Performing Arts.

The bash took place upstairs in the Metropolis Ballroom, under a sparkling disco ball. More than either of the first two years, guests came sporting their favorite disco outfits, from the tight fitting pants to the platform shoes and blowout wigs.

"It was something different to do on a night in January," said committee member Kathy Monnich of Arlington Heights. "People really had fun with it."

Their recipe for success included some introductory wine and cheese tasting, before launching into disco dancing lessons, and ultimately, an open dance floor.

"Originally, we planned to try different dance styles," said Jim Jarvis, Metropolis spokesman. "We tried salsa, and that was cool, but when we tried disco last year, it was an immediate hit."

Organizers conceded that all of the interest in the television show "Dancing With the Stars" has helped fuel the event, but mostly they pointed to the pairing of the wine tasting with the dance lessons, as being the right formula to get people moving.

"We're finding that it drew a lot of new people to the Metropolis, which was an added bonus," Monnich said.

Funds raised will support the array of children's programming at Metropolis, which ranges from classes, ensembles and camps to workshops and full-length productions. Officials figure the mix draws more than 18,000 students from throughout the Northwest suburbs.