Billie Mahoney danced with the best of them — and at 80, this sexy number isn't done yet

On the day of the Paola show, Billie and her troupe arrive at the Paola Community Center in a maroon van. The women emerge with freshly done makeup and hair. They're clad in black pants and turquoise, long-sleeved T-shirts that read: "I love to tap dance." In the gorgeous 1916 theater, the Midwest Cloggers are warming up onstage. The cloggers are a group of mainly grade-school-age girls in royal-blue dresses with sparkly plaid accents. When they're done, Billie calls out, "Gals, let's do a warm-up."

The mood of the theater is relaxed, with about 20 people in the audience. One of the organizers announces that this demonstration is a teaching opportunity for fellow dancers and will be "very, very casual." Also performing is the StepCrew, a Canadian group that specializes in Celtic-style dance. The Midwest Cloggers take the stage first and do a hoedown clogging routine.

The Billie Mahoney Dancers are next. The women are still sitting in the front row when Billie summons them. "Come on, gals, get the heck on the stage!" she says in an impatient whisper. They line up in two rows. The opening notes to "New Soft Shoe" play over the loudspeaker. They daintily tap out the routine, stage smiles beaming on their faces. There's a brief pause after the end of the song, and the audience claps politely.

Next, the jazzier bass notes of the Tony Bennett song floats up. Billie, who is front and center, starts grooving her shoulders and arms to the snappy opening refrain. This routine is more ebullient, and the dancers take it away. As Billie does her solos, a broad smile appears on her face, and the joy that she derives from dancing is apparent. Her solos are greeted by a burst of applause. On the last notes, the troupe members raise their arms, flick their wrists for that "tah-dah" flourish and hold the pose while the applause envelops them. Together, they bow and then move to form a single line and bow again, hand in hand. As they walk offstage, Billie and a couple of women clap back to the crowd.

Afterward, an organizer asks Billie to talk about her life. Standing in front of the stage, she takes the microphone and mentions highlights: working with Nat King Cole, appearing on Ed Sullivan's show and The Tonight Show with Steve Allen, touring with Bob Hope. "When you're in New York for 40 years," she says, "you do a lot of stuff."

Then she relates the story of Gregory Hines calling her to the Folly's stage and introducing her as a legend. "I went home and looked up legend in the dictionary. It said, 'A story, not necessarily true,'" she says. She ends her talk to enthusiastic applause, passes the microphone back and then blends into the audience.