Heart of La: North Shore Cajun dancers

Abita Springs - 20 years ago, Bill Weissborn didn't know how to dance. Now, at age 79, he's the teacher as couples show up at the Abita Springs Town Hall anxious to experience the joy of cajun dancing.

"In the beginning we didn't have enough people sometimes to pay the band so we had to pass the hat to get enough money to pay the band. Now we average 130 people here."

Bill says he used a piece of discarded medical equipment from a hospice to practice his steps.

"I took an IV pole and i put a cutout on it and rope handles and i practiced, my dance partner was Ivy and I danced and practiced the moves with her, and it was perfect because she did exactly what I said to do, and she didn't argue with me," says Weissborn.

The North shore Cajun Dancers have been around for about 20 years. They hold one of these dances every month and they always feature a live cajun band.

One of the biggest draws is cajun accordion player Bruce Daigrepont and his band.

I guess the music right now is one of the strongest aspects of our culture. The Cajun music developed in Louisiana. It wasn't brought here from France or Nova Scotia or French Canada. It developed in Louisiana around the early 1900's. Well played Cajun music hits you right in the deepest part of your heart," says Daigrepont.

Bill Weissborn will turn 80 later this year. If you ask how long he plans to dance, Bill will tell you a story about a friend who danced until the very end.

"After the dance went to the bar and said I need a glass of water, my radiator's overheated. And he drank his water and dropped dead. His death notice, which I had for a long time, said Allen Courville died Friday night while Cajun dancing. I said now that's the way to go, you finish the song, don't do it while you're dancing, don't die during the song, you wait until it's finished."

There's another reason why Bill never wants to stop dancing.

"It's a lot of fun, it's just plain, you come away feeling great"