AVOCA, Wis — Less than 700 people live in Avoca, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau numbers.

One of those people holds the Guinness World Record for the longest career as a dance teacher.

Betty Hayes-Baxter, 93, was born in Milwaukee. She started teaching dance at 17 years old after her family moved to Blue River, Wisconsin. By the 1950s, she owned five dance studios in that area and taught at seven different dance schools in 15 different towns every week.

To this day, she still teaches dance out of the studio she created in her basement. She does everything from ballet to ballroom, along with tap and jazz.

On one particular day, she was teaching a class of young girls. The interactions were priceless.

“My students have told me that I’m not just teaching dance,” she said proudly. “They say I instill confidence and coordination. They tell me they can now stand up in front of people and they’re not afraid, and that dance class helped them do that.”

She said she still can’t believe she won a Guinness World Record

“I figured maybe I was the oldest teacher in Wisconsin,” she said. “But the world? Really? I had no idea.”

At 93, Betty’s energy is infectious. She has a secret to that energy.

“Working with the young keeps me young,” she said. “And, of course, dance is exercise and also keeps your brain active.”

She said she has no plans to stop anytime soon.

“I’m going to die with my tap shoes on, and if they’re not, somebody better see that they’re on,” she laughed.