Rockaway Beach, NY
Company Member 2002 -2003; 2025

Originally from Rockaway Beach, NY, Denyse began ballet in third grade and later discovered tap in the 1990s. She joined The Good Vibration Dancers, performing clogging, tap, and jazz at festivals, assisted living residences, parades, and even weddings—a special time filled with friends who loved performing and even made their own costumes. She worked primarily as an administrative assistant in hotel sales and catering, starting at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas and later working at hotels on the East Coast and in the Midwest. In the 1980s, she taught about 11 aerobic dance classes a week for eight years, and for 25 years, she was a Director with The Pampered Chef, sharing her love of cooking.

Since relocating to North Carolina from Northern Virginia in 2001, Denyse has been active in musical theatre and has performed in many shows. She loves cooking, runs a culinary group in her neighborhood, participates in an international cooking group and a Dinner for Eight group in the Wilmington/Leland area, takes a jazz class, does aerobic dancing, and belongs to two book clubs. She and her husband enjoy entertaining, watching movies, and playing games with family and friends.

She is married to “a fabulous guy,” has a son and a daughter, and three grandchildren. Though they live out of state, they visit as often as possible. Their son teaches at Notre Dame, and their daughter is a Senior Dress Designer for Anthropologie.

Denyse is especially grateful to Nancy Faye Craig for repeatedly inviting her to join the Hi‑Steppers. She recalls, “When we introduced ourselves, she said her name was Nancy Faye. I assumed Faye was her last name and said, ‘Nice meeting you, Nancy.’ She promptly told me Faye was not her last name, and that now that I was in the South, there would be others using two names—and she did it with the sweetest smile. I had so much to learn! She always brings a smile to my face when I see her out doing all her volunteer projects, and I love dancing with her!”