Get Your Motor Runnin’

Denise Caston tapped her way onto the Radio City Music Hall stage in 1997. As a member of this elite group, famous for their kick lines, Caston was living her dream (except for being dragged off-stage during “Away in a Manger” by a sheep in the Christmas Spectacular Living Nativity scene - ouch/oops).

Growing up in the metropolitan Detroit area, Caston studied alongside icons such as Linda Haberman, Robert Reed, and Kat Wildish. When she made it to the Big Apple, she toured nationally with Tony Award winning, Crazy for You. But it hasn’t been all that easy.

In ‘05, Caston suffered a traumatic brain injury from an accident. Yet despite that major setback, Denise launched herself back onto the dance stage after a full recovery and continues to inspire us. Caston recalls, “It was the hardest time of my life. But now, I am destined to be better than I was yesterday. I run at 200%.”

Caston Cool Fact #647: Denise didn’t start out taking tap lessons in front of a mirror in a studio setting. Instead, she gives props to Mrs. Ladd, her first tap teacher, who taught her once a week for a half hour. No mirrors, no bars, just a tile floor in a basement for eight wonderful years. She then went on and grew professionally with the majors mentioned above.

Caston, who aspires for versatility in her life, is an improv genius and a math whiz. Having been an engineering student, she’s a tutor for some. “We tap, then we do math.” She told us that being well-rounded motivates her to never come up with excuses for anything.

Does she have drive? Umm yeah. She puts the pedal to the metal (literally) as the founder and producer of the Motor City Tap Fest, which we highly recommend that you see. But most of all, Denise gave us this heartfelt piece of advice. Put this on your vision boards, gendancers...

“I fail way more than I succeed, but those successes are more than worth it.”

Now that’s what we call a trendsetter. Honk for Caston.