A high-kicking staple of the New York City holiday season is marking a century of wowing crowds: the iconic Radio City Rockettes are turning 100.
A staple of the New York City holiday season is marking a century of wowing crowds: The high-kicking Radio City Rockettes are turning 100.
The famed dance troupe will celebrate the anniversary with its annual Christmas Spectacular this week — a festive performance of synchronized dance routines that includes the troupe’s signature precision kick line as well as the fan-favorite “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers,” in which the costumed dancers march in military-like formation and then famously collapse like dominoes.
The Rockettes represent a throwback to old-time New York, when Broadway was dominated by extravagant music and dance spectacles, elaborate costumes and lavish sets. Their journey through the past century has seen their modest Midwest beginning as a troupe of 16 precision dancers evolve into a large company of more than 80 staging as many as five shows a day. The shows incorporate a range of dance styles, including jazz, tap and ballet.
One thing that hasn’t changed: generations of little girls have grown up dreaming of joining the troupe.
Isabelle Harris, a 20-year-old, newly-minted Rockette from Utah, said she’s still floored to be a part of this year’s milestone.
“In my mind, the Rockettes were this amazing, strong, unique, glamorous group of women that I wanted to be a part of,” Harris said before rehearsal last week. “It’s so exciting to be joining the line this specific year.”Rockettes through the years
The Christmas show dates to 1933, but the troupe itself traces back to the creation of the “Missouri Rockets” in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1925.
They were brought to New York City by S.L. “Roxy” Rothafel, a theater impresario who initially renamed them the “Roxyettes” before eventually settling on the “Rockettes” when the act moved to the newly built Radio City Music Hall in 1932.
