A Holiday Tradition: The Story of the Rockettes

The Rockettes performing in the Christmas Spectacular in the Radio City Music Hall in 2019. Photo by MSG Entertainment

“56 years ago, in 1968, my husband and I drove up to New York City around the last week of November because he wanted me to see how the big cities celebrated the holidays.” My grandmother said. “When we arrived in New York City, I was like a kid in a candy store. So many people, lights, and decorations.”

Rockettes performing on stage at the Radio City Music Hall in 1964.  Photo by Art Rickerby/Life Pictures/Shutterstock

“I remember struggling to get to New York City because of a snowstorm in 1990.” My mom said. “I was meeting your father at the Radio City Music Hall to see the Rockettes. We got our picture in front of the lit-up Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center, and then went to the show. The show was spectacular, and I remember how impressed I was with the live animals for the nativity scene.”

“Christmas Spectacular Starring the Rockettes” programme from 1990.  Photo by Radio City Music Hall

 “The highlight of the trip was being able to see the Rockettes in person. The venue was so big, and the stage looked as big as a football field.” My grandmother said. “The performance was unbelievable. I had so many questions, like how they all did the same kicks and twists so precisely at the exact same time, and how many hours they practiced. What’s great about the Rockettes is that the costumes have changed, and the routines are different, yet the spirit is the same.”

On November 10th, 2024, I, along with my Queens College exchange group, went to see the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes at the Radio City Music Hall, where my parents and grandparents sat about 30 and 60 years before. Three generations getting to glimpse the striking performance that has become an American tradition. There is so much history to this 36-member drill team that began in the 1920s, and as my grandmother said, things have changed over the years, but “the spirit is the same.”

2024’s Christmas Spectacular was indeed a thrilling performance no matter where you were sitting, with Santa Claus leading the narrative as he guides the audience through the joys of Christmas, including a rendition of the Nutcracker, Santa’s Workshop in the North Pole, Christmas in New York, the life of a Frost Fairy, and more. Original numbers like “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” and the “Living Nativity” still stay intact since the beginning of the Christmas Spectacular in 1933. (MSG Entertainment)

The Rockettes performing “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” in the Christmas Spectacular. Photo by MSG Entertainment

 New elements have been added over the years, including live animals like camels and sheep in the nativity in 1972. Technological advancements have been incorporated like LED screens, drone displays, 3D effects, and video projections. Set designs, choreography, and costumes have changed and updated over the years and exciting new numbers like “Here Comes Santa Claus” with 48 dancers dressed as Santa Claus creating intricate formations and precise dance synchronization in front of our eyes, and “New York at Christmas”, featuring a double-decker bus that rotates on stage with the Rockettes filling the bus.

The Rockettes performing “New York at Christmas” in the Christmas Spectacular. Photo by MSG Entertainment

 The creation of the Rockettes dates back to the 1920s, created in the image of the Rockettes’ chief choreographer, Russell Markert, to display precision and uniformity, and continued his work until 1971. They were first known as the “Missouri Rockets” as they made their show debut in 1925 in St. Louis. Soon after, they debut in New York City at the Roxy Theater in 1927 and was discovered by theatrical entrepreneur S. L. “Roxy” Rothafel. They performed at the Radio City Music Hall for the first time in 1932. (Chirantani)

Rockettes in 1925. Photo by MSG Entertainment

Much of the performing that the Rockettes did was in conjunction with the movies screening at the time. Their performances changed every time the movies did, which added to their demanding schedule where they would perform up to five times a day. Rockettes lived, slept, and built a second family at the Radio City Music Hall, and they even had a 26-bed dormitory, with a cafeteria, a tailor shop, and a hospital with medical staff.

The Rockettes were also a part of important moments during multiple decades in American history. In the 1940’s during World War Two, the Rockettes were the first entertainers to volunteer for the United Service Organizations to entertain the troops abroad. In 1965, the Rockettes danced as astronauts to promote feminism and the Space Age. In 1978, the Radio City Music Hall was due to close because of financial issues but the Rockettes put up a fight and worked to save the theater, and in 1979, the Radio City Music Hall became a New York City landmark.

Over the years, there have been more than 3,000 women who have been a part of the Rockettes. Some basic requirements of being a Rockette include being proficient in tap, ballet, and jazz, as well as being between the height of 5’5 and 5’10 ½. (Long)

Rockettes performing “Rag Dolls” in the Christmas Spectacular. Photo by MSG Entertainment

There is something familiar yet surprising about the Rockettes that brings over one million visitors a year. It is a guarantee to see a good show, that is suitable for all ages, and maybe even an escape from the lives they live outside of Radio City Music Hall. They put on an awe-dropping performance as a unit, not individuals, as they display formations in perfect unison. It is something that you will not see anywhere else, and something that multiple generations can share.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the Rockettes on television this holiday season,” My grandmother said. “Those memories will never change.”