The Rockettes

"Parade of the Wooden Soldiers" at the Christmas Spectacular

The Rockettes were originally inspired by the Tiller Girls, a precision dance company of the United Kingdom established by John Tiller in the 1890s. Tiller sent the first troupe of Tiller Girls to perform in the United States in 1900, and eventually there were three lines of them working on Broadway.[3] In 1922, choreographer Russell Markert saw one of these troupes, known as the Tiller Rockets, perform in the Ziegfeld Follies and was inspired to create his own version with American dancers.[3]

As Markert would later recall, "If I ever got a chance to get a group of American girls who would be taller and have longer legs and could do really complicated tap routines and eye-high kicks, they'd really knock your socks off."[3] They were originally called the Missouri Rockets. After the impresario Roxy brought them to New York for his Roxy Theatre, they were called the Roxyettes. Only later would they become the Rockettes, after Roxy and Radio City Music Hall parted ways.

The Rockettes have long been represented by the American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA). In 1967, they won a month-long strike for better working conditions,[4] which was led by AGVA salaried officer Penny Singleton.[5] In August 2002, contract negotiations for the troupe's veteran members resulted in a buyout by the owners of Radio City Music Hall. Roughly a fourth of the veteran Rockettes were offered retirement options, while the remaining dancers were offered the opportunity to re-audition.[6]

The first non-white Rockette, a Japanese-born woman named Setsuko Maruhashi, was not hired until 1985.[7] The Rockettes did not allow dark-skinned dancers into the dance line until 1987.[8] The justification for this policy was that such women would supposedly distract from the consistent look of the dance group.[9] The first African American Rockette was Jennifer Jones; selected in 1987, she made her debut in 1988 at the Super Bowl XXII halftime show.[10] The first person with a visible disability hired by the Rockettes (Sydney Mesher, missing a left hand due to symbrachydactyly) was hired in 2019.[11]

A Rockette in Radio City Music Hall

On August 1, 2007, the Rockettes were inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame.[12]

From 2002 to 2019, the Rockettes presented a dance training program called the Rockettes Summer Intensive. This weeklong dance education program offered aspiring dancers the opportunity to train with current Radio City Rockettes and choreographers and learn choreography from the Rockettes repertoire. Since its inception nearly 100 dancers from this program have become Rockettes.

In late 2016, the Madison Square Garden Company, which manages the troupe, agreed to have the Rockettes perform at the inauguration of Donald Trump.[13] According to a report in the New York Daily News, there was an initial "edict" to perform at the inaugural.[14] Immediately several Rockettes dissented,[15] including Rockette Phoebe Pearl who complained that she was being forced to perform at the inaugural against her wishes.[16] One Rockette felt reluctant to "perform for this monster", referring to president-elect Donald Trump, and another said she "wouldn't feel comfortable standing near a man like that in our costumes."[17]

Madison Square Garden issued a statement saying that "For a Rockette to be considered for an event, they must voluntarily sign up and are never told they have to perform at a particular event, including the inaugural. It is always their choice. In fact, for the coming inauguration, we had more Rockettes request to participate than we have slots available." Another report suggested that dancers were allowed to "opt-out" if they thought that they would feel uncomfortable performing.[14]

Many on social media believed attendance was mandatory, including Julissa Sabino, a performer who is part of the union, who tweeted that the issue "breaks my heart" and urged supporters to "help these ladies." Autumn Withers, a former Rockette, supported a boycott, saying "take a knee, ladies!"[18][19] In December 2016, according to The Atlantic, three of the thirteen full-time dancers had chosen to sit out the event.[15][20] The company danced to a medley of Irving Berlin songs at the Inaugural Ball on the evening of January 20.[21]

Fun Facts

1. Rockettes can kick up to 650 times in one day. They do more than 160 kicks per show and perform in up to four shows a day during busy periods!

2. Two iconic numbers have remained nearly unchanged. Two of the most cherished scenes in the show, the “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” and the “Living Nativity,” have been a part of Radio City’s holiday tradition since they were first performed on the Great Stage in 1933. Their costume for the “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” number has remained nearly unchanged (the trousers used to be starched!), and is specifically crafted and sized for each of them.

3. Over 3,000 women have performed as Rockettes. Since the Christmas Spectacular’s opening night in 1933, more than 3,000 women have shared in the legacy by performing as a Rockette.

4. Over 1,000 costumes are worn by the cast each show. More than 1,100 colorful costumes are worn in the Christmas Spectacular—from Rockettes to the ensemble and singers.

5. Rockettes do their own hair and makeup for performances. They wear a signature red lip (either MAC Red or MAC Russian Red—both are blue-based tones that pop under the bright lights!), false eyelashes and a French twist.[22]