By Lauren Underhill
The Rockettes, a perfect 36-member kick line, dazzled a packed Wang Theater on opening night Dec. 2. The Radio City Rockettes, along with an additional cast of 50, made a special trip to Boston for the first time to entertain Bostonians with their Christmas Spectacular.
Only such a renowned chorus line could replace Boston Ballet’s traditional Nutcracker performance at the Wang Center. However, there is a little Nutcracker left in the Wang this season. The Rockettes perform their version of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” with dancing teddy bears from all over the world.
Other performances include both new and old pieces. The famous “Parade of Wooden Soldiers’ is a classical favorite. This number has been performed in Radio City Music Hall’s holiday show since 1933. The piece focuses on precision and sharp movements. The Rockettes arrange themselves into many different formations, ending with a bang as the sound of a cannon blasting collapses the dancers onto one another.
The last scene, “The Living Nativity,” is a tradition of the Rockettes and also has been part of the show since 1933. This re-creation of the first Christmas, transports the audience back 2000 years. The Rockettes strive to create a perfectly real scene. Efforts involve bringing a donkey, camels and sheep into the beautifully constructed stable.
“[The animals] of course have their own thing going on. They have to go to the bathroom and everything like that, but it adds another level. And we keep that to ourselves and the audience just gets a wonderful spectacle to watch,” said fifth-year Rockette Kristina Larson in an interview with Playbill.
The all new piece, “Twelve Days of Christmas” is a fast-paced tap number with 12 days worth of excitement. Larson says this seven-minute piece is one of the hardest parts of the show.
“Its long, but it’s a wonderful number. There’s so much tapping going on, and it shows a new side of the Rockettes.”
The Rockettes’ costumes are as spectacular as their dancing. From their skin tight reindeer leotards with flashing antlers to the plush teddy bear suits, costume designers use precision in making each costume perfectly radiant.
Designers Gregg Barnes and Pete Menefee worked to update the Rockettes costumes while still keeping to the traditional styles. One noted change since the 1960s is the raised hem, leg-bearing skirts. In the thirties and forties, their kicks were just as high, but those legs were hidden by trunks.
During the show, more than 1,300 costumes are worn and each Rockette has eight costume changes, some under eighty seconds.
The Radio City Rockettes began with a vision from their creator, Russell Markerte who had seen a similar group in 1922 called the John Tiller girls.
After seeing this group, Markert said, “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 knock your socks off!”
Markert’s dream came true in 1925 at the group’s debut in St. Louis as the “Missouri Rockettes.” They began the annual Christmas Spectacular on Dec. 27, 1932 at Rockefeller Center for the opening night of Radio City Music Hall. They later became known as the Radio City Rockettes and have remained a proud product of New York that is appreciated by the entire nation.
This show is seen by more people each year than any other live show in America. Each year, in New York and other cities, 2.1 million people experience the Rockettes.
Other than The Christmas Spectacular, those legs can be seen at the Macy
