Radio City Christmas Spectacular

Radio City Music Hall

Radio City Music Hall, the world’s largest indoor theatre, was created through the combined efforts of multimillionaire John D. Rockefeller, Jr., RCA -- parent company of RKO and the new NBC network -- and promoter S.L. (Roxy) Rothafel. Rockefeller’s original idea was to build an opera house within a new corporate complex bearing his name. However, the stock market crash put Rockefeller’s plans on hold.

A couple of years later, with America struggling to climb out of the Great Depression, Rockefeller, Rothafel, and RCA president David Sarnoff wanted to give the American people a place to escape into the wonders of talking pictures and fantastic live shows.

The great Art Deco doors opened under the block-long marquee of Radio City in 1932, and the venue was an instant success. It became the coveted location for nearly a half-century for movie premiers, star-packed events, and other entertainment galas. In the late 1960s through the mid-1980s, Radio City suffered from low attendance and building decay. But a $70 million restoration in 1999 breathed new life into the stunning architecture and prompted a renewed commitment to hosting quality performances.

Read more about the history of Radio City Music Hall or arrange a tour.

History of the Rockettes

Troupe creator Russell Markert was a fan of the 1920s Ziegfeld Follies. Markert thought that it would be a spectacular sight to see precision American dancers that were “taller, with really long legs, doing complicated tap routines and high kicks.”

He put together the “Missouri Rockets”, who made their debut in St. Louis. They were soon whisked away to New York City by Radio City’s Rothafel for the grand opening of Radio City Music Hall. While Rothafel insisted that the troupe be named after him (Roxyettes, later the Rockettes), Markert was the creative director for the Rockettes until his retirement in 1971.

Many Dancers Form to Look Like One

Markert wanted the look of “one continuous dancer”, which is why all the costumes are identical and the performers move in precise formation. There are always 36 dancers. The illusion of height is maintained by placing the tallest dancers in the middle of the kick line and the shortest dancers on the ends. Aspiring Rockettes must be skilled in both jazz and tap and be between 5’6” and 5’10-1/2” tall. Since 1932, more than 3,000 dancers have worn the tap shoes of a Rockette.

The Rockettes have become part of the fabric of Americana. For more than 50 years, visitors to Radio City Music Hall could catch a show featuring the Rockettes 365 days a year. New shows were created weekly. They’ve performed in movies, at USO shows, and at sporting events such as the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Each year, in addition to high-kicking their way through the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, the Rockettes appear in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

In 2001, the Radio City Rockettes celebrated their 75th anniversary.

Listen to The Savvy Traveler’s Wesley Weissberg interview former Rockette, Illene Collins.

The 2006 Radio City Christmas Spectacular

Since 1933, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular has been an absolute sell-out. This year’s 90-minute show dazzles audiences with a smashing opening scene, “Sleighride", and runs nonstop through “The 12 Days of Christmas”, “Here Comes Santa Claus”, and “A Little Girl’s Dream”. A new LED screen adds to the sparkle of the show, and there’s even a 3-D component that makes the animation pop and shine for children of all ages.

New York will host the Radio City Christmas Spectacular for an eight-week run, but other cities join in the yuletide fun this year, including Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Nashville and Toronto. The touring performances have been an instant success since their inception in 1994.

Performance schedules vary by city, as does ticket price per venue. Tickets go on sale in late summer each year, with individual tickets sold only after group and pair tickets are opened up. Base prices (excluding tax and ticket handling charges) start at $24.50 for balcony-matinee up to $150 for the evening pit show. The best ticket resource is the official Radio City Music Hall website.

Fun Radio City Christmas Spectacular Facts

• The New York City Rockettes will wear out nearly 2,000 pairs of pantyhose during the seven-week run of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
• There are eight costume changes, and performers sometimes have approximately 78 seconds to change.
• The show has 31 dancing bears.
• Since the show’s beginning nearly 75 years ago, only two scenes have remained unchanged each year: the “Living Nativity” and the “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers”, a particular favorite because of its fantastic domino fall.
• The nativity scene that closes the show has a cast of 12 animals, including a camel.

More About the Christmas Spectacular

If you're looking for a holiday experience that gives you goosebumps, puts a smile on your face, and a skip in your step, make plans to attend the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.

Read reviews of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular from Theatre Mania or The New York Times.

Know a young dancer desiring to become a Rockette? Click on the “Rockettes” page on the main Radio City website, and then on “Dance Education” to learn about weekend workshops.