Rockettes: a Few Good Thoughts

the hallowed background of the Rockettes which began in Manhattan in the Radio City Music Hall. Since 1932. Until 2015 they also had a touring company. They are best known for starring in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular a yearly Christmas show, and for performing annually at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. The Rockettes also conduct the Rockettes Summer Intensive for dancers aspiring to be Rockettes.

There is no clear avenue to cover every aspect of this very special dance group and I am speaking for myself, and many who make their living by the written word. There is just way too much history about the Rockettes to absorb their illustrious history and way too many deeds that this group has done over the many years of providing great synchronized dancing to the delight of millions.

The Rockettes have “that” special ability (after weeks of hard practicing) to become one group moving and dancing to become as one to accomplish their very complex dancing routines. But they get it done. All with their trademark smile, which is not painted on, but genuine. The bottom line is fans are very glad to be near the Rockettes as they are proud to hand-out autographs, photos with their fans, and making each crowd to come away happy from enjoying another Rockette dance routine.

of the Radio City Music Hall’s Rockettes . . .The dancers known as the “Missouri Rockets” made their show debut in St. Louis. That same year, the troupe traveled to New York City to perform in the Broadway show Rain or Shine, and were discovered by showman S.L. “Roxy” Rothafel.

While there were three separate dance troupes performing in New York City in the early ’30s, Rothafel moved two of the troupes to Radio City Music Hall for opening night on Dec. 27th, 1932. Described as “the hottest deal in town,” 100,000 people asked for tickets, but only 6,200 could be obliged.

Rothafel first named the troupes as the “Roxyettes,” who performed some dance steps to the song “With a Feather in Your Cap” on opening night, but in 1934, the “Roxyettes” officially became the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes. And what a historic-moment that was.

Two weeks after its gala opening, Radio City Music Hall premiered its first film, The Bitter Tea of General Yen. Radio City quickly became the favorite first-run theatre for movie makers and moviegoers alike.

Since 1933, more than seven hundred movies have opened at the Music Hall; like the original King Kong, National Velvet, White Christmas, Mame, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, Mary Poppins, 101 Dalmatians and the Lion King. Radio City featured a new movie every week accompanied by a lavish and unique stage production starring the Rockettes.

And who can forget the Radio City Christmas Spectacular where the Rockettes really give their perfect dance routines to a world-wide audience.

as the attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941, the United States entered World War II. The Rockettes were among the first entertainers to volunteer for the United Service Organizations (USO). They entertained our troops abroad and were involved in wartime shows at the Copacabana, the Army Air Corps base in Pawling, New York and at the Stage Door Canteen. The Rockettes and Eleanor Roosevelt even hosted a War Bond Rally at the World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden.

Americans in the ’50s increasingly turned to television for their entertainment, so it was inevitable that television would feature the Rockettes. They made their first TV appearance on Wide, Wide World, and also performed for the first time in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1957. Like so many events the Rockettes took part in, it became a New York City tradition.

And as the 1950’s throughout the 2000’s, the Rockettes have not just become complacent with their current (and lasting) popularity, because as each group of Rockettes are told when they begin their strenuous rehearsal routines and times that the Rockettes is not a job that starts at nine a.m. and you head home at 5 p.m. Each member of each group of Rockettes have it lovingly-drilled into them that they are not just a group of dancers, but a lasting group of one dancing team—they rehearse, sing, and dance as one group and honestly, their hours of rehearsing pays off each time they walk on whatever stage that they might be performing.

well, I do have a few reasons that can be considered “backstage dreams,” and I have tried to laboriously edit each thought simply because my love and admiration for the Nation’s Most-Popular Dance Group, the Rockettes, I would not sleep well if one or any of my questions might be construed as inflammatory or embarrassing.

I have always dreamed of just sitting with the Rockettes and spend about three to four hours and just talk to them and get inside their heads and find out how each dancer started and where she was discovered.

Would I love to travel with this world-famous dance troupe? Are you nuts? Yes. And during the process, make a few friends from this lavish collection of dancers.

I have loved these girls for so long that I feel as if I know them on a first-name basis. I would love to take them all out for dinner and of course, have the cash to feed them, and . . .leave a tip of no less than $10,000.00 for the waiters/waitresses.

If I were ever going to meet the Rockettes, I would love to take them to my hometown, Hamilton, Ala., where I could introduce them to all of my friends. This gesture would be the biggest thing in my life.

Finally, I would just like to show them how much that I respect them for their dancing and not as sex objects. I am serious.

I sincerely hope that you have enjoyed my view about the Real Life of the Rockettes, because I surely did. And I also hope that I have not written anything that would put the group in a bad light. One day, and I am very serious, before I leave the earth, I would love to fly to New York City and get my photo taken with them, or . . .let the Rockettes get their photo taken with ME.

Later . . .

September 6, 2019__________________________________________________-