When someone talks about the holiday season in New York City, there is often one iconic show that comes to mind and that remains a bucket-list item for tourists and locals alike: the Christmas Spectacular of the Radio City Rockettes, which will celebrate in 2025 its 100th anniversary as an all-female precision dance company.
Originally inspired by the British dance troupe formed by John Tiller (“The Tiller Girls”, 1922), the Rockettes keep bringing back to the stage iconic performances such as the Wooden Soldiers Parade and the historical eye-high kicks, season after season, in front of the amazed eyes of an audience of all ages.
While watching these 72 legs move on stage with such absolute precision and uniformity, one cannot help but wonder how these 36 dancers can manage to deliver this level of synchronicity and what would a day in their life look like. This year, we finally asked one of them. Paige McRae, 29, kindly answered our questions in between shows and revealed some of the magic revolving around these American icons.
Throughout her interview, she doesn’t hide the physical demands, the pressure and the responsibility that come with having to carry on this legacy, but these are always coupled with self-compassion and kindness, because “we’re all humans” and “anything can happen”.
According to Paige, being a Rockette is not only a job, but a school of life, and the skills and values you learn on stage stay with you off stage as well. Performing in a line, for example, pushes you to trust yourself and be accountable for your actions, because anything you do has an impact on the rest of the team, something that can be applied to life as well. Society could also benefit from the sense of strong sisterhood that permeates through every anecdote Paige shared with me, along with the recognition and the gratitude towards the women who came before her and the ones standing by her side today, helping her be the best version of herself one show at the time. We also talked about diversity, a sore point for the dance company but one, it seems, they’ve taken steps to address, like by offering free conservatory training program to potential future Rockettes.
Overall, Paige is incredibly proud to be a Rockette and never misses an opportunity to let us know.
Paige, how many seasons have you done as a Rockette so far?
It’s my 3rd season with the Rockettes. But I keep learning every day!
How long can you be employed as a Rockette?
You have to be minimum 18 years old when you start rehearsal, but every woman’s journey is different. I’ve been a Rockette for 3 years, but the woman I’m dancing next to when we do our iconic eye-high kicks is on her 17th season I think! So some of us have been here for a handful of years, others for decades.
What’s it like to be dancing with women who have been Rockettes for so much longer than you, is there a form of sisterhood in place where they are showing you the ropes?
Yes, we are so grateful to have these long-term vets, they really show us the ropes, especially when we’re new and in our first season. I believe that I am the Rockette I am today because of the women who have come before me. It’s an incredibly demanding job, albeit rewarding, so to be able to learn from them is truly exceptional.
On stage you all have to be incredibly coordinated and in sync. What is the group dynamic off the stage?
We are definitely like a family here. When we start rehearsing for the Christmas Season it’s six days a week, six hours a day of rehearsal, so we’re basically spending more time with each other than with our own families! (laughs) So we’ve become very close, which I think helps with our execution both on and off the stage. And just as precise as we are on stage, we are completely choreographed off stage, where we need to work with our wardrobe team and stage management to make sure that everything is seamless behind the scenes. So I’d say we are precise for all 90 minutes of the show!
Can you tell us in a few words, what you need to do to become a Rockette?
For the Radio City Rockettes it is an open call, usually around April, and anyone can show up to the audition. You have to meet the age requirement of being at least 18 years old and they do recommend having a proficiency in jazz, tap and ballet; but anyone can walk through the door and give it their best shot. From that audition, it’s usually a three-day process with multiple cuts. They give you a choreography that you need to perform in front of the creative team and from there the hope is that you get an offer to join the one week-long training program at their conservatory, usually in the summertime. During that training, you not only learn dance moves but you also get to learn the actual Rockettes’ choreographies, so the creative team gets to see you actually performing what will be done on stage that Christmas season. After that there is usually one more private audition and then you wait and hope that that final phone call comes through!
What was your experience?
I also went through the conservatory, but I had auditioned for few years prior to that. I first auditioned when I was still in college, around 2017, and then I auditioned one more time a little before COVID happened. Overall, I showed up to the open call 3 times before I got the job in 2022! Some women come to the open call, do the training program and make the line right away and others, like me, continue to perfect their skills to match exactly what the Radio City team is looking for.
That shows a big commitment and great determination on your part. Have you always wanted to be a Rockette? Do you remember your first encounter with these performers?
Yes, I was actually in a young dancers’ group that was performing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade when I was 10 years old and while I was waiting to line up for that, the Rockettes walked by to do their own performance in the parade (smiling). I just remember a lot of sparkles and glamour and just watching these incredible women performing! That day I went home and learned about them for the first time. Since then, every year or so, my parents and I would go see the Christmas Spectacular at the Radio City Music Hall. The show became some sort of annual tradition for us and I still remember the first one like it was yesterday! So it’s always been a dream job for me and I am very grateful to be a Rockette now.
What do you remember about that day, the first time you watched the Christmas Spectacular?
I think for me it was just the awe of the entire experience. From the second you walked inside Radio City, I just remember feeling teleported to another world! There was so much Christmas magic and just that jittery energy that I think comes with the holiday season. Seeing these 36 women on stage was also incredibly empowering as a young dancer, to see them do something that seems so unstoppable. Watching them perform definitely ignited my desire to want to keep dancing and training so I could also become a Rockette one day. Finally, when I shared on social media that I was a Rockette back in 2022, I had a fellow student from my elementary school reaching out to me saying “I remember when it was my first day of third grade and I met you and you said to me that you wanted to become a Rockette when you grew up”.
What were you doing before you joined the Rockettes?
During the COVID-19 pandemic there were less dance opportunities, so I decided to put my Master’s degree in business to use and worked in healthcare administration for a few years. I was working while also auditioning and taking classes and trainings to become a Rockette. I’m very grateful that I was able to juggle both at the time and finally do the audition that led me here today.
So you’ve always kept dancing no matter what. Is that your true calling in life?
Yes, I would say dancing is my lifestyle, not just something I do. It is definitely who I am as a person so I will always find a way to make sure I am moving and dancing my way through life!
Is there something that being a dancer, or being a Rockette, has taught you in the way you approach life off the stage?
I think the first thing that this job teaches you is to trust and believe in yourself. We have a lot of responsibility to carry on this iconic legacy and in order to keep doing it and to guide the women around us, we first have to trust ourselves and be accountable for what we do. You understand early on that everything that you do, especially in numbers like the “wooden soldiers’ fall”, dramatically impacts every other woman in the line. That responsibility, that personal accountability, is really helpful in life as well. In this job, you cannot show up and rise to the level that is expected of you without applying those same attributes in your day-to-day life. For example, there is so much time management involved, along with hard work, discipline but also kindness, that we are inevitably required to master them outside of Radio City as well, when we are not dancing.
Being a Rockette seems to come with a lot of pressure and responsibility but you do also mention kindness. How do you deal with the bad days and most of all, how do you manage to stay kind to yourself while doing something that only allows for a very small margin of error?
Every Rockette has their own mental prep work, both in and out of season. For myself, I do love to journal and meditate. I also always feel at peace when I’m moving, so whether it’s a workout class or a dance class, that helps. I also think it’s about showing up with a level of grace. We want to go out on stage and be perfect, but we know we’re also humans, and it’s live theatre, so anything can happen. That’s why it is crucial to always show up for yourself. It’s about going on stage to be your best self but also being the one who loves yourself the most no matter what, so even when things do not go as planned. And even the bad days, they’re all worth it, because you’re doing it for something you love. And as I always say, a bad day in the dance world is still a good day!
Do you recall a difficult moment as a Rockette when you really had to push through?
I would say overall the first season as a Rockette and going through the conservatory program was challenging. Because that’s your first time putting on those iconic costumes and learning how to snap your “New York at Christmas” jacket shut, or learning how to put the three-foot-tall soldier’s hat on your head, so all of this newness, in addition to the dancing, can seem daunting and overwhelming at first. Luckily, as we mentioned before, it’s great to have those Rockette veterans who can hold your hand and help you along. We also learn to take it day by day and at the end it’s like the old say “practice makes perfect”, and with over a hundred shows during one season we certainly have many opportunities to learn! So overall the big challenge for me was really taking that step, from professional dancer in the dance world to Rockette, but I remember it as a mountain that I was ready to climb, even though I did feel that hard work.
Speaking of hard work, can you walk us through a typical day in the life of a Rockette, in and out of the Christmas season?
If you’re a Rockette I don’t think you have an off switch (laughs), even outside the holiday season we’re probably a group of women who is always on the go and doing the next best thing. Personally, during the off season I am always starting my day with some sort of workout or training program, then I find opportunities throughout the week to go to dance classes, whether it’s a ballet class to work on my technique or precision jazz class to really continue to hone in on my kicks. Many of us have also different lives outside of the dance world during the off season. For example, I still have my job in health administration and health coaching, other women are accountants, some women are moms, so they’re taking care of their families. And during the holiday season our daily schedule is pretty much filled with Rockettes work, from sunrise to sunset. During our rehearsal periods, we work in a rehearsal space, learn the choreography and then most of our evenings are about fueling up for the next day and practicing what we’ve learned. During the busy season we often have family members or friends coming to see us in the Christmas Spectacular, so we have the opportunity to meet with them after the show, and maybe go see the Rockefeller tree just around the corner, or give them a tour of Radio City. So during the holiday season it is mostly just interacting with loved ones and then gearing up and prepping for the shows the next day!
Based on what you’re saying it seems that your job as a Rockette does offer some flexibility to pursue other endeavors outside of the Christmas Spectacular. Can you explain how does this work exactly?
Yes, we have the opportunity to sign a contract with Radio City for the year, so we stay Rockettes for that whole time, but outside of the main show of the Christmas Spectacular every woman can pursue what they want to pursue. And of course, whenever a Rockette’s opportunity arrives, we are still able and ready to participate.
How long does the Christmas Spectacular run within a year?
This year, the Christmas Spectacular was running from the beginning of November to January 5th 2025, but every year can look a little bit different for us. Our rehearsal process actually started at the end of September and then of course we’ll keep performing until our last show in January. So our main focus, as the Rockettes, remains the Christmas Spectacular, for which we have a three-month window, but during the off season we always find opportunities to continue to promote the show and anything else happening around our world at Radio City Music Hall, like small performances or social media videos featuring celebrities. The best way to keep in touch with us and our work is our Instagram account (@therockettes), that’s where we post everything that is going on also outside of the live theatre experience on stage. For example, last summer we did an event on the rooftop of Radio City!
So overall, it is a taxing job but it is possible to find a balance between being a Rockette and enjoying life off stage, is that correct?
Yes, (laughing) although I’m still learning it, what it means to be a normal human and dancer off the stage! During the Christmas time we are full force and really focused on the show but we still identify as Rockettes during the other months of the year, even if we’re spread out across the country during different things!
What’s the most challenging thing to balance for you between your job as a Rockette and your personal life?
I don’t think there is even a balance to be found in the sense that when we’re here for the Christmas Spectacular, my whole world revolves around that. Other than maybe (smiling) getting the opportunity to watch a movie with my boyfriend, there is not much juggling to be done, because we truly schedule our lives to make sure we are available for the Christmas season. During the off season, when we do not necessarily dance 6 hours every day, it is also important to find ways within our “normal life” to keep working out in order to meet the physical demands that come with this job, as being a Rockette requires you to be very athletic. That’s where the personal accountability I mentioned earlier kicks in!
Speaking of physical demands, if you are not feeling well or you’re sick in between shows, what happens?
We have an athletic training team that keeps us strong and healthy. It includes physical therapists, athletic trainers, orthopedics, so we’re very grateful to have a team who understands the demands placed on our bodies and who takes care of us, anything from blisters care to any bigger illness, they make sure we’re on our tip-top shape to be able to perform our show. (Rockettes also have substitutes in case of injuries or illness during a show).
During the holiday season, how are the shows organized? Is it always the same people performing?
Each one of us usually performs six days a week. We actually have two casts of people, so you may see 200 shows scheduled at Radio City for the season but those are split in half between the two groups. This allows us to have ‘a day in the life’ where, after performing multiple shows, we can go home and have dinner and reset, while the other cast takes over.
How many shows have you personally done so far since the beginning of the season?
I am not keeping count, but it must be more than 50 shows by now, since we’re more than half way through the season!
Speaking of shows, from your experience, has there ever been a time when something happened during a show and the audience had no idea about it?
One thing that comes to mind, that you may not know, is that we can actually see people’s faces in the audience. We love trying to look out for our family members or sometimes trying to spot the celebrities who come to our shows. We would be chit-chatting backstage instructing each other to “check the 4th row over there”! Because of that, we’re often having a lot of fun and giggling during the show and usually the audience is not aware. They may see my eye-high kicks but maybe they can’t see that my eyes are searching for that 4th row, trying to spot that celebrity. The irony of this situation, and I am very blessed to be able to say that, is that there may be little girls coming to our show, pointing at the stage and saying “oh my god, look, here are the Rockettes!” while we, as the Rockettes, are looking at the audience whispering to each other “oh my god, look, there is so and so who came to see us, that’s unbelievable!”.
Do you remember a particular celebrity you were excited to spot among the audience?
(smiling) I know that recently Kelly Clarkson came to see our show, her studio is right across the street from us, so that was pretty cool and was a bit of a buzz talk backstage!
Is there any specific “good luck” ritual that you guys do backstage before the start of every show?
Every Rockette has their own “lucky” pre-show ritual that she repeats before every show. So even if they all look different, if you walked backstage you would see all 36 women doing their own thing every time before going on stage, something that could definitely be fun to witness! Some do four kicks, I – with two of my colleagues – do a fun little hand twinkle before our next number as reindeers: we twinkle our fingers together at a certain part of the music, just before the curtains come up. These are all tiny little things but we like to say to the newcomers “careful about what you do before your first two shows as a Rockette because you will spend the next 20 years doing it before every single show!” (laughs)
Speaking of rituals, how difficult is your iconic Wooden Soldier’s fall and how much technique goes into it?
The Wooden soldiers’ fall, more precisely the Parade of the Wooden Soldiers, has been in the show since 1933, so every woman who has been a Rockette has had the opportunity to do this number. There is indeed a step-by-step process. For example, we line up making sure that our bodies are at a specific distance from the Rockette in front and behind us and we have to place our hands and arms in a very specific way. We practice it a lot, starting with 6 women practicing at the time, then we go up to 12, then 18, 24 and then all 36. There is the weight on you of so many women when they start lying down and falling, so we take that fall very seriously during rehearsals, building up the strength to sustain it. You’re also usually in a different spot of the line each year, based on the height of the women that season, so each time you have to show up with a fresh attention to details when performing this number. Luckily there are steps set in place to keep it safe, but it does require a lot of physicality from us. This being said, the fall itself is a pretty smooth process once it has started, slow and steady.
Let’s zoom out from the Christmas Spectacular for a moment. The Rockettes as an organization has received growing criticism in the past few years regarding the lack of diversity among its dancers. Indeed, since its origins in 1925, the dance troupe did not have, for example, a single black dancer until Jennifer Jones joined them in 1987. Today things seem to have changed, and the Rockettes count in their line performers such as LaTarika Pierce, Maya Addie and JoJo Carmichael. Dedicated pages on the official website celebrating Black History Month also appear as a sign that the company is trying to change the narrative. From your personal experience, do you feel that things have actually improved or is there more that could be done?
That’s a very important question. From my personal experience, I think that the Rockettes are very committed in making sure that every dancer sees themselves represented in the iconic line. I talked earlier about the conservatory program; that program itself is a no-fee program, so the goal with that is to break down barriers to entry, so any dancer has the opportunity to show up and train with the Rockettes and perfect their skills. They also make sure we’re supported, from catering food to ensure that every dancer who shows up has the right footwear to be able to do the Rockettes choreography. There is a variety of women here today who are incredibly proud of what they bring to the table in terms of representing different dancers throughout the country. I think it’s truly an honor to be part of the Rockettes in this day and age and see where we’re headed with the organization in terms of diversity.
Speaking of representation, there have been some criticism about the way women are portrayed in the Rockettes’ shows, hinting at some of the “sparkled” choreographies, the strict requirements of physicality and the impressions of “uniformity” and “perfection” given by the line. As a woman, how do you view this criticism and do you think the role model given by the Rockettes could ever be portrayed as anti-feminist?
I am not aware of such criticism but for me, personally, being a Rockette is actually a very empowering experience. To be around so many hard-working women, who have chased their passion and their dreams, is inspiring. Everyone I have danced with is so unique in their own way, I am very proud to be a part of this special group of individuals.
You mentioned before that you’re excited to see where the organization is headed, where would you like to see the Rockettes moving forward, maybe in 10 to 20 years?
Well, my first hope is to still be a Rockette in 10 years (laughs), but I am excited to see how and where the organization grows. One recent example is the social media boom we’ve experienced these past years. The Rockettes were able to be part of that phenomenon and use it to better connect with people. Today there are so many different ways in which we are able to be a part of things that are going on in the world, in addition to the Christmas Spectacular. I also think that the best part of this show is that it’s a show for everyone. So as the world continues to grow and change, bringing that kind of joy to live theatre is never going to go out of style and I believe it will continue to positively impact people no matter what.
Since you mentioned the positive impact of the Rockettes, can you tell us more specifically what’s the biggest goal you hope to achieve as one of them, the reason why you are dancing today?
As I said for me it’s about happiness. People may have hard days, but when they walk into Radio City there is nothing but pure joy, and sparkles, and magic. It doesn’t matter how young or old you are and what your life experiences may be, you walk into a snow globe and hopefully for 90 minutes you are transported to nothing but sheer joy. This is our hope, that people leave with the biggest smile on their faces. Like one of my Rockettes sisters once said, “we are ambassadors of happiness” and I like to think that we’re like that all 365 days of the year!
Any plans for the future outside of Radio City?
Since my dream has always been to be a Rockette, as of today my only plan and hope for the future is to continue dancing as long as my body will let me, no matter what that will look like, whether it’s a dance party in my living room with my family or dancing on the great stage.
Do you have any advice for young women who are trying to follow their passions as well but feel stuck and afraid of taking that leap of faith?
To follow one’s dreams, it’s always easier said than done. That’s why I think it is crucial to have a good support system. For me it was my family, and I am grateful for them, for others it could be friends or any kind of community they are a part of, people who can cheer you up when you’re feeling nervous and keep you motivated, who can be there for the scary but also the exciting days. And my advice would also be to just keep going, knowing that hard work beats talent any day! The women I get to stand next to are incredibly talented but most of all they’re incredibly hard workers. When you have a dream and you work hard for it, there’s no failing and falls, the entire experience, the journey itself is the success story. The icing on the cake, for me, is getting to do the eye-high kicks! But the whole journey that got me here is my Rockette story. So just keep going for it, because every day is a gift.
I forgot to ask Paige what was her favorite holiday, but I think I know the answer to that one!
You can still catch the Christmas Spectacular until January 5th by going to the Rockettes official website (https://www.rockettes.com/christmas/).
(This interview has been slightly edited and condensed for length and clarity).
