After Last Year’s Hiatus, the Radio City Rockettes Are Preparing for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular

Those famous synchronized kicks are back. The Rockettes — all 80 dancers — are together again rehearsing for the iconic Radio City Christmas Spectacular.

For Giulia Griffith, it's her first time as a Rockette. "We just wanna bring back to NYC that true magical Christmas feeling," she said.

Last year, they didn't perform due to the coronavirus pandemic, a first for director and choreographer Julie Branam. "Not having the show last year was the first time in 33 years I hadn't done a Christmas," she notes.

For these women, their return was a momentous day to celebrate. 

"The first day of rehearsal was amazing," Julie adds. "We all stood in the rehearsal room waiting for the clock to strike ten. And when it did, and they said 'welcome, ladies,' the room erupted into applause, and it would've gone on for a good half-hour."

At every show, 36 dancers perform on stage at a time. Rockettes have to be a certain height, between 5 foot 6 and 5 foot 10 1/2 inches. And when it comes to showtime, they each do their own hair and makeup.

And as for those famous kicks? There are 160 in every show.

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