What are Rockette auditions like?

The audition process:

What is the audition process for the Rockettes?

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

Rockettes auditionees must be between 5'5″ and 5'10 ½” tall (measurements will be taken in stocking feet). Rockettes auditionees must be proficient in ballet, tap, and jazz. Dancers must be proficient in jazz and ballet.

Do the Rockettes have a weight requirement?

For starters, unlike ballerinas, Rockettes are expected to meet only one size requirement, and it has nothing to do with weight.

How much does a Rockette make per show?

Typically, each Rockette receives a paycheck of between $1,400 and $1,500 each week. Because these famous dancers only perform seasonally, this only amounts to between $36,400 to $39,000 per year. The Rockettes do receive their benefits year-round, though.

How long do Rockettes practice per day?

From September to November, the Rockettes rehearse seven hours per day, six days per week to prepare for their signature show, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. During the holidays, Rockettes perform five to six shows daily and their pay works out to about $135 per 90-minute show as of 2005.

How old is the average Rockette?

Many of the Rockettes are young mothers, Snow said. During the rest of the year, the Rockettes -- who range in age from 18 to 41, work in a variety of professions -- perhaps as teachers, yoga instructors or dancers on Broadway.

What does a Rockette eat?

Throughout the day I eat protein and carbs, and treats are important," says Cichra. Her favorites: chocolate covered strawberries and pizza. Sometimes, if their Instagram photos are to be believed, the Rockettes even splurge on cupcakes. Even with their voracious appetites, the dancers still lose weight.

How old is the oldest Rockette?

At 90, She is thought to be the oldest Rockette. Ninety-year-old Jane Finnegan Pearson carefully unfolds a tattered, yellowed newspaper clipping dated 1937.

What benefits do Rockettes get?

Although each of the Rockettes receives a benefits package, these performers are not provided with housing or reimbursed for any travel-related expenses. Typically, each Rockette receives a paycheck of between $1,400 and $1,500 each week.

How long can you be a Rockette?

Technically, there's no maximum age limit, but Rockettes typically aim to hit the goal of at least 10 years on the stage before hanging up their tap shoes. Retired Rockettes often remain with the company, working backstage as dressers or teaching dance classes during the Radio City Summer Intensive workshop.

Do the Rockettes have to sing?

Rockettes tend to get asked back year after year, which makes it one of the steadiest gigs in the business -- and one of the few gigs for jazz and tap-dancers who don't also sing.

How tall is the tallest Rockette?

Rockettes have to be between 5′ 6″ and 5′ 10 1/2″ tall (not counting those ultra-high heels). In kick lines, they stand with the tallest women in the middle, moving down to the shortest on the ends, which creates the illusion that they're doing everything in unison.

How tall is the shortest Rockette?

And although I was the smallest of the bunch (the shortest Rockette is 5 ft. 6 in.), I felt like I finally fit in — even if it was just for a few hours. Watch the video above to see how I did, and go see The Rockettes in the New York Spectacular, which runs from June 15th until August 7th!

Is there a dress code for the Rockettes?

over a year ago. You can wear just about anything there. No dress code.

How many black Rockettes are there?

Now, one of six black and bi-racial women in the 2019 Christmas Spectacular — three in each cast — Pierce hopes audiences embrace women of color as part of a cohesive whole, “It's important to see a group of strong, inspiring, confident women working together, no matter what color,” she said.

What is a Rockette swing?

The Rockettes themselves are 80 women total, split into two casts of Blue and Gold. 36 women perform on stage at a time, the remaining four in full hair and makeup, ready to go on in an emergency. (These four women are called “swings.”)

How many dancers do the Rockettes have?

There are a total of 80 Rockettes—40 Rockettes in each cast, and only 36 of us perform onstage at a time. Each cast has four “swings” who can fill in the spots for nine of the women on the line.

Why do the Rockettes not touch?

Prepare to be astonished: “We actually don't touch each other,” says LaVergne. The dancers just lightly brush the women beside them with outstretched arms. They call it “feeling the fabric.” That ensures they're in line without pushing or leaning.

How hard is it to become a Rockette?

The requirements for being a Rockette are to be 5'6″-5'10.5″ tall and proficient in ballet, jazz and tap. If a dancer does not meet those height requirements, it is out her control.

Are the Rockettes married?

A lot of Rockettes are still married to those guys!” In the '60s, Cary Grant was a regular.

How do you get Rockette legs?

4 Ways to Get Legs Like the Rockettes

1. Glutes and Hamstrings: Marching Hip Raise with Feet on a Swiss Ball. A simple dance exercise to get a toned dancer-derriere. ...
2. Inner Thighs: Standing Plié Squats. ...
3. Hamstrings and Calves: Standing Leg Curl. ...
4. Calves and Ankles: Ballet Calf Raises.

Are there fat Rockettes?

Because there's no such thing as a fat Rockette. “As much as we say it's just another gig, it's much more than that,” she said. “There's something mysterious about being a Rockette.” The troupe of time-tested tinsel has been a New York icon since 1933, producing up to five shows a day, seven days a week.

What does a Rockette eat in a day?

Rockette Brittany Paige Snyder also told Glamour she might go for a smoothie with flaxseeds, chia seeds, frozen blueberries, peanut butter, and milk. 4. In fact, eating enough all day long is key to keeping up their strength and stamina. To keep up their energy, eating enough throughout the day is crucial.

Are Rockettes traveling in 2021?

The Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes is back at Radio City Music Hall in 2021, with performances from November 5 - Jan. 2, 2022. The Christmas Spectacular was cancelled in 2020, the first time in 87 years.

What color lipstick do the Rockettes wear?

Lipstick: This is the one makeup item that's mandated to the girls: All the Rockettes wear MAC lipstick in either MAC Red or Russian Red. Both are blue-based tones that pop under the bright lights.