Radio City Music Hall Stage Door Tour & Meet the Rockettes: Manhattan, New York
Fabulous is the word that I will use to describe the behind the scenes tour of the famous Rockettes who performs at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan, New York. It was a combination of glamour, glitz and of course I got a chance to meet the Rockettes!
It was exciting to go behind the scenes of the quarters of the Rockettes. There was a big rehearsal room and a small rehearsal room. The bigger rehearsal room was a dance studio with mirrors the length of the wall. The smaller room was under renovations with plans of transforming it into an indoor ice skating rink.
I also had a chance to see the costume room! It was filled with a large variety of costumes that were sparkling in crystals, shimmer, ruffles and feathers. All of the costumes are custom made to fit the slender physique of each Rockette perfectly. The tailored costumes helps with the uniformity of the overall appearance during show time. Half of the room was blocked off with a black curtain. On the other side of the room, costume designers were busy working on creating the costumes for the upcoming Spring Show!
The Radio City Music Hall show “The Christmas Spectacular”: Starring the Rockettes” was in progress during the tour and I had a chance to have a sneak peak of the show. The Rockettes were performing their signature dance, kicking their legs high in unison while balancing on the other leg. All thirty-six Rockettes were in sync and danced flawlessly. Singers stood on the upper side balconies belting their tunes in harmony. Thus far, the show appeared to be spectacular.
Amazingly, there were three sections to the massive stage. Each part was the length and size of one city block. The segments were conducive to the mobility of the stage. The performers can appear or descend off the scene because of the technicalities of the stage. Additionally, there was a built-in turntable that spins in a slow circular motion. The theatrics of the turntable is primarily for the Santa Claus portion of the show.
Over the years the dynamic shows held at the Radio City Music Hall have improved as a result of technological advancements. There are digital projections, 3D effects, and flying indoor LED screens. Audience members are surrounded by pure entertainment because the stage is also strategically located on both sides of the Hall partially surrounding the audience. The irony is that the Rockettes can access the main stage no matter what section they are on.
As the tour continued, I walked down the Radio City Music Hall of Fame! On the walls hung the original posters of all of the famous singers who graced the stage during their concerts at Radio City Music Hall. There were performances by Singers Ray Charles, Jessica Simpson, Ryan Cabrera, Tony Bennet and much more. There was a separate Hall of Fame, particularly for singers with sold out shows as well.
My next stop was the Rockettes Hall of Fame! Large canvases were featuring the Rockettes as a group on stage. Then there were individual photos as well. Both walls hosted large pictures of the Rockettes in a variety of costumes. All of them were very beautiful!
Finally, the moment that I have been waiting for! The opportunity to meet the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes. They stood there, tall, friendly and dressed in their beige and gold costume. They were sparkling from head to toe. While the others stood there smiling, one of the Rockettes began to share some interesting facts about being a Rockette.
She stated that she was proficient in ballet, jazz and tap dance. The typical performance span of a Rockette is five to seven years. Although, if they are still in good shape they can perform a little longer. Lastly, Rockettes must attend rehearsals and practice approximately 216 hours before each show. At the end of our lively conversation, we took pictures.
I enjoyed the Radio City Music Hall Stage Door Tour! It was fun and exciting.
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The way you described Radio City music Hall and The Rockettes,it was almost as if I was actually there myself. It sounds Awesome and this tour must of been so amazing. The Rockettes are really amazing too. I can’t believe how huge the stages are. I can’t believe all those hours they rehearse for either…I would never last an hour? LOL Anyway…I so enjoyed this tour of your. Looking forward to the next which I know will be just as Awesome!
Thank you Sue! This was truly an awesome experience.
Cuteee and cool blog post
Thank you Johnny!
Extremely insightful….look forth to coming back. http://tinyurl.com/jjl3tn9