by Scarlett Downes
A few things come to mind when I think of the holidays, one of those things being the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Seeing the incredible Radio City Rockettes is the perfect way to kick off the holiday season and celebrate. From the over-the-top costumes, to the joyful music, to the unbelievably high kicks, it’s certainly a show not to be missed.
The Radio City Rockettes have been significant performance group since 1925, and the Christmas Spectacular became a yearly annual occurrence in 1933. The only year the show did not go on was during the last stretch of the performance season in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began.
With two casts, the Rockettes perform in up to four shows per day daily for almost three months straight. People from all over the world gather at Radio City Music Hall to experience the magic the iconic show creates. Although it is one of the largest tourist attractions in NYC during the holidays, many locals and people in the area make seeing the Christmas Spectacular a tradition.
I attended the Radio City Christmas Spectacular for the third time a week ago. I can honestly say that the show was more than spectacular. The precision of the dancers and their many complex formation changes was extremely impressive. The show got better and better as it progressed, each dance completely different and unique.
The show lasts approximately 90 minutes with no intermission. Due to the generally small size of Radio City Music Hall, there’s really no bad seat in the house. You can clearly see the stage and dancers from any seat you have.
Not only is the dancing great, but the set and technological features of the show make it exciting. As you enter the concert hall, the ushers give you 3D glasses. When it comes time to put the glasses on, viewers get the illusion of flying through New York City, as well as getting an odd snowball hurled at them. Another exciting feature of the show are the ‘frost fairies’, which are elegant drones that flutter over the audience during the “Dance of the Frost Fairies”.
One of my favorite dances in the show was “New York at Christmas”. This dance is full of excitement that includes a spinning tour bus, an ice skating rink, and a shocking costume change. The dance perfectly encapsulates the excitement of the holiday season in New York City. The dancers sit on top of the bus wearing old fashioned coats at the start, but as they exit the bus, they whip off their coats to reveal red and green sparkling dresses that glimmer even from the last row in the mezzanine.
The Radio City Christmas Spectacular is full of excitement, joy, dancing, and holiday spirit. It is entertaining for people of all ages, and sure to get you in the mood for the holiday season!
