Kick Up Your Heels with the Rockettes

If it’s the holiday season in New York City, one thing’s for sure: The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, featuring the iconic Rockettes, is on everyone’s list of must-sees.

Just ask Wisconsin native Candace Jablonski, a veteran Rockette who this year marks her 12^th season of performing in this quintessentially Christmas show, which opens in mid-November with performances continuing until right after the New Year.

“When I was growing up outside of Milwaukee, I marked the start of the holiday season by watching the Rockettes performing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade on TV,” she says. “That was Christmas for me.”

And Jablonski is just as dazzled to perform in the show this year as she was the day she stepped onto the stage for the first time.

Jablonski says she’ll never forget the day she auditioned for the show—a day spent waiting in line with 500 other dancers before getting measured (to be a Rockette you have to be between 5 foot 6 and 5 foot 10 1/2) and then performing tap, jazz and kick combos.

“I always had this little glimmer of hope in my mind that I would one day be a Rockette,” she says. “Twelve years later, I’m still doing it—and loving it!”

Few shows have the “legs” of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, which has dazzled audiences since first opening in 1933. The show is known for the Rockettes, of course, as well as the ensemble of elves, Santa, singers, three camels, six sheep and a donkey named Ted that make appearances on this historic stage throughout each 90-minute performance.

And the performers work tirelessly—appearing in 16 of the 32 weekly shows.

“There are two casts of 36 women and we divide the show schedule,” Jablonski says. “We do two, three or four shows six days a week with one day off each week. It’s very demanding physically.”

Then again, by the time the performers are on stage, they’re ready.

“We rehearse for six weeks for six hours a day six days a week before the shows begin,” she says. “By the time we’re on stage, we’re physically acclimated to an intense show schedule. We train like Olympic athletes.”

It helps that the Rockettes are really close to one another, Jablonski adds.

“We’re all working for the same goal,” she says. “There’s a camaraderie and we’re there to support each other.”

Her co-cast mates have become friends, too.

“Some of my best friends are my Rockette sisters,” she says. “Some even stood up at my wedding just recently.”

And, when the season ends on January 3, Jablonski will keep dancing—back in her hometown in Wisconsin.

“I take a lot of dance, Barre and yoga classes to stay in shape,” she says. “I can’t stop dancing during the months before the season starts again and just jump back in!”

In the end, Jablonski says she loves being a Rockette because of the audience.

“The most gratifying thing is getting to meet people who really appreciate what you do and you can tell that you put them in the holiday spirit,” she says. “The idea that I can help bring them a little bit of holiday joy is very satisfying.”