Radio City Rockettes Celebrate 100 Year Anniversary

Cafe Society
1

Straight Dope seems to have missed this, but the Rockettes have celebrated their 100 year anniversary:

The Rockettes, at 100, Need a Kick in the Right Direction: This year, “Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes” pays homage to the legacy of the group, but its future seems to be more about sisterhood than dancing. [paywalled]

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/22/arts/dance/the-rockettes-at-100.html

I remember them from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade–but it has been a very long time since I watched that.

Anyone ever see the show in person?

2

I saw a show about 45 years ago. I remember nothing else about it. But the building was impressive. I was a teen.

It seemed like a dated form of entertainment then, but again, I was a teen.

3

Saw them in a show at Radio City in 1966. There was also a movie: “The Singing Nun” with Debby Reynolds.

4

There are any number of recreational dancing troupes composed of little old ladies. They get dressed up and perform chorus line dancing with varying degrees of enthusiasm, vigor, and personal flexibility. You go girls!

Many of these troupes call themselves the “Happy Hoofers”, but there doesn’t seem to be an overarching national organization of that name.

Anyhow, the thought of Rockettes turning 100 made me think of all these smiling lipsticked little old ladies stomping about. Some of whom may well have been actual Rockettes at some point in the past.

5

I was on a business trip in NYC that ended a few days before Thanksgiving in 1984. My wife flew (solo!) to LaGuardia, where I met her at the gate. We did the usual tourists things, and got to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade. We then walked to Radio City Music Hall and asked about tickets for the matinee show that day. She sighed, said there were a few, such as these two seats together, third row center section on the aisle. Of course we took them. The only bad part was they were a little too close, since we could see how old several of the dancers were. But the entire show was worthwhile, especially at the start of the holiday season.

6

Saw it the other week. I’m not sure what I thought it would be like, but it was pretty incredible. It wasn’t just dancing, it was a pretty immersive experience. Lights, 360 degree visuals, objects flying around the theatre. Like Vegas stuff. I was impressed and recommend it.

7

I’ve seen it, around 15-20 years ago when my kids were small. My husband grew up in the NYC area and remembered being impressed by the show when he was a kid. So he wanted our kids to see it too. I don’t remember too much about it, just that it was fun and entertaining with high production values.