The glamorous Radio City Music Hall Rockettes celebrate 100 years of flawless routines, strong technique and elaborate costumes. The sisterhood was founded in 1925 and brought their talent to the Big Apple in 1932 – never looking back.
Whether you have seen the Rockettes perform in person or from home, one thing for certain is that their wardrobe captures the joys of the Christmas season. The longevity of their fashion department is admirable.
There is never a pearl out of place or a wrinkled skirt on stage. Their costumes really set the scene and take the audience to an alternate world of Christmas magic.
What is the secret behind this team that has been dazzling millions of people for so many years? Let’s dive into the history within the fashion that brings it all to life.
Santa’s Favorite Toys
It wouldn’t be a Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular in NYC without the dance of the wooden soldiers. When the crowd hears Santa introduce his favorite toy, they know what to prepare for.
The costume was inspired by a porcelain doll and the labor that went into the creation was not for the weak-minded. It consisted of lined duvetine jackets and cotton duct pants that were stiffened in cold starch at the local laundry for authenticity. The team had to mimic the feeling of being a doll trapped in a box.
Although the material used to make the costume has changed to cotton twill fabric, it still takes 12 hours to make a single costume. Each costume is molded to perfectly fit the body of each Rockette. There are 36 Rockettes involved in the stunt – you do the math.
It takes a lot to be America’s favorite; the tradition of the wooden soldiers is expected to last another 100 years, as long as fans keep coming to the show.
Leglines Throughout the Years
The stylists keep the Rockettes looking beautiful, while also following the changing fashion trends. The biggest difference from costumes made in the 1940s is the length of the leglines. The dancers used to wear trunks instead of bikini line cuts that conforms to the sex appeal.
Thank god for the invention of spandex in the industry, so that those girls can keep kicking up their legs in perfect unison.
Lights, Camera, Perfection
The dazzling red and green bodysuits for the ‘12 Days of Christmas’ routine have come a long way since the initial curtain opening in 1933 at Radio City.
Vincente Minnelli designed the first costumes to hit the stage. They were made out of red cable netting and sheer cotton ruffled sleeves with a sequined trim. While the cuts of these costumes have altered over the years, the designers stay true to the bones.
It’s that time of year again to enjoy the sparkling Rockettes at the theatre or on Channel 4. Being that this is the 100 year anniversary, new routines and costumes might just make an appearance.
Let @VALLEYmag know on X which costume is your favorite when the Rockettes hit the stage.
This is a very good tips especially to those new to blogosphere, brief and accurate information… Thanks for sharing this one. A must read article.
A formidable share, I simply given this onto a colleague who was doing a little analysis on this. And he actually bought me breakfast because I discovered it for him.. smile. So let me reword that: Thnx for the deal with! But yeah Thnkx for spending the time to debate this, I really feel strongly about it and love studying more on this topic. If potential, as you grow to be expertise, would you thoughts updating your weblog with extra details? It is extremely useful for me. Large thumb up for this blog publish!
This page really has all of the information I wanted concerning this subject and didn’t know who to ask.
Hello my family member! I want to say that this article is awesome, great written and include approximately all vital infos. I’d like to look more posts like this.
I really appreciate this post. I have been looking everywhere for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You have made my day! Thanks again
I’m so happy to read this. This is the kind of manual that needs to be given and not the accidental misinformation that is at the other blogs. Appreciate your sharing this best doc.
Fantastic website. Plenty of useful information here. I’m sending it to some pals ans also sharing in delicious. And certainly, thanks for your sweat!
I view something truly special in this site.
Cool blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere? A design like yours with a few simple adjustements would really make my blog shine. Please let me know where you got your theme. Thanks a lot
It’s really a great and helpful piece of info.
I am satisfied that you just shared this useful information with us.
Please stay us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.