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.
Real superb visual appeal on this site, I’d value it 10 10.
I would like to thnkx for the efforts you have put in writing this blog. I am hoping the same high-grade blog post from you in the upcoming as well. In fact your creative writing abilities has inspired me to get my own blog now. Really the blogging is spreading its wings quickly. Your write up is a good example of it.
I am forever thought about this, appreciate it for posting.
Just desire to say your article is as amazing. The clearness in your post is simply cool and i could assume you are an expert on this subject. Fine with your permission allow me to grab your RSS feed to keep updated with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please carry on the gratifying work.
My spouse and i ended up being so fortunate when Michael could deal with his survey through your precious recommendations he obtained out of the web page. It’s not at all simplistic just to choose to be making a gift of methods that other people may have been trying to sell. And we fully understand we have got the writer to appreciate for that. The entire illustrations you’ve made, the straightforward site navigation, the friendships you make it possible to create – it’s mostly overwhelming, and it’s really making our son and our family reason why this subject matter is pleasurable, which is certainly exceptionally important. Thanks for all!
Wow, this post is pleasant, my sister is analyzing these things, so I am going to inform her.
Woah! I’m really loving the template/theme of this website. It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s very hard to get that “perfect balance” between superb usability and visual appeal. I must say you have done a fantastic job with this. Also, the blog loads super quick for me on Firefox. Superb Blog!
You are a very capable person!
After all, what a great site and informative posts, I will upload inbound link – bookmark this web site? Regards, Reader.
Thank you for sharing with us, I believe this website truly stands out : D.