All Of It with Alison Stewart: "The Radio City Rockettes!" (Dec 22, 2023)

Episode Overview

In this festive encore episode, host Alison Stewart celebrates the enduring holiday tradition of the Radio City Rockettes. The episode features a lively and heartfelt conversation with two current Rockettes—Mia Wilson and Jacqueline DiNicola—offering listeners a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the iconic New York City performance, its history, demanding rehearsals, evolving inclusivity, and the powerful sense of tradition. Listeners also call in to share their cherished memories of seeing the Rockettes with family, making for a warm, communal celebration of New York holiday culture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. First Encounters with the Rockettes

• Mia Wilson’s Story
  • Witnessed the Rockettes for the first time as a college student, seeing friends perform at Radio City with her university group.
  • Quote: “Seeing them up there and like these girls I dance with every day on this big, incredible stage … I was like, I have to do this.” (03:15)
• Jacqueline DiNicola’s Story
  • Saw the Rockettes at age three or four; attending the Christmas Spectacular became a family tradition.
  • Quote: “I just turned to my mom and I said, I need to do that when I’m grown. I’m going to be a Rockette. And I made it my lifelong goal.” (04:20)
• Host and Guests Share Jersey Roots
  • Alison Stewart and Jacqueline bond over their New Jersey upbringing and the tradition of families coming in to see the Rockettes.
  • Quote (Alison): “It was a really old school tradition, and it was very special.” (05:03)

2. The Audition Process and What It Takes

• Mia
  • Describes intense open-call auditions with hundreds of dancers, multiple dance styles, and fast-paced routines at Radio City.
  • Quote: “It’s overwhelming, but it was so incredible to be a part of.” (05:19)
• Jacqueline on Returning as a Veteran
  • The second season brings more confidence, a stronger sense of belonging, and deeper camaraderie.
  • Quote: “You feel even more a part of it every year … My second season has been so fulfilling, even more than my first.” (06:02)

3. The Rockettes as a New York Tradition

• Listener Calls
  • Ann (07:16): Her aunt was one of the original “Roxyettes” in 1932.
  • Ava and Ethan (07:42): Family tradition of attending the show every year—cross-generational experience.
  • Hank (08:35): Teacher brings students; Rockettes described as spreading joy to kids.

4. Lifelong Love of Dance

• Both Mia and Jacqueline started dancing at a very young age and formed family bonds through dance.
  • Quote (Mia): “My mom put me in dance classes when I was, like, two, two and a half ... It’s been a part of my life forever.” (09:10)
  • Quote (Jacqueline): “Growing up, my sister danced … I always wanted to be just like my sister.” (09:33)

5. The Demands of Performing & Rehearsal

• How the Schedule Works
  • Two casts, up to four shows a day, one day off per week.
  • Quote: “It’s a busy schedule, but it’s so fulfilling and we get to live our dreams. So we’re very lucky.” (10:43)
• Rehearsal Routine
  • Six weeks of rehearsals, six hours a day, six days a week.
  • Quote (Jacqueline): “It’s rigorous, but what you see on stage is the final product of so much hard work.” (14:02)
• Controlled Chaos Backstage
  • Precision isn't just on-stage: quick costume changes, choreographed movement backstage, and a dedicated team.
  • Quote: “The whole show is choreographed... but offstage, it’s just as precise.” (12:14)

6. The Versatility of a Rockette

• Dance Styles
  • Rockettes must be proficient in tap, jazz, ballet, and more; quick transitions are part of the fun for Mia.
  • Quote: “You just switch shoes backstage and you go on, you do a different style. So it’s fun for me. It keeps it interesting.” (13:30)

7. Balancing Life Beyond Rockettes

• Jacqueline: Professional Baker
  • Runs "Jazzy Jack’s Cookies" outside dance season.
  • Many Rockettes balance varied careers—accountants, mothers, artists.
• Mia: Full-time Student
  • Studies at Pace University, manages school and Rockettes simultaneously.

8. Iconic Costumes & Quick Changes

• Intensity of Costume Changes
  • Up to nine costume changes per show; fastest change is 78 seconds.
  • Quote (Mia): “We’re in nine numbers in the show. The show’s 90 minutes. Those changes are very fast.” (16:26)
• Favorite Costumes
  • Mia: “Twelve Days” candy cane costume—“so cute, so many sparkles.”
  • Jacqueline: Parade of the Wooden Soldiers—most iconic, links her to Rockettes history. (22:42)

9. Smiles, Joy & Tradition

• How Do You Keep Smiling?
  • (Jacqueline): “I really can’t not smile.”
  • The joy is genuine—being part of a legacy seen by over 69 million people (17:14).
• Listener Praise
  • Professional dance photographer admires Rockettes’ world-class precision and excitement (15:49).

10. Diversity, Inclusion & Evolution

• Racial and Ethnic Representation
  • Mia, who is biracial, is proud to represent diversity: “It’s so important to have diversity and inclusion everywhere ... being able to be that multicultural girl that another little girl sees.” (18:15)
  • Conservatory program: Free, brings dancers from varied backgrounds to train intensively with Rockettes.
• Relaxing Height Requirements
  • Now open to women from 5'5" to 5'10.5": hundreds more qualify to audition.
  • Onstage illusion: Tallest dancers in center, shortest at ends, enhancing visual effect (19:57).
• Tradition vs. Change
  • New numbers, like the reimagined "Dance of the Frost Fairies" with fairy drones, update the Spectacular annually.
  • Quote (Mia): “It is very magical.” (20:35)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You feel even more a part of it every year ... My second season has been so fulfilling, even more than my first.”
  — Jacqueline DiNicola (06:02)

• “There are moms, there’s families, there’s some Rockettes that are accountants, others that have all sorts of jobs. And I happen to be a baker at home, aside from dancing.”
  — Jacqueline DiNicola (15:00)

• “It’s so important to have diversity and inclusion everywhere in all aspects of the world.”
  — Mia Wilson (18:15)

• “We put the tallest girls in the center and the shortest girls on the end, so that it creates this vision ... but we don’t have to be the same height because in reality we’re not. And we cherish that, because that’s what makes us stronger together.”
  — Jacqueline DiNicola (19:57)

Key Segment Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:13 | Mia’s & Jacqueline’s first encounters with the Rockettes | | 05:15 | The Rockettes audition process | | 06:59 | Reflections on returning for a second season | | 07:11 | Listener calls with Rockettes family traditions | | 09:09 | When did you know you wanted to be a dancer? | | 10:17 | Audience Q: How many performances a day & cast system | | 11:07 | Controlled chaos backstage | | 13:15 | The different dance styles required of a Rockette | | 14:02 | Rehearsal schedule | | 16:18 | Q: How many costume changes per show? | | 17:03 | Q: How do you keep smiling on stage? | | 18:10 | Inclusivity, diversity, and the evolution of the Rockettes | | 19:52 | Height requirements and audition inclusivity | | 20:32 | What’s new in this year’s show? (Dance of the Frost Fairies) | | 21:46 | Q: What do Rockettes eat to stay energized? | | 22:26 | If you could keep one costume, which would it be? |

Episode Tone & Takeaway

The conversation is joyful, nostalgic, and deeply sincere, mirroring the spirit of the Rockettes themselves. Mia and Jacqueline express their gratitude, love of dance, and the honor of upholding—and modernizing—a New York tradition. Behind the glamour is rigor, teamwork, and an intentional embrace of progress: a holiday institution that shines brighter by welcoming more people to its line and legacy.

For more of NYC’s cultural stories and vibrant traditions, tune into "All Of It" with Alison Stewart, weekdays on WNYC.