The Radio City Rockettes!

Summary

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.

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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)

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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)

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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? |

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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.

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

Transcript

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[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Listener support WNYC Studios.

[WNYC Host]

This is all of It on WNYC. I'm Alison Stewart and on our last show before Christmas, we're going to keep some of that holiday cheer going. And what's more holiday then the the Rockettes have been a New York institution for the last 91 years since their debut at Radio City Music hall on December 27, 1932. And they're back again this year with their annual holiday tradition. Four or five shows a day through the end of the year. This time last year we were joined by Rockettes Mia Wilson and Jacqueline DiNicola, who both returned to the troupe this year. We also got to hear some feel good holiday calls from listeners about their memories of seeing the Rockettes. Since this is an encore presentation. Presentation, you'll hear those calls, but we won't be taking any today to round out our holiday week warm up, here's my conversation with Rockettes Mia and Jacqueline.

[Alison Stewart]

Mia, what was your first exposure to the Rockettes?

[Mia Wilson]

So, for me, I'm a current student at Pace University, and I'm a junior this year. So last year, two of my fellow students that were seniors at the time were in the show and we got to, as a program, go watch them. And that was my first time ever seeing the Spectacular. And it really changed my life, like, seeing them up there and like these girls I dance with every day on this big, incredible stage in these beautiful costumes, doing iconic numbers in New York City. I was like, I have to do this. So that's kind of how I got exposed to the world of the Rockettes. And I'm lucky enough to be here now.

[Alison Stewart]

Jacqueline, how about for you?

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

For me, my exposure to the Rockettes was long ago. I was three or four years old, actually, when I first saw the Rockettes. So I was one of those little girls that dreamed for my entire life of being a Rockette to being where I am today. So I'm originally from New Jersey. I'm a Jersey girl.

[Alison Stewart]

Yes.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Are you a Jersey girl?

[Alison Stewart]

Yes, right there.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Very proud. And I was lucky enough to live only about 20 minutes outside of New York City. So it was a family tradition for my family, like so many others from this area and for people that come from all over just to see this show, it's really. It's so iconic in New York City. The Christmas Spectacular is the holiday season in New York. So I was one of those families that was lucky enough to see it every year from when I was a little girl. And 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. And I'm so lucky to be here today. It's a dream come true.

[Alison Stewart]

I'm going back to Jersey. What town?

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

I'm from Nutley, New Jersey, originally.

[Alison Stewart]

Glen Ridge.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Look at that. We're neighbors, practically.

[Alison Stewart]

We played each other in football.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

That's hilarious.

[Alison Stewart]

Back in the dark, kid. My classmates did not play yours.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

So Northern Jersey. You were close to the city, too?

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, yeah. My dad worked on 57th Street. We came in. That's how I first saw the Rockettes. Came in with my family. It was a really old school tradition, and it was very special.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

So special.

[Alison Stewart]

Tell us about the audition process, Mia. What is it like?

[Mia Wilson]

So there's an open call audition every year where hundreds of girls line up, and that's the audition I attended in the spring, in April. It's crazy. You learn combos in different styles, like jazz and tap, and you're moving so quick, and it's a lot going on, but it was so cool to be in that room, like in Radio City Music hall, alongside these dancers that have been in the show and that choreographed the show and directors, and it's overwhelming, but it was so incredible to be a part of.

[Alison Stewart]

For you coming back, this is your second year, right, Jackson season?

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Yes.

[Alison Stewart]

Okay, so tell me what it was like to come back to it. I mean, you can understand the excitement of the first time.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Oh, yes. What's.

[Alison Stewart]

What's sophomore year like?

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Sophomore year. There's a different perspective that comes with your second season, your first year. It really is so exciting. There's this glimmer in your eyes, and it's a dream come true. And it is every season after that. But coming back as a veteran, you are more experienced. And just like a lot of experiences in life in high school or college, you go through this journey and you along the way, you feel more and more confident, and the sisterhood that we have becomes stronger. You feel even more a part of it every year. That you get to experience this dream, to live this life is such a privilege. And my second season has been so fulfilling, even more fulfilling than my first, because there are certain elements of the job that I know better now. I know how to be better. I know my place, my standing in the company. And I'm just gaining this sort of confidence that your first season, you don't exactly have at first, but it takes time just like anything else. And it's been such a wonderful experience, and I so look forward to continuing on that path.

[Alison Stewart]

My guests, Ramia Wilson and Jacqueline Dicnicola. They are Rockettes currently. Spectacular. Let's take some calls. Ann is calling in from. From Park Slope. Hi, Ann. Thanks for calling, all of it.

[Caller]

Hi.

[Alison Stewart]

You're on the air. Go for it.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Okay.

[Caller]

My aunt was one of the original Rockettes. She was 16 years old in 1932 when Radio City Music hall opened. I have the inaugural program, December 27.

1932, and they were actually called the Roxyettes at first.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Wow, that's amazing. What a History.

[Alison Stewart]

Thanks for calling in. Let's talk to Ava, calling in from New Jersey. Hi, Ava. Thanks for calling.

[Caller]

Thank you. Love NYC supporter. We love, love, love the Rockette. My mother started going with her grand. Her parents with my grandparents as a child. And it's something that my husband, I pass on to our sons. We go every year. We've been going since he was 4. My sister and her husband, they go with her daughter. My mom joins us. So it's a family tradition. We go, we have dinner, and we see the Rockettes, and my son always takes a picture with them. And Mr. Ethan is here and wanted to say what. I love the Rockettes, and I love everything they do. It's my favorite part.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Oh, that's amazing. Same. We had that same tradition. I know exactly how you feel.

[Alison Stewart]

Ava and Ethan, thank you so much. I think Hank saw y' all this week. Hank's calling in from Fort Lee. Hi, Hank.

[Caller]

Hey.

It wasn't me. It was my boy's mom. She's a teacher out here in Jersey, and she is a mentor to a group of kids, and she took them yesterday to the Radio City show. Saw the Rocket and Rockefellers.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Thank you.

[Caller]

And the kids were overwhelmed. They're little kids, like, you know, first to third grade, and they're overwhelmed that I got the pictures and I got the voice messages afterwards. And I just have to say, you folks are spreading a lot of joy.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Thank you so much. That's what we do.

[Alison Stewart]

Mia, when did you know you wanted.

[WNYC Host]

To be a dancer?

[Mia Wilson]

Oh, I've been dancing for as long as I could walk, probably. Yeah. My mom put me in dance classes when I was, like, two, two and a half. So it's been my life as long as I can remember. Yeah. My brother, I have a younger brother, he dances as well. Big dance family. So it's been a part of my life forever.

[Alison Stewart]

How about for you, Jacqueline?

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Growing up, my sister danced. She's four years older than me, and I always wanted to be just like my sister. So I started dancing at a similar age, around three years old. And growing up, we had this bond over dance, and I think that's really what's been so special for me, especially now, being a part of this culture and this sisterhood. I think I've always grown up with that sort of camaraderie when it comes to dance because of my sister. And she always inspired me. So I think I continued on this path because it was kind of a bonding experience for us in our childhood. And whenever I look back, I feel so Lucky, because we have such a special relationship. And now I can continue that relationship now with my sisters at the Rockettes. And my sister and I are obviously still very close, but that's how I knew.

[Alison Stewart]

Joy has a question I think a lot of us have. Joy's calling from the Upper west side. Hi, Joy.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Hi.

[Caller]

Yeah, I thought I heard you say that, Joy. You folks do this five times a day. And having watched one of your rehearsals, or a piece of it on YouTube, which was fascinating, I'm like, you don't all do this five times a day. There are different women dancing in different performances, aren't there? Or you'd all be dead.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

We'd be tired. But we do have two casts, so we do up to four shows a day, though actually yesterday was our fourth, our four show day. So we're tired, but we're so happy. We're so grateful to be doing what we're doing. And we get one day off a week where the other cast does the four shows in one day. So it's a busy schedule, but it's so fulfilling, and we get to live our dreams. So we're very lucky.

[Alison Stewart]

And they are very much alive, Joy. I can tell you.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Very alive. We have a lot of Christmas spirit.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Beth from Monmouth County, New Jersey. Hi, Beth. Thanks for calling, all of it. You're on with the Rockettes.

[Caller]

Thank you. Big fan of your show, but. And Rockettes. I just have to say I had gone to the show when I used to be a big sister and took some little kids and stuff, but my daughter's dance team has gone three times before the pandemic where they came in, they had a class with the Rockettes. I'm getting chills. It was like for, you know, three hours, and they were so excited. And I have pictures of my, you know, nine year old with a couple of you. And my dog likes it, too. And then you went to see the show, but. And then for me, as a lifelong New York, New Jersey person, to be able to come walk up and down the back stairs of Rockefeller Center, I mean, of Radio City, it was just like, I'm. Like, I'm in here. And all the racks of clothes would go by. It was amazing. So thank you for all you do.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Thank you so much. There's such a magic in the air at Radio City. That building itself is so historic, and we're so lucky to be a part of that tradition.

[Alison Stewart]

What is it like to be in the wings, though? I have to mention, imagine it's kind of controlled chaos.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

It is, it is. There's so many people that make this show what it is. And it takes a village, truly, both on stage and off. The whole show is choreographed. So obviously, from what we do in our precision style of dance, we work so hard to master that. But offstage, it's just as precise. We have wardrobe and stage management and teams that make this magic happen, and it's all choreographed. So it is chaos, but it's very controlled in the sense that, you know, we know exactly where to go at all times, and they make magic happen for so many people.

[WNYC Host]

I want to play a little bit of B roll from the twelve Days of Christmas portion of the show, and it's a really tap heavy section, so our listeners will be able to hear. Let's listen to some Rockettes.

[Caller]

Okay.

[WNYC Host]

The best part is they both started dancing. I said, you both started moving.

[Alison Stewart]

You know what you're supposed to be doing.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Can't help ourselves.

[WNYC Host]

You know, what is it like, Mia, to have to switch between all the different kinds of dance? I mean, there's tap, you'd be proficient in ballet, jazz.

[Mia Wilson]

Yes. So you have to be pretty well rounded to do this show. There is a little bit of everything, but growing up, I trained in every style in the dance world. There are, like, dance conventions, and I was a dance convention kid. And you take a different class, like, every, like, hour, different styles. So I'm very used to, like, switching it up. So that was something I was actually pretty used to. You just switch shoes backstage and you go on, you do a different style. So it's fun for me. It keeps it interesting.

[WNYC Host]

What is the rehearsal schedule like for being a Rockette?

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

So we rehearse for six weeks. Six hours a day. Six days a week. So it's rigorous for sure. But what you see on stage is the final product of so much hard work. And the amazing part is that we're all so committed to this job and making it what it has been since 1933, which is the most iconic precision dance line in America. And we're so committed to making that happen for audiences. So it's rigorous, but it's rewarding, for sure.

[WNYC Host]

And you have lives outside of.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Yes.

[WNYC Host]

So, Jacqueline, are you a baker?

[Mia Wilson]

I am.

[WNYC Host]

You're a baker out of Hoboken when you're not dancing your Instagram and give it Jazzy jackscookies.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Oh, thanks. Thanks for that call out. There he goes.

[WNYC Host]

And Frost.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Beautiful, beautiful pastry. Thank you.

[WNYC Host]

How do you balance being a Rockette and being a pastry baker?

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

So the amazing part is a lot of the women on the line balance so many things in our lives. We have so many occupations, a wide array of what people do. On the off season, we dance from about September to January. So on the off season, we do have to find, you know, other things to do to fill our time aside from training, because we are always training to stay up to game on all of our dance precision styles and everything. So. But aside from that, we do a lot of things. 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, of course. And yeah, I just found the hobby when I wasn't doing my job in season and it fills my time artistically. I feel fulfilled, so it's nice.

[WNYC Host]

And Mia, you're a student?

[Mia Wilson]

Yes, I'm a full time student at Pace University here in New York City.

[WNYC Host]

So let's take some more calls. Christopher is calling from Riverdale. Hi, Christopher, thanks for calling all of it.

[Caller]

Hi, thanks so much for taking my call. I am a professional dance photographer. I work with all kinds of dancers. I've been doing it for 20 years. I see the top of the world dancers and I'm so lucky. I get to work with them all. And I just want to say I go to the Rockettes not every year, but often. And wow, the precision, the excitement, the, the. And I feel like I've got a really critical eye. You guys are just top, top, top of the world. I get the chills. I love it so much. I can't, I can't get enough.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

But here's my question.

[Caller]

I heard Rand randomly, I heard that you guys Change your clothes 100 times in a day. Is that true?

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Oh, my gosh.

[Mia Wilson]

I would believe that. Honestly, with how many? I mean, we're in nine numbers in the show. The show's 90 minutes. Those changes are very fast. Our quickest one out of Parade of the Wooden Soldiers into New York at Christmas is something like 78. And yeah, we have very quick changes that we have dressers backstage. And like Jacqueline mentioned earlier, everything backstage is choreographed just as choreographed as it is on stage. And that's the way that it works, like a well oiled machine. And every show is the same on and off stage.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

And we definitely have nine changes, that's for sure. In show we have nine changes. A lot of. A lot of numbers. More than ever, actually.

[WNYC Host]

You smile all the time. How do you keep smiling? Is there some sort of not trick but is there some sort of way you keep smiling all the time?

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

I mean, for me, I can't contain it. I'm so thrilled to do this job and to bring joy to so many people throughout the Christmas season. I mean, since 1933, over 69 million people have seen this show. So to be a part of this tradition and this legacy, there's no way. I really can't smile.

[WNYC Host]

Alan from Brooklyn has an interesting question, which I think we might answer in this room after he poses it. Hi, Alan, thanks for calling.

[Caller]

Sure. Well, you know, I did see the Rockets when I was a boy and it was really fun. But one of the things I've often wondered about, and I think it's changed, is the ethnicity of the women playing Rockettes. And I wonder, I don't know if you know the history of that, but I think it's evolved and I think it's a really good thing. It's evolved, but I wonder if you know anything about that. And I even wondered, could it ever be that the Rockettes could have men in them?

[WNYC Host]

Oh, well, we'll start with the first part.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Yes. And I'm looking at Mia. Yes.

[Mia Wilson]

So since this is a radio, you cannot see me, but I am biracial, I'm half black, half white. And I'm so grateful to be a part of the evolution of the Rockettes and being able to be that multicultural girl that another little girl sees on the great stage growing up. And I think it's so important to have diversity and inclusion everywhere in all aspects of the world. And I think what's important to note is the conservatory program that the Rockettes have put together and that I actually was a part of. So they, it's a cost free event and they scout people from auditions or from going to colleges and things like that. Pick talented dancers from all over and they fly them out. And it's an intense week long process. You take a bunch of classes and you train with real Rockettes and you learn choreography from the show. And what's so important about that is that it gives people from all sorts of socioeconomic backgrounds access to the Rockettes. And it's all about expanding our diversity and making sure that anyone can do this job if they work hard enough.

[Alison Stewart]

One thing that there is a rule.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

About is height, which is also something I wanted to touch on after Mia said that because we opened up the line to girls who are an inch shorter, which doesn't sound like a lot, but in our world it is significant. It opens the opportunity to so many Women who are now five, five to five, ten and a half. It used to be five, six, so hundreds of more women can audition, which makes it really incredible because it's an all inclusive environment. We're really working on that each year to make it more and more inclusive. So I'm really proud of that.

[Alison Stewart]

And was the height thing kind of part of this? Everything being synchronized? At least that's what people thought.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

That was the thought process. But we have this illusion on stage, actually, where we put the tallest girls in the center and the shortest, less tall. Excuse me, girls on the end, so that it creates this vision on the stage where we're all the same height, but we don't have to be the same height because in reality we're not. And we're all individuals, and we really cherish that in our company because that's what makes us stronger together.

[Alison Stewart]

We've been talking a lot about tradition and how traditions need to be updated and expanded. Is there anything new in the show this year that's different than what people who have seen it years and years and years?

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Yes, there's always something exciting.

[Mia Wilson]

Yes. The show changes every year.

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Year.

[Mia Wilson]

And this year, there's a reimagined number, Dance of the Frost Fairies, which is a beautiful winter wonderland where you go inside of a snowflake, and we come out dressed as these beautiful fairies in blue and purple, gorgeous costumes with wings. And at the end of the number, we have fairy drones that fly above the audience and dance around. And it is very magical.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

The kids love it. I mean, to see their wide eyes in the audience and just feeling like they're part of this whimsical experience is just so cool for us to see.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's take line seven. Hi, Adrienne, calling in from Bedford Health.

[Caller]

Yeah, hi, my name is Adrienne. I'm Jacqueline's godmother. Hey, Jacqueline.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Oh, my gosh. Hey. Hi, Anna.

[Caller]

You didn't think your dad would tell me you were gonna be on the radio?

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Oh, my gosh.

[Caller]

Anyway, I just wanted to call in and say that she. Everything she said about how long she's been dancing is true, and she hasn't seen the Rockettes as long as she says she has. And I've seen her in everything she's ever been in and just wanted to say hi. And, Alison, I love your show. I listen to it most days, actually. So this is a double treat for me.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Oh, that's so nice. Thank you so much. Thanks, Anna.

[Alison Stewart]

Cindy on Instagram is curious what the Rockettes eat to keep Their energy up.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Oh, my gosh. Well.

[Mia Wilson]

Lots of carbs.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Yes, carbs are essential.

[Mia Wilson]

Lots of electrolytes. We need to stay hydrated. We have water backstage and things like that.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

That it's very personal, I'd say, too. It depends on what works for your body. Most importantly, we have to energize ourselves and stay, like Mia said, hydrated and well fed. And we have so many shows and so much, you know, so much dancing to be done in a day that we need our energy, and it's different for every woman.

[Alison Stewart]

But if you could keep one of your costumes in the off season, which.

[Caller]

One would it be?

[Mia Wilson]

I think it would be the one that I'm wearing right now, which is 12 days. It's our little candy cane one. And we have so many sparkles on it and bells and whistles and things, and it's so cute.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

It is. It's so Christmas.

[Mia Wilson]

It's my favorite costume in the whole show.

[Jacqueline DiNicola]

I love it. I think I would choose the Parade of the Wooden Soldiers costume, though, because the first time I put on that costume last season, as a first time Rockette, that's when I really felt like a Rockette. That is the most iconic number in the show. Since 1933, we've been doing the same exact choreography. So all of the women that came before us as Rockettes wore that costume. So when you first put that on, it's like, wow, I made it.

[Alison Stewart]

Thanks to Mia and Jacqueline from the Rockettes, we had some other very special holiday guests on the show in the form of the West Village Chorale. Twelve singers were standing in front of me. They went through a bunch of holiday classics on the air, and they were kind enough to stick around for one more tune. So we thought we'd share it with you today. Here's the West Village Chorale. Sing the Christmas song.

[West Village Chorale]

Chest roasting on an open fire shack Frost beeping at your nose Everybody knows water the ant Help to make the season bright Tiny tots with their eyes on a gloom Will find it hard to sleep tonight they know that Santa's on his way he's holding lots of toys and booties on his way and every moment is gonna smile to see if reindeer really know how to fly and so I'm offering this impression praise to kids from 1 to 92 although it's been said many times many way Merry Christmas to you.

[Alison Stewart]

Thanks again to the West Village Corral for coming to the WNYC studios.

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[Jacqueline DiNicola]

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[Jacqueline DiNicola]

Let's go.

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