Podcast Summary

Podcast: All Of It (WNYC)

Episode: The Rockettes Celebrate 100 Years On Stage
Date: December 29, 2025
Host: Alison Stewart
Guest: Julie Branham, Director and Choreographer of the Rockettes (and former Rockette)

Episode Overview

This episode celebrates the iconic Rockettes' 100th anniversary—a New York City holiday institution famous for their Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Host Alison Stewart is joined by Julie Branham, the director and choreographer of the Rockettes, who shares her personal journey from Iowa ballet student to Rockette and leader of the world-renowned dance troupe. The show is filled with spirited listener calls, stories of backstage life, and conversations about the enduring legacy and evolving diversity of this American cultural phenomenon.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Julie Branham’s Journey from Iowa to The Rockettes

• Early Inspiration & Arrival in New York

  • Julie grew up in Iowa, initially training as a ballet dancer. Her first exposure to the Rockettes was on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade:

    “I did see the Rockettes on the Macy's Day Parade. So that was my first time seeing them and going, oh, that's interesting. 36 women all dancing together.” (02:06)

  • She came to New York in 1979 to study ballet and visited Radio City Music Hall with her dance company—a foreshadowing moment.

• Becoming a Rockette

  • Julie’s ballet height (over six feet in point shoes) posed challenges for traditional ballet.
  • She diversified into jazz and tap, auditioned for the Rockettes, and was accepted in 1988 as a swing—an intense role requiring mastery of all 36 parts in the show.
  • “Lo and behold, in 1988, I was lucky enough and fortunate enough to get that job.” (03:10)

The Magic & Camaraderie of Rockette Life

• Favorite Aspects

  • Julie emphasizes the joy of performing on the Radio City Music Hall stage but especially cherishes the community:

    “But I think what keeps me there and what has kept me there for the last 38 years are the people... My heart. They are my heart.” (03:20)

• The Legend & Reputation

  • The Rockettes’ status reaches beyond New York. Julie describes her mother’s pride back in Iowa and the group’s cultural resonance:

    “People really do relate to the Rockettes. They have been around for a long time and stood for lots of empowered women moving forward, working together.” (03:58)

Backstage Roles & Company Structure

• Explaining Company Hierarchy

  • Swings: Must learn all 36 positions, stepping in as needed.
  • Dance Captain/Assistant Captain: Swings who also teach, maintain, and “keep the show clean.”
  • Growth Opportunities: Multiple career paths within the company.
  • “A swing... is really so important. They have to be able to jump into any spot at any time and remain calm, cool, collected, and do all the right moves.” (05:10)

• Qualities of a Good Rockette

  • Julie seeks dancers who are passionate, smart, adaptable, and committed to ensemble work:

    “So much of Rockette's work is matching one another... so that all can come together to make one.” (06:04)

Listener Memories & the Sisterhood of the Rockettes

• Audience Stories

  • Listeners share stories: from childhood trips to the Christmas Spectacular (06:51), to mothers and grandmothers having been Rockettes or backstage workers in decades past.

• Family & Legacy

  • “Once a Rockette, always a Rockette” rings true. The show has fostered a tight-knit sisterhood spanning generations:

    “You actually spend more time with your Rockette sisters than you do your own family... So it's really an incredible journey that Radio City takes us all on.” (20:38)

Preserving an Icon: Saving Radio City

• Historic Advocacy

  • The Rockettes famously joined protests in the 1970s to save Radio City Music Hall from demolition, dancing on the steps of City Hall and handing out pamphlets:

    “The Rockettes, the cast and crew came together to save that building, and they did save it. And it is now a landmark.” (11:40)

• On Diversity and Changing Traditions

  • The Rockettes' history reflects changes in New York and society:
    • The height requirement is no longer enforced; now, the main criteria are being at least 18 and a “terrific dancer.” (13:58)
    • Their first Black Rockette, Jennifer Jones, joined in 1987. The line now reflects the city's diversity:

      “Our precision comes from not looking the same, but our precision comes from the dancing and how we... make the dancers look.” (14:19)

Behind the Spectacle: Rehearsals, Casting, and Daily Demands

• Production Timeline and Auditions

  • Planning for the Christmas Spectacular begins a year in advance (14:50).
  • Auditions are held in April and August, with new dancer development programs to make participation more accessible.

• Inclusivity Programs

  • The Rockettes bring in dancers from across the country who may not have resources to attend New York classes, covering travel, housing, and even shoes:

    “We try to supply all of this so that we have included everybody if this is something they'd like to do.” (15:56)

Touching Listener Stories

• Multigenerational Impact
  • Listeners recount mothers’ and grandmothers’ years in the kickline; one caller’s mom had to walk a sheep across the stage for the Nativity number (19:20), another carved a wooden soldier from scraps of the stage floor as a tribute (20:29).
  • Former tour guides and child actors in the show call to share their awe and gratitude for the backstage experience (17:16, 21:32).

Centenary Celebrations and Advice to Aspirants

• How the Rockettes Mark 100 Years

  • There are special centennial events and installations throughout Radio City Music Hall, but the real celebration is still on stage:

    “I think that's the best celebration is watching them dance.” (21:01)

• Advice for Aspiring Rockettes

  • “Work hard, take all the classes, soak it all in, and keep going after that dream.” (22:18)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We’re going to work hard and we’re going to be nice. I think that’s part of the impact and why the Rockettes work so well...” – Julie Branham (03:58)
• “A swing... is responsible for learning all 36 parts. They have to be able to jump into any spot at any time.” – Julie Branham (05:00)
• “Our precision comes from not looking the same, but from the dancing and how we clean the dancing and make the dancers look. That’s where the precision lies.” – Julie Branham (14:19)
• Listener Leslie, on her mother’s career: “My mother, who was born in Queens, was a Broadway dancer and... a Rockette when she was about 21, 22... All my mom’s friends were dancers... got to go backstage... it was awesomely cool.” (07:41)
• “Once a Rockette, always a Rockette... you spend more time with your Rockette sisters than you do your own family... So it’s really an incredible journey.” – Julie Branham (20:38)
• “We bring in people to make it more inclusive for everybody... and we take ballet, tap, jazz. We teach them choreography, we teach them how to be Rockettes and what a grueling day is like.” – Julie Branham on their new dancer development program (15:56)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:06] Julie on seeing the Rockettes in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
• [03:10] Auditioning and becoming a Rockette
• [03:20] The camaraderie and “heart” of the Rockettes
• [05:00] Explaining the “swing” and other behind-the-scenes roles
• [06:01] What makes a great Rockette
• [06:51–09:20] Listener memories—from audience to former Rockettes and their families
• [11:40] Saving Radio City from demolition; Rockettes at the forefront
• [13:58] Changes to audition requirements and embracing diversity
• [14:50] Year-long planning process for the Christmas Spectacular
• [15:56] Dancer development program for greater inclusivity
• [20:38] The meaning of “Once a Rockette, always a Rockette”
• [22:18] Julie’s advice to aspiring Rockettes

Conclusion

This episode paints a vivid, heartfelt portrait of the Rockettes, balancing historical legacy with contemporary innovation and inclusivity. Julie Branham’s perspective as a former dancer and now director highlights the company’s dedication to tradition, teamwork, and constant evolution. Listener stories underscore the Rockettes’ profound cultural impact—making this centennial not just a milestone for the troupe, but a celebration of a New York City tradition that continues to unite and inspire generations.