2025-11-12 2025-11-12
The Rockettes
The Rockettes / YouTube

The Rockettes are kicking off their 100th anniversary in true high-spirited fashion — with a brand-new street named in their honor.

New York City officially renamed the block in front of Radio City Music Hall “Rockettes Way,” unveiling a black-and-white sign with gold lettering and a special centennial logo. It’s a fitting tribute to the world-famous precision dance troupe that has dazzled audiences for generations with their famous high kicks and holiday cheer.

City officials made the exception quickly after MSG Entertainment, which owns the Rockettes, asked for a commemorative sign. A crew from the city’s Department of Transportation created the custom sign in record time — and even made 25 limited-edition versions that fans can buy for $100 through NYC’s CityStore.com.

For longtime dancers like Mindy Moeller, who has spent years with the troupe, the moment is deeply meaningful. “The Rockettes have shown year after year that they’re not only a staple in our culture, but a necessity that can bring people together,” she told The Post. “It’s that love and joy that [the] Rockettes inspire, not just in New York City or across the country, but really across the world.”

The Rockettes’ journey began far from Manhattan. In St. Louis, Missouri, choreographer Russell Markert formed a small group of dancers called the “Missouri Rockets.” Their razor-sharp precision caught the eye of theater owner Samuel “Roxy” Rothafel, who brought them to New York and later renamed them the “Roxyettes.” They soon became a permanent fixture at Radio City Music Hall, where they performed their first “Christmas Spectacular.” A final name change gave rise to the now-iconic “Rockettes.”

“How many dance companies in America can say they’ve been around for 100 years?” Moeller said. “Celebrating this year is really a huge honor, because it just proves that the Rockettes have withstood the test of time, through the triumphs and the tribulations that are American history.”

More than 72 million people have seen the Rockettes’ eye-high kicks since then, and the “Christmas Spectacular” continues to add new surprises. Before the curtain opens, audiences are treated to a short video celebrating the troupe’s century-long legacy. Inside the theater, enhanced sound technology — the same immersive system used in Las Vegas’ Sphere — brings the show to life like never before.

The celebration extends beyond Radio City, too. Landmarks like Magnolia Bakery and Serendipity Three are offering Rockettes-themed desserts, while the Empire State Building and Museum of Broadway are showcasing vintage photos and costumes designed by legends like Bob Mackie and Gregg Barnes.

Some things, though, never change. The classic “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” routine — choreographed by Vincente Minnelli — remains almost identical to the original, right down to the uniforms. “Every woman who has been a Rockette that has danced at Radio City Music Hall has worn that costume [and] has danced that dance,” said Jessica Tuttle, executive vice president of productions for MSG Entertainment.

Through decades of change, the Rockettes have continued to shine — not just for their perfect precision, but for the sisterhood behind it. As Tuttle put it, “The past 100 years of women have been amazing, and they’re better together… when they come together, they make this unbelievably spectacular thing to see.”

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