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| A Rockette in training - Life Image Archive |
Radio City Music Hall - The Rockettes and Corps De Ballet
Radio City Music Hall
In the middle of the Depression - a theatre unlike any other in the world opened its doors -the brainchild of the billionaire John D. Rockefeller, Jr and built by RCA [ with the help of impressario Roxy Rothafel and the RKO group. Dubbed ' Radio City ' by RCA head David Sarnoff - it was to be a palace for the people - a place where an ordinary citizen could soak up and live - temporarilly - the glamour of the movies. It was to be a place where one could dream of better days.
The Art Deco interior design by Donald Deskey still stands as a monument to the age of glamour. It remains the largest indoor theatre in the world. Since 1933 - over 700 major movies have premiered there. The annual Radio City Christmas Spectacular with the spectacularly lit Rockefeller Center is still the nations favourite holiday destination.
The Rockettes
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| Herbert Gehr - Life -Rockettes Dressing Room -1944 - Life Magazine |
The Rockettes played an integral role in many Radio City theatrical productions.Formed in 1929 as an answer to the Zeigfeld Follies Tiller Girls, they became an instant sensation when they danced at the opening of Radio City on December 27th 1932.
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| The Rockettes Rehearse - Bernard Hoffmann -Life -1941 |
The Radio City Christmas Spectacular - 2010
They were the quintessential American chorus line, drilled with military precision and style. They came to epitomise the age of glamour right through the 1930's, 1940's and 1950's. Choreographer Russell Markert, staged many stunning performances, with Radio City featuring a lavish live show every week, along with a new movie ! Hollywood Movie Stars graced the doors of Radio City Music Hall at premiere after premiere. Below is an image of Cary Grant with the Rockettes.
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| Cary and the Rockettes ! |
Radio City Corps De Ballet
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| Radio City Corps De Ballet - Bernard Hoffmann - Life - 1941 |
Along with the kick line of the Rockettes, a nights entertainment usually included the Radio City Corps De Ballet, which provided a more asthetic glamour to the occasion.The RadioCity ballet Dancers had no ballet season.For them it was 365 days a year. Eventually these gruelling conditions were regulated by unions. Unlike the machine like Rockettes, the Radio City Corps de Ballet were a gentler alternative. They be have been ethereal on stage, but their punishing training schedule, proved that glamour meant pain !
All images courtesy of Life Magazine Image Archive
Radio City Corps de Ballet Reunion
The Rockettes Image Archive - 1930s to present
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| 1938 Rockettes |
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| 1933 - The Radio City Rockettes |
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| The Rockettes - 1944 |
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The Rockettes Dressing Room -1956 |
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| Rockettes Rehearse - source Life 1964 |
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| The Rockettes -1965 - Life |
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| The Rockettes - Time Warner |
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| The rockettes in Dressing Room 2011 - source Lacey Lynch |
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| The Rockettes 2010 Christmas Show |
Hey- love the co-ordination and those bobbing head dresses, chorus lines really say 'old time showbiz glamour' don't they??
ReplyDeleteCool! My former ballet teacher after leaving her job here went to New York and actually became a Rockette in the early 80's. I remember being a kid and watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for the Rockettes performance, always trying to spot her.
ReplyDeleteWe went on a tour round Radio City Music Hall in 2003 and loved it - fabulous place. We went to New York for my husband's 40th birthday (we're from the UK). Hopefully we'll get the chance to go again one day as we forgot our camera the first time!
ReplyDeletewhat a great post, i really enjoyed the picture of the corps de ballet in rehearsal. vintage dancer and ballet pictures are one of my favourite things! beautiful technique but still beautiful, non emaciated figures! these dancers look so glam
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That looks so glamorous! In my country it was censored for all those years, so it's a pleasure to look at all these pictures, thanks for sharing all this information.
ReplyDeleteI had a family member who was a rockette in the 30s and 40s! enjoyed this post!
ReplyDeleteMy Mom was a Rockette in 1944 and 1945. Her name was Norma. Does anyone remember her?
ReplyDeleteI have 4 rockettes dolls that are from 1980 they were made for only one year and then something happened . They cost at the time $500.00 each. One is in Pink and lavender, one is in gold, one is a toy solider, one is in red white and blue. They are porcelain.Who knows the story behind these dolls they must be rare I have never seen them anyplace else. The Herald Statesman in Yonkers did a story on them when they first came out.
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