The Rockettes: Christmas Spectacular Tickets

Holiday magic comes to life right before audiences’ eyes in the annual “Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes.” During the most wonderful time of the year, the world-famous dancers ring in the holiday season with high-kicking showstoppers, holiday music, a “Living Nativity” complete with camels and sheep and even a visit from Santa Claus himself.

While some elements remain virtually unchanged from the original 1933 production — including the iconic “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers,” in which 36 dancers march onstage in perfect synchronicity — other facets of the “Spectacular” continue to get more spectacular. This year, the Christmas elves cooked up a major technology upgrade for the show’s big finish. A new finale features performers interacting with animation on one of the largest LED displays in the world as well as 100 flying drones, live aerialists, and a new number for the Rockettes, inspired by the holiday lights and stars that illuminate the night sky.

What to watch for

The Rockettes began in 1925 as the Missouri Rockets, created by Russell Markert. Their “big break” came when theater impresario Samuel Lionel “Roxy” Rothafel saw them on tour and hired the group — then 16 women — for his Roxy Theater.

When the Rockettes perform up to five shows a day, a single dancer can be doing over 1,000 kicks.

Rockette hopefuls who audition for the cast’s 80 spots must stand between 5’6” and 5’10½” without shoes.

The company went through different names, including the Roxyettes, the American Rockets, and the Rosettes.

In 2015, the Archbishop of New York blessed the show’s animals used in the “Nativity” number before their opening night.