Dance Masters

While the show runs for just eight weeks, the troupe has been preparing for months. 

“I think about Christmas about 365 days a year,” says Julie Branam, the show’s director and choreographer. As the choreographer, Branam comes up with the dance routines that the Rockettes perform on stage. Some dances are new. Others have been performed for decades. 

“The holiday show is such a tradition,” says Branam. “So many families look forward to going every year.”

The show runs for just eight weeks. Though the troupe has been preparing for months. 

"I think about Christmas about 365 days a year," says Julie Branam. She is the show's director and choreographer. As the choreographer, Branam comes up with the dance routines that the Rockettes perform on stage. Some dances are new. Others have been performed for decades.

"The holiday show is such a tradition," says Branam. "So many families look forward to going every year."

Months before the first performance, Branam begins with an idea. “I take my pencil and graph paper and I make different designs of the dancers,” she says. “Then I make sure I can fit them on stage.” Thirty-six dancers take the stage at any one time.

With a computer program, Branam’s team turns her drawings into charts. The charts are used to teach dancers their positions on stage.

Often, the dancers form geometric lines and shapes while performing. “Certain shapes work better than others,” says Branam. For example, diamonds and triangles appear often in the choreography.

Branam keeps the size of the stage in mind as she works to use the available space. In her charts, the 10,000-square-foot stage is represented as a long rectangular grid. Colored lines in red, white, blue, and green help each dancer keep track of where she is and where she needs to go.

“The colors give us precise information,” says dancer Stacy Paydo.

Months before the first performance, Branam begins with an idea. "I use my pencil and graph paper to make different designs of the dancers," she says. "Then I make sure I can fit them on stage." Thirty-six dancers take the stage at any one time.

Branam's team turns her drawings into charts. She uses a computer program to do it. The charts teach dancers their positions on stage.

Often, the dancers form geometric lines and shapes while performing. "Certain shapes work better than others," says Branam. Diamonds and triangles appear often in the choreography.

Branam has to think about the size of the stage. That's so she can use the available space. In her charts, the 10,000-square-foot stage is represented as a long rectangular grid. There are colored lines in red, white, blue, and green. They help each dancer keep track of where she is and where she needs to go.

"The colors give us precise information," says dancer Stacy Paydo.

As soon as Paydo takes the stage, she begins to count the beats of the music. As one of the group’s substitute dancers, Paydo fills in when one of the regular 36 dancers can’t make it. This means she must learn 36 different parts for each dance! 

To learn each part, Paydo makes 36 flash cards for each routine. Then she memorizes the moves for each song. “Working in different spots keeps it new and exciting,” says Paydo, who has filled in for many parts over her eight years on the job.

At 5 feet, 6 inches, Paydo is one of the shortest dancers. She is often at the end of the line. Yet being at the end is a big responsibility. End dancers lead the rest of the team through the routines. 

As soon as Paydo takes the stage, she begins to count the beats of the music. Paydo is one of the group's substitute dancers. She fills in when one of the regular 36 dancers can't make it. This means she must learn 36 different parts for each dance!

To learn each part, Paydo makes 36 flash cards for each routine. Then she memorizes the moves for each song. "Working in different spots keeps it new and exciting," says Paydo. She has filled in many times during her eight years on the job.   

At 5 feet, 6 inches, Paydo is one of the shortest dancers. She is often at the end of the line. Yet being at the end is a big responsibility. End dancers lead the rest of the team through the routines.

Each holiday season, one fan favorite has stood the test of time: “The Parade of the Wooden Soldiers.” The Rockettes have performed the routine every year since the group’s first Radio City show in 1933.

In the number, the dancers dress and act like wooden toy soldiers. “We have to walk just like we’re made of wood,” says Paydo. 

Rockettes director Branam knows firsthand what it’s like to dance as a wooden soldier. A former Rockette herself, she auditioned for the troupe 29 years ago, when she was 17. She’s been with the Rockettes ever since. “We always say we are better together, which is really true,” she says.

Each holiday season, one fan favorite has stood the test of time: "The Parade of the Wooden Soldiers." The Rockettes have performed the routine every year since the group's first Radio City show in 1933.

In the number, the dancers dress and act like wooden toy soldiers. "We have to walk just like we're made of wood," says Paydo.

Rockettes director Branam knows firsthand what it's like to dance as a wooden soldier. She is a former Rockette herself. Branam auditioned for the troupe 29 years ago, when she was 17. She's been with the Rockettes ever since. "We always say we are better together, which is really true," she says.

10 Rockettes line up to make the following symmetrical shape onstage. Each X represents a Rockette. What polygon do they form? 

10 Rockettes line up to make the following symmetrical shape onstage. Each X represents a Rockette. What polygon do they form? 

Identify the following polygon.

Identify the following polygon.