Radio City Rockettes Kickin' It @ Rose Garden for Xmas

Tuesday, 14 December 2010 12:15 | Written by Byron

Amanda Suchy, me, and Vanessa McMahan at a downtown Portland hotel

ROCKETTES ON THE ROAD: There are no divas in the dance line.

That's one of the things you learn when you talk to the amazing gals who make up the world-famous precision dance group known as The Radio City Rockettes.

Their annual starring role in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular at NYC's Radio City Music Hall (and national tours) is seen by more people in one year than most other live shows in America – nearly two million people annually. And, of course, they always make an appearance at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It's tradition.

And in a very sweet Christmas Eve's Eve treat—and what we hope might become another local holiday ritual—Portlanders will get their very first chance to see the Radio City Rockettes kick up their heels for themselves when these lovely ladies perform as part of a mega-sized touring version of the Big Apple's Radio City Christmas Spectacular that will play Dec. 23-26 at the Rose Garden Arena.

"Reporters always ask us about cat-fights," says Amanda Suchy, a longtime veteran of the show who joined another Rockette vet, Vanessa McMahan, in Portland to publicize the upcoming Rose Garden Arena show. "But we don't have time to fight. No one, but another Rockette, knows just how incredibly hard this work is. And we've ended up becoming more like sisters than anything else. It really is a sisterhood."

I myself had one of the most incredible experiences of my life when I saw the show in NYC. And I really didn't expect it. I happened to get tickets from the woman who owned the apartment where me and my partner, Juan, were staying for the week. It was the year of the New York musicians strike and we got to see the final dress rehearsal. I thought it might be just another holiday show. But I was so wrong. It was delightful, sweet, and there was just something about that show that was, just, so magical. It was definitely one of the highlights of our trip.

Also, when I was a little kid in The Dalles, Oregon my sister used to take dance classes from a former Rockette. She lived next to my grandparents. Eleanor Borg was quite the character. She not only taught tap at her school she also was quite the horse woman.

Both Amanda and Vanessa grew up in relatively small towns too. Their first exposure to the Rockettes, like many, was via the big Macy's parade. Both are classically-trained dancers, and both, basically became Rockettes by accident. "I heard about an audition, decided to try out that day, and ended up being cast later in the afternoon," says Amanda. "That was 10 years ago."

So how long will these two women continue to do high kicks?

"They always say 'once a Rockette, always a Rockette,'" says Vanessa. "It's an honor to work with such an amazing group of dancers."

According to Amanda and Vanessa, this is exactly the same show that plays in New York, except its been super-sized to fit the large arenas it has visited on its tour of the country.

And, for me at least, it will be awesome to be able to see the show once again without having to travel across country to see what is truly a spectacular Spectacular. I really can't think of a better way to enjoy Christmas.

Details: Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes, Thurs-Sun. Dec. 23-26, Rose Garden $65.50, $45.50, and $25. Tickets are on sale at the Rose Quarter Box Office (M-F 10a-5p), all participating Safeway/ TicketsWest outlets, oby calling 877.789.ROSE (7673), or at ComcastTIX.com. For more information please visit RoseQuarter.com. Prices do not include service charges. For groups of 10 or more please call 503.963.4400.

For even more information please visit RadioCityChristmas.com

Tags: