Community Corner

Local Girls Kick It Up With Rockettes

The girls got to take a dance class with the Radio City Music Hall legends.

Local young dancers got to live a dream recently when they took a class with Radio City Music Hall Rockettes in New York.

Lucille Naar-Saladino, Executive and Artistic Director of MainStage Dance Academy in Greenport, and a former Rockette, took her students to New York recently so they could test out their tapping and high kicks with the world-famous Radio City Rockettes.

The girls, she said, took part in the Rockette Experience, which included seeing the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular, a backstage tour, and a two-hour dance class taught by the Rockettes. 

"The dance class was the main event," Naar-Saladino said.  "The girls had an incredible day. There were about 60 girls total, all from different dance schools. My kids had never been exposed to something like this. I was so proud of how they picked up the Rockette dance routines and performed them so well."

Her young students, she said, were focuses on learning. "And, of course, they knew what to expect when it came to the kick line because they were taught the kick line technique at MainStage Dance Academy."

As a former Rockette, Naar-Saladino said bringing her students to the show was a thrill. "Being a former Rockette, I loved watching them in the Radio City environment. They were actually dancing in the large rehearsal room at Radio City Music Hall where I rehearsed years ago. I was so happy for them."

Lena Wolf, 13, said the experience was exciting.

Lena, who had seen the Rockettes a few years ago, said this year's show had new numbers.

Her favorite, Lena said, was learning a tap number the Rockettes had performed in the show, "The 12 Days of Christmas." And the same Rockettes who had performed in the show taught the class, she said.

"We got to meet the Rockettes and hear what it was like to be a part of it all. It was so cool."


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