It\u2019s the Rockettes\u2019 way.<\/p>\n
Fans of the famed Radio City Music Hall dance troupe will get a high kick out of New York City\u2019s big tribute to the dancers as they mark their 100th anniversary<\/a>.<\/p>\n On Friday morning, The Post can exclusively report, the Big Apple renamed the stretch in front of the venue \u201cRockettes Way,\u201d installing a sleek black-and-white sign with bright, gold lettering and a special anniversary logo at the corner of 50th Street and Sixth Avenue. It\u2019s a timely celebration of the troupe\u2019s centennial after kicking off the 2025 season<\/a> of the beloved \u201cChristmas Spectacular\u201d on Thursday night.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the most wonderful time of the year for Rockettes and their fans. Courtesy of MSG Entertainment<\/p>\n The new sign might stop traffic in Midtown. Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post<\/p>\n City rules regarding street signs<\/a> are notoriously strict, but when the Rockettes\u2019 owner, MSG Entertainment, called the NYC Department of Transportation and asked for a special-edition sign, the DOT answered \u201cyes\u201d quicker than you can say \u201cChristmas Spectacular.\u201d<\/p>\n A crew at the DOT Sign Shop in Maspeth, Queens, hustled to turn around the custom creation within three days, right in time for Friday\u2019s scheduled unveiling outside of the legendary Midtown theater.<\/p>\n It takes about two hours from design to finish to hand-letter a custom sign. Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post<\/p>\n The workers even created a limited-edition batch of 25 \u201cRockettes Way\u201d street signs, available for purchase at $100 each, from NYC\u2019s\u00a0CityStore.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n For fans \u2014 and dancers \u2014 it couldn\u2019t get more festive than that.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Rockettes have shown year after year that they\u2019re not only a staple in our culture, but a necessity that can bring people together. It\u2019s that love and joy that [the] Rockettes inspire, not just in New York City or across the country, but really across the world,\u201d Mindy Moeller, a 14-year Rockette veteran, told The Post.<\/p>\n The sale of the \u201cRockettes Way\u201d signs is part of DOT\u2019s monthly \u201csign drops\u201d where they sell real NYC street signs. Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post<\/p>\n Long before the leggy dance troupe rocketed to fame as a Big Apple staple and a global phenomenon, they were a small group only known halfway across the country in St. Louis, Missouri.<\/p>\n In 1925, choreographer Russell Markert was asked by the owners of the Missouri Theater to create a \u201cspecialty dance troupe\u201d to perform before or after movie screenings.<\/p>\n After holding auditions, he put together a group of talented dancers and called them the \u201cMissouri Rockets\u201d by October of that year.<\/p>\n The word \u201crocket\u201d has nothing to do with dance, but Markert liked how precise the word sounded, which was fitting, considering the dance group became known for their wildly impressive precision dance moves.<\/p>\n Russell Markert (center) choreographed for the group until his retirement in 1971. Bettmann Archive<\/p>\n After quickly becoming a hit in the Midwest, the Missouri Rockets embarked on a nationwide tour, and during a stop in NYC, the dazzling dancers caught the attention of Samuel \u201cRoxy\u201d Rothafel, the owner of the new Roxy Theatre.<\/p>\n By 1930, Rothafel moved the Missouri Rockets to NYC, doubled their size and changed their name, once again, to the \u201cRoxyettes.\u201d<\/p>\n Samuel \u201cRoxy\u201d Rothafel was dazzled by the Missouri Rockets when he first saw them perform in NYC. Corbis\/VCG via Getty Images<\/p>\n In 1932, the precision dance company was enlisted to perform at the newly opened Radio City Music Hall. The following year, the dancers performed their first \u201cChristmas Spectacular.\u201d<\/p>\n Roxyettes didn\u2019t easily roll off the tongue, so in 1934, some tweaks were made \u2014 and the group\u2019s name was changed one final time to the legendary \u201cRockettes.\u201d<\/p>\n And the rest, as the saying goes, is history.<\/p>\n The very first performance of the Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes was on December 21, 1933. Courtesy Everett Collection<\/p>\n The dance group was always known for their impressive eye-high kicks. Bettmann Archive<\/p>\n \u201cHow many dance companies in America can say that they have been around for 100 years? I mean, it\u2019s not many. I can tell you that,\u201d Moeller enthused to The Post. \u201cBut I think celebrating this year is really a huge honor, because it just proves that the Rockettes have withstood the test of time, through the triumphs and the tribulations that are American history.\u201d<\/p>\n The Rockettes in 1937. Courtesy of MSG Entertainment<\/p>\n To date, more than 72 million people have seen the Rockettes perform their eye-high kicks in the \u201cChristmas Spectacular.\u201d<\/p>\n For those lucky enough to snag tickets to this year\u2019s show<\/a>, they\u2019ll be in for a few new treats.<\/p>\n Five minutes before the curtain opens, audience members will watch a short tribute video that highlights the Rockettes\u2019 100-year legacy, featuring both former and current dancers looking back at their journeys.<\/p>\n Supposedly, over 200 kicks are performed during each 90-minute show. AP<\/p>\n