From Students to Rockettes

Happy holiday season from On Location Education! For the OLE team, it wouldn’t be the festive season without the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes. Since 1988, On Location Education has worked to provide educational services to the young performers appearing in the production, and even used to travel the country when Radio City conducted nationwide casting searches for the role of Clara.

Nearly 35 years of partnership later, we have had the privilege of seeing these young Clara’s achieve success as performers - including two Rockettes, Katelyn Gaffney and Megan Levinson, who are currently dancing on the line nightly in New York. This month, we sat down with Katelyn and Megan to hear about their breakout performances and what led them back to Radio City this season.

You both were discovered and cast as Clara through the national “Companies Across America” audition tour. Tell us about that audition experience!

KG: I attended a Rockettes workshop at Radio City with my dance studio not knowing the audition for Clara in the Christmas Spectacular was the next day. At the end of the experience, I saw a flier for the audition and I begged my mom to let me go because truly I just wanted to be back in the rehearsal hall where my Rockette idols danced. I remember going into the audition just absolutely thrilled to be back in that space and happy to make new friends along the way. We learned a pointe combination, performed it in small groups and cuts were made. From there, we learned other routines and sang, followed by additional cuts. I remember being nervous, but having the best time just learning and being able to do what I love - DANCE! After a day of learning and performing all of the material, I went home, and waited and hoped for a phone call. Similar to my Rockette call I couldn’t believe what I was hearing! I was offered a position in the Christmas Spectacular - a dream come true!
ML: To this day, I can close my eyes and replay my audition. I remember heading into New York City with my mom and sister, feeling their support and excitement. I was mesmerized by the magnitude of Radio City Music Hall, the buzz of the room where everyone waited and my first step into the rehearsal hall. As I waited for my turn, I remember being inspired as I watched the other talented dancers. When it was my turn to dance, I was able to refocus on my own movement and danced my heart out.

Once you were cast, you entered rehearsals and performances while still balancing your schoolwork. How did you manage these simultaneously?

KG: My school teachers from home were incredible and sent my tutor the work my other classmates were learning. I love to learn - that’s what life is all about - and I had a blast not only learning from my tutor, but also learning about what the other children in the show were studying in their schools. We really committed the time to our schoolwork, and then our craft. Time management was a task I learned in the process and am so very thankful for that. Our tutor made schoolwork fun and even took us on class trips. Some of the Rockettes even helped me with my homework in between shows!
ML: During rehearsals and performances, I was balancing my sixth grade schoolwork and my show schedule. Radio City provided me and the other kids with an incredible tutor that guided and assisted us with our schoolwork. I was so grateful for the support I felt from my tutor, my teachers back home, and my friends and family that helped me balance it all. I never felt overwhelmed or behind on my schoolwork, and I remember really enjoying my time in the makeshift classroom!

How did this debut performance as Clara inform your life and career in the years that have followed?

KG: Debuting as Clara in the Christmas Spectacular opened my eyes to the extremely hard work the Rockettes put in daily; the dedication is beyond admirable and inspiring! The dance world is tough and it’s easy to feel discouraged, but through hard work and dedication anything is possible. A lesson I learned and continue to take with me daily is that we are always students. Before every show, when I was Clara or now as a Rockette, the cast receives notes to make the next show better. There is always room to improve!
ML: Starting my professional dance career when I was just 11 years old as Clara, being a part of this amazing tradition and sharing the stage with my idols - the awe-inspiring Radio City Rockettes - was truly an incredible experience for me, both professionally and personally. During rehearsals I would watch the Rockettes work together as a team on and off the stage. I witnessed the magic that happens when a group of individuals embrace their own uniqueness and work together as a unit. I knew from the first time I watched the Rockettes in rehearsal at 11 years old that I wanted to experience that togetherness and teamwork.

Now, you are both back on the Radio City stage - as Rockettes. What is it like dancing on the line, and how does it compare to what you had imagined when performing as Clara?

KG: I still have a hard time believing that I am in this legendary line of Rockettes. I have looked up to the Radio City Rockettes my entire life. When I was cast as Clara in the Christmas Spectacular, my love and adoration for the Rockettes grew even more. These women are not just coworkers, they are my idols, my best friends, and my sisters. The Christmas Spectacular cast and crew is truly a family like no other. No matter what role you play, we have each other's backs - it is a love like no other. When I was Clara, I used to rehearse the Rockette choreography in hopes to someday fill those legendary shoes. And let me tell you, every day is an absolute dream. It is so much more than I could have ever imagined. I love this job and this cast more than they will ever know.
ML: Now being on the Radio City stage, dancing on the line as a Rockette, it’s what I imagined when performing as Clara and more. As Clara, I could only imagine what it must feel like to be on the line, but now I experience and feel all the emotions. It is truly an indescribable feeling. Dancing on the line, I feel joy, I feel support, I feel inspired, I feel trust and I feel an unbreakable bond with the other ladies. We are living a shared experience that is so special and are creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Do you have a favorite moment in the show, and is there anything audiences should look out for at this year’s Christmas Spectacular?

KG: As a Rockette one of my absolute favorite moments in the show is during “Twelve Days of Christmas,” our high energy tap number. I can see the Clara performer dancing alongside us in the wings and I remember doing exactly that! My heart explodes with joy every time! Something that I find so incredibly special about the Christmas Spectacular is that the show holds strong to tradition but continues to evolve with the times. Audiences can expect to see those traditional numbers such as “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” and “The Living Nativity,” which have both been a part of the show since 1933. But they can also experience the magic of our new scene, “Dance of the Frost Fairies,” where the Rockettes are transformed into winged fairies and fairy-drones dance high above the audience. It is absolutely whimsical, and this immersive magic can only be seen at the one and only Radio City Music Hall - be sure not to miss this year!
ML: One of my favorites moments in the show is when I can make eye contact with the other ladies in the line. In these moments, we silently communicate with each other, and I feel their love and support. I also love looking out into the audience and seeing people smile ear to ear. Knowing that I am part of something that brings joy and a smile to someone is one of the best feelings in the world. The Christmas Spectacular is a one-of-a-kind immersive experience that can only be seen at Radio City Music Hall, and the audience will truly feel as if they have been transported from their seat into a winter wonderland during our reimagined number “Dance of the Frost Fairies!”

Do you have any advice for this year’s Clara’s, or for young performers ready to take to the stage?

KG: For any young dancer eager to jump into the professional world, I always will encourage you to remember that your limits are limitless! There is always a place for you. Stay proud and stay humble. Continue to take every opportunity you can to do what you love. Take every audition as a learning opportunity and continue to learn each and every time.
ML: Live in the moment, enjoy the process and learn as much as you can from every experience. Always lead with kindness, believe in yourself and let your uniqueness shine!

Check back over the coming months as we interview industry professionals, explore roles related to on set education, and more. We look forward to continuing our work educating and empowering young artists in 2023 - and beyond.

Wishing you a merry holiday season and a happy new year,

The team at On Location Education

Katelyn Gaffney

Megan Levinson

Day In The Life: Set Teacher