The Radio City Christmas Spectacular is happening right now, and what a wonderful way to enjoy the holiday season. This season sees the introduction of a new face to the Radio City stage—Rockette Minga Prather, a Dallas, Texas, native. She recently spoke with the AmNews about her audition, training at the Rockette Conservatory, and the show.
AmNews: How did you hear about the Rockettes Conservatory?
MP: The first time I heard about Rockettes Conservatory was when I first auditioned to become a Radio City Rockette in 2022. Auditioning for the Rockettes is truly an experience like no other. I auditioned in spring 2022 and got a callback to move forward in the audition process. During our second day of auditions, the artistic team announced that even if we didn’t make it through the entire audition process, we would still be in consideration for the Rockettes Conservatory—a no-cost, invite-only dancer development initiative that will serve as a pipeline for future Rockettes.
AmNews: When did you get accepted to do the week-long program?
MP: A few weeks after my initial audition, I received an email inviting me to the week-long program. Rockettes Conservatory was held in person for the first time in 2022, so it was really special to be a part of the inaugural in-person class, and be invited to return this year. They really invest in everyone they invite to this program—they provide housing, transportation, airline tickets, and catering. They even provided LaDuca dance heels, which are the shoes the Rockettes wear in the show, and all shoes were hand-painted to match each participant’s skin tone! Anything and everything you could possibly need, they provided, so all we had to do was focus on our training.
AmNews: The Conservatory is a program set up to make sure that the Rockettes stay inclusive. What did it mean to you and the other 13 people who got the opportunity to be in this show?
MP: We have a very diverse group of incredibly talented women from various backgrounds who joined the line this year. I feel Conservatory really prepared me with the tools I needed to be successful during my first season. We each have had our own journey to becoming a Rockette, and we all are so grateful to be here. In fact, seven of us were hired after our second year of participating in the Rockettes Conservatory. The newbies, in particular, have a really strong bond and sisterhood that we’ve forged, so going through this experience with them has made it all the more special.
AmNews: What type of dance training did you have before joining the conservatory?
MP: I come from the concert dance world—think companies similar to Alvin Ailey or the American Ballet Theater. Most of my training comes from the Ailey School and the performing arts high school, Booker T. Washington HSPVA, so my background is mostly in ballet, modern, and contemporary. I had taken tap and jazz as a small child, but have been working professionally and touring with modern and contemporary dance companies since 2017.
AmNews: What does it mean to you to be part of the Christmas Spectacular and know that you are part of dance numbers that have touched families’ hearts for years?
MP: It’s truly special to be a part of the Christmas Spectacular. We’ll be celebrating our 100th anniversary in 2025, so there’s so much history in the show, and the Rockettes have an iconic legacy that feels surreal to be a part of! I get to be a part of numbers such as “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers,” which was introduced in 1933, and every woman who’s ever been a Rockette has performed that number; “New York at Christmas,” which features a real double-decker bus live on stage, and “Sleigh Ride,,” where the Rockettes pull Santa’s sleigh, among many more.
AmNews: What is the challenge to being a Rockette and perfecting the synchronized dance moves?
MP: The Rockettes are America’s longest-running precision dance company, so everything is just that—precise! Every detail matters: where your eyes are looking, where your fingertips are landing, where your elbows are facing, the angles of your body. Our stage is like one big piece of graph paper, and each step you take is perfectly mapped out on the floor. Every step, every move, every beat matters and has to be perfectly in sync with those around you. Combined with the athleticism needed to remain consistent over the course of our 200-show run makes the work incredibly challenging, but also very beautiful. The Rockettes are truly a team—we each independently do the work to maintain the integrity and strength of the show.
AmNews: How much joy do you feel when you’re on that stage and see the joy you and your fellow Rockettes are bringing to the packed auditorium?
MP: There’s something truly special about being a part of every family’s holiday tradition. One of my favorite parts of my job is looking out into the house at a small child and the wonder they have in their eyes as they’re taking everything in.
AmNews: Do you have a favorite dance number?
MP: My favorite dance number is “Dance of the Frost Fairies.” The number transforms Radio City into an immersive winter wonderland, and each Rockette becomes a magical, winged fairy dancing alongside fairy drones that soar above the audience. The dazzling costumes and immersive technology, combined with the Rockettes’ athletic artistry, make for a truly mesmerizing experience. Each Rockette has a unique costume designed specifically for them. I feel it really highlights one of the most special facts about being a Rockette—although we are known for our precision, unity, and perfect synchrony, each of us has a unique individuality that we bring to the line.
The Radio City Christmas Spectacular will play through January 4, 2024. For more info, visit www.rockettes.com/christmas.