Candace Jablonski remembers having tears in her eyes when she found out she got the job that would change her life. After waiting in line with 500 other girls and getting measured – Rockettes have to be between 5’6’’ and 5’ 10-and-a-half’’ – she performed tap, jazz, and kick combinations that would eventually earn her a coveted place in the cast.
Now, in her eleventh season as a Rockette, and kicking an average of 200 times during each performance of the “Radio City Christmas Spectacular,” the Wisconsin native continues to experience all the joy and excitement that come with her iconic role. “It is such an honor, it really is…Still, after doing it for so long, I never take it for granted,” she said.
Although her schedule can be grueling, with 16 performances a week, what makes it all worthwhile is when she spots a little girl dancing out in the aisle. “You can see some of the audience when you’re dancing, and sometimes you see a little girl trying to do your moves. I think we can all can relate to that little girl who wants to be a dancer. I definitely was that little girl.”
You took your first dance class at 4 years old.
I did, yes. My mom signed me up for class because I was a really, really shy little girl and she wanted me to interact with other people. She knew that I liked to dance because I would dance around our living room constantly. So she signed me up for classes through the rec department and I just thrived.
What was it like for you when you first got to New York?
I lived a hard, struggling-artist life for almost two years before I got the job as a Radio City Rockette. I temped; I did work-study at Steps on Broadway, and I loved every minute of it. There were some lows. [Laughs] Some low lows, and high highs, but that’s what Manhattan is all about. You work hard and try to live your dream.
How did your audition for the Rockettes come about and what was it like?
I auditioned three times before I got the job. The first time was just kind of realizing what they wanted. Lining up around the block with like 500 other women. Hoping you have the right outfit on, but you’re not really sure the first time you show up. You’re measured first in stockinged feet. And then you’re taken into a large rehearsal hall, probably 50 women at a time. And they teach you a 16 or 32-count dance combination, and you do it three at a time. There are three X’s on the floor. They set up a table, there’s the director and the dance captains there with your resume in their hands, writing little things down. You get one shot and after all 50 women have gone in the room, they say, “Thank you very much for taking the time to be with us. These women, I would like to stay.” They call out maybe 10 names and then you wait until all 500 girls have gone through the first cut and then you do the same thing again, just with less people. That will happen all day long. If you’re still there at the end of the day, you’ll come back the next day and do it all again. And if you’re still there at the end of that day, they take all your measurements and all your information and you’re still not guaranteed a spot. There are only four new girls this year, two in each cast. The turnover is small.
When did you find out you got the job?
I found out when I was working in the box office of an Off-Broadway theater. That’s when I got the call. I was friends with my boss at the time and I said, “I think this is the call.” He said, “Go ahead, answer!” I had tears in my eyes because I was thinking it was almost two years into me living here and it was a struggle and I didn’t know how much longer I could stay here. That was my big break. And then of course, I called my mom.
When you tell people you’re a Rockette, what kind of reaction do you get?
Well in the New York area, people love it. They kind of take a moment to see if I’m serious. [Laughs] So many people are so excited. Actually, the reaction I get a lot is, “Wow, I’ve never met a Rockette,” or “Oh, I have a sister who dances, she would love to meet you!” Sometimes people kind of have to get it out of me though because I don’t like to lead with, “Hello everyone, I’m a star!” [Laughs]
You must be very close to your fellow dancers.
It’s like a sorority of women who completely understand you without even saying a word. Some of my best friends now dance next to me. Some stood up in my wedding, I’ve stood up in their weddings.
Did you meet your husband through your job?
I didn’t. We met through mutual friends. Besides the “Christmas Spectacular” here in New York City, we also dance in cities across America. For the first two years, I performed in the outside cities. In my third year as a Rockette is when I met my now-husband. Actually, on my way to my first date with him, I got the offer to dance at Radio City Music Hall as a Rockette.
What are your favorite things to do in the city during Christmastime?
Put my feet up and relax! [Laughs] Well, we’re so busy. We do 16 shows a week, so that’s double what Broadway does. We have one day off a week. In those six days that we work, we do two, three or four shows daily. And that’s just one cast. There are up to six shows daily at Radio City Music Hall. And because there are so many shows weekly, that’s why there are two casts, to split it.
What’s a typical day like for you?
I normally get to the theater an hour or an hour and a half before the show starts. And, you know, we do our own hair and makeup. I stretch out and warm up because the show is so athletic. An hour-and-a-half show, no intermission, eight costume changes. The quickest costume change is 90 seconds from the “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” into “New York at Christmas,” where we ride a double-decker bus around what appears to be New York City. So we’re constantly moving, and really do work like athletes. For a four-show day, we have about an hour in between shows, and normally I’m putting my feet up, grabbing a bite to eat and redoing my hair and makeup. Or hanging out with the girls in my dressing room, which is a great part of my day.
What are some fun costumes this year?
A new costume this year goes along with the number we brought back into the show this year, the “Rag Doll” number. It’s a tap number that had been performed in the show for many years before and we brought it back this year, which I’m so excited about. The costumes are a little different than they were before; we have a bit of a cinched waist. [Laughs] They’re rag doll costumes; they’re really fun. Another really cool number is “Snow,” and the costumes are beautiful. That’s our finale number, and the whole theater is transformed into a winter wonderland. They do this incredibly awesome thing on the ceilings so it actually brings the audience into the scene. We have these snow globes that come out of the pit and circle around the audience. And they have GPS in them, so they know when to go out and when to come back in. The Rockettes represent snowflakes. There’s one who starts out, and another one joins, and more join together, and they’re not in unison right in the beginning. But then, of course, we end with a beautiful kickline and all the snowflakes come together to create this winter wonderland. It really embodies what Rockettes are about, too. We’re all individuals coming together to create this beautiful scene.
For more information on the Rockettes and the “Radio City Christmas Spectacular,” visit www.RadioCityChristmas.com.