Just like all sports, dancers have teams and professional athletes that they look up to. For many young dancers, especially those interested in kicklines and jazz and tap routines, the Radio City Rockettes are role models due to their flawless technique and high prestige.

Senior Olivia George is one of their many fans who hope to one day be a part of the highly respected team. George has been dancing for 15 years, and throughout those years she has achieved many of her dreams; becoming a Rockette is still on the to-do list, however. 

“I would absolutely love to be a Rockette if anything [is] possible in this world, which I like to believe it is.” George said. “Of course I’d have to work on my tap. I am an awful tap dancer, but I would work on it to be a Rockette.”

Getting to see the Rockettes perform in person can be a life-changing experience that sparks interest in becoming a Rockette in the future. George had the opportunity to watch them a few years ago.

“In 2019, after Christmas, while [my family and I] were in New York, we went to go see the Rockettes. We’ve always heard about them, and of course you always see them,” George said. “It’s a completely different experience once you’re there watching them live. It was so incredible getting to see all the different [dances]. Getting to complete that image that you’ve created about them in your head was incredible.”

Making George’s dream a reality is very difficult. Trying out for the Rockettes is a challenge, and that can cause people to tuck their tails and leave their dream in the past. While Olivia is not actively trying out for the Rockettes, she does believe that it could be in her future despite other plans. 

“If I didn’t already have a college plan and already have my associates and my career plan all laid out, then of course I would go and shoot my shot.” said George. “I mean, I might go for it just for the fun of it. Why not? You live once; why not try everything?”

Imagine what it would be like to perform with a big production like the Rockettes. There’s so many different parts that must work together so the audience can see all the hard work the dancers have put into creating a perfect performance. It can be difficult for some to pinpoint what their ideal performance would be, but Olivia already has her mind made up on what her favorite production would be to perform. 

“If I was to become a Rockette my favorite part would definitely be ‘The Christmas Spectacular.’” George said. “That is their grandest event of the season, and that’s something that thousands of people travel for.”

George’s first experience of watching the Rockettes was so magical that she has plans on being able to observe another “spectacular” performance some time in the future and even make it a learning experience.

“The perfect experience for me would be getting to go to one of ‘The Christmas Spectacular’ rehearsals and getting to practice with them.” George said. “I’ve always wanted to learn how to do the toy soldier fall. It’s what they’re really famous for in the show. I think that’d be really fun to learn how to do that just because it’s such a hard move to get down.” 

George has dedicated the majority of her years to dance, and that includes the drill team. George is captain of the HighSteppers and has been on the team for the full four years. She believes it has helped prepare her for if she were to try out for the Rockettes.

“HighSteppers has helped me a lot and would definitely be great preparation for anyone wanting to be a Rockette.” George said. “We had a guest teacher who was a former Rockette, and she taught us a combination that was very similar to choreography that we are used to. It helped me see a lot of the similarities between HighSteppers and Rockettes.”

While George’s senior year of HighSteppers will soon come to a bittersweet end, she does plan to continue dancing, whether it be as a Rockette, Highstepper or hopefully on the Regal Blues, LA Tech’s dance team where she will be attending school starting in the fall of 2022. 

“College tryouts are in the May, and so I am planning on trying out for the college dance team.” George said. “I hope to continue to dance forever.”