For the first time in their 86-year history, the Rockettes are coming to Durham.
Starting Thursday, 21 young women will take the stage at the Durham Performing Arts Center and do their signature eye-high kicks - 300 per show - up to four shows a day until after Thanksgiving. .
At Radio City Music Hall, the dance line typically consists of 36 Rockettes, but on the road some adjustments are made. Other than that, the rest of the show is essentially what one would see in New York, complete with the Parade of Living Soldiers and the Living Nativity.
For some of the dancers, performing in North Carolina is extra special.
Summer Renner lives in Chapel Hill when she is not traveling with the troupe. Her younger brother, Bryn Renner, is the quarterback of the UNC-Chapel Hill football team, and her parents live here as well. She is expecting many Tar Heels to support her during the show's run.
Alina Duncan grew up in Tennessee and still calls it home much of the year, but both of her parents were born and raised in North Carolina, and she will have grandparents coming to see her perform from Burlington.
Both women say being a Rockette is a dream come true. It means reaching the pinnacle of a dancer's profession, and they will happily kick their legs in the air 1,200 times a day if it means getting to perform with the legendary troupe.
The Rockettes will perform in Durham though Nov.27, and then head north to Boston for December. We wish them the best in acclimating - they spent October practicing in Myrtle Beach.
Summer Renner, 25, of Chapel Hill
Q: This is your third year with the Rockettes. Do you start to feel like making the troupe is a given?
Not at all. We have to audition every single year, though as a returning Rockette we have a separate audition. It's an open call, and each year over 500 girls try out. "You can't ever get too comfortable. You kind of always have to be on your toes." I missed my college graduation to attend my first Rockette audition.
Q: What was your family's reaction when Durham was announced as the first stop on the tour?
My parents found out before I did! "In about February my dad came running up to me and said, 'Oh my God, the Rockettes are going to be in Durham!' ... I'm thrilled to be coming closer to home."
Q: What is your favorite thing about Chapel Hill?
Franklin Street - and if I had to choose a spot, I'd say the Top of the Hill restaurant is a favorite place to eat and hang out. The view is incredible. I also think the dance scene in the Triangle is very strong, and I can't wait for my students at Stage Door Dance to see the show. I grew up in northern Virginia and saw the show in Las Vegas - on the road like we are. It changed my life.
Q: Some might think there could be a lot of competitive tension in a large group of dancers. Is this the case?
Yes, when you spend 24 hours a day around the same people for three months, you might think it could be intense, but I've actually formed some of the most important relationships I've ever had as a Rockette. I've literally met my best friends through this company.
Q: You all look the same, nearly identical, on stage. What's the secret?
All of the girls need to be between 5-feet-6 and 5-feet-10 to audition, but the rest is done with makeup and costumers. We all wear 2.5-inch heels, but we create an optical illusion by putting the taller girls in the middle. You can find me fifth spot in from the end stage left, on the right-hand side sitting from the audience.
Alina Duncan, 28, of Nashville, Tenn.
Q: You have a grandfather who was a music major at UNC-Chapel Hill, and both of your parents majored in music at Appalachian State University. Did music play a role in your becoming a dancer?
I played piano and harp growing up, and my three siblings played instruments as well, but dance is what set me apart. My mother sat with all four of us every day and made sure we practiced an hour each. I think that early discipline played a major role in teaching me what it takes to really accomplish something since our ultimate goal is to achieve maximum precision. It also served as a litmus test - I would get incredibly anxious for a piano recital but was simply excited for dance performances.
Q: Are there any perks you're looking forward to being so close to family?
I actually requested to be here this year, and part of that was because we have off for Thanksgiving and I'm already looking forward to a traditional Southern meal with my extended family in Burlington. I'm also hoping to visit family on the shore.
Q: There are over 300 costumes for each show. Do you have a favorite?
Our finale costume for "Let Christmas Shine" is overwhelmingly beautiful. Each outfit has over 3,000 Swarovski crystals. "I've never worn something more glamorous in my life."
Q: Anything different about this year's show for you, other than location?
Every year as a Rockette I have been the first girl on the right, or stage left, which means I end the infamous cascade of a kick into which the entire row falls into a split like dominos. But this year I am stage left, so I get to start the fall. I'm not gonna lie - I kinda like being in the front.
