Radio City Rockettes, the stars of the beloved Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes that runs annually at Radio City Music Hall in New York, will be featured daily throughout the holiday season on the Exosphere, the fully programmable LED exterior of Sphere in Las Vegas. The festive Christmas Spectacular activation debuted overnight, marking the first time the Exosphere has featured dancing wrapped 360 degrees around the venue. The content was developed in collaboration between Sphere Entertainment and MSG Entertainment, both part of the MSG family of companies.
The activation begins with the first Christmas ornament to be displayed on the Exosphere. The top of the vibrant red and gold ornament will begin to spin off, revealing, in a nod to the “12 Days of Christmas” number in the Christmas Spectacular, the Rockettes’ legs. As the top of the ornament continues to rise, the Rockettes will be revealed, at 125 feet tall performing their iconic precision choreography that concludes with their beloved kickline, while rotating around the Exosphere. The creative is meant to be transparent, so the Rockettes backs are visible through Sphere, marking the first time the technique has been utilised on the immersive digital canvas. The ornament closes, and the iconic Radio City Music Hall marquee appears in vibrant neon, replicating the landmark venue in New York City.
In order to achieve the continuous dancing, 15 Rockettes were captured performing in groups of five, giving the Sphere Studios team three clips that were composited together. Those composite clips were then multiplied and stitched together to stretch all the way around the Exosphere. Animated elements, including the ornament and the Radio City Music Hall marquee were added, before a final touch of sparkle behind the dancers.
“There is a magic here that we’ve created with Sphere, and there is a magic that is created by the Rockettes every year in the Christmas Spectacular,” said Guy Barnett, SVP, brand strategy & creative development, Sphere Entertainment. “There is nothing more artful than the Rockettes or more scientific than Sphere, so bringing these two together on the Exosphere in such a unique way is the essence of what we do here at Sphere – uniting art and science to bring wonder to the world. This is particularly exciting because it is the most complex combination of real-life footage and animated content we’ve created for the Exosphere to date.”
Jessica Tuttle, SVP productions, MSG Entertainment, added: “Showcasing the Rockettes precision choreography in such a big way on Sphere is a new first for the iconic dance company. This unique activation brings together two brands in the MSG family of companies – one that has been bringing joy to a million fans in New York City annually for 90 years, and one that began enchanting audiences worldwide earlier this year. Having the Rockettes appear as the first live performers to be dancing on the Exosphere is another example of how the Christmas Spectacular continues to push the boundaries of entertainment.”
Danelle Morgan, Radio City Rockette, dance captain and assistant choreographer, concluded: “We are all about precision. But with Sphere, we really need to make sure that every single thing – from the tip of our finger to the height of our signature eye-high kicks – is completely in sync because of the scale of the Exosphere. It’s such an honor to see the Rockettes on Sphere, spreading Christmas joy in Las Vegas while we perform in the Christmas Spectacular at our home in New York City.”
The Rockettes footage was shot in New York specifically for the Exosphere by a joint creative team from Sphere Entertainment and MSG Entertainment. The content was conceptualized, developed and created exclusively by Sphere Studios. Behind-the-scenes video of the creation of this campaign was captured in both New York and Burbank, where Sphere Studios is based, highlighting the unique process of shooting and building content for the Exosphere.
Since it was first illuminated on July 4, the Exosphere has captured worldwide attention for its impactful visuals. The Exosphere is covered with nearly 580,000 square feet of fully programmable LED paneling, creating the largest LED screen in the world. The Exosphere consists of approximately 1.2 million LED pucks, spaced eight inches apart. Each puck contains 48 individual LED diodes, with each diode capable of displaying 256 million different colors – creating a vivid new landmark on the Las Vegas skyline.
A staple of the holidays in New York City, the Christmas Spectacular stars the incomparable Radio City Rockettes and features nine show-stopping numbers throughout the 90-minute production. The awe-inspiring show features intricate choreography and thrilling performances that leave audiences with a sense of wonder and amazement. Since it opened at Radio City in 1933, the Christmas Spectacular has brought holiday joy to more than 70 million people from around the world.
Founded in 1925, the Radio City Rockettes are the longest-running precision dance company in America. The Rockettes are world-renowned for their unity, athleticism and iconic precision style combining elements of ballet, jazz, and tap, as well as techniques of modern and contemporary dance. In addition to the Christmas Spectacular, the Rockettes perform annually in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Christmas in Rockefeller Center tree lighting, and have appeared as part of some of the biggest events in entertainment, including the Tony Awards, the MTV VMAs, the NYC Pride Parade, and “Saturday Night Live.”
