This Rockette never made the cut — until this year. Here's what changed

"Magical” is a word that Mallory Nolting uses often in conversation. It’s fitting as the holiday season nears, but the word resonates with her more than ever this year. For the first time, she will help usher in the wonder of Christmas at Radio City Music Hall in New York as one of the iconic Rockettes in the annual "Christmas Spectacular."

This spring, in a move to open the opportunity to more dancers, the company lowered the Rockettes' height requirement by one inch, says Julie Branam, the director and choreographer of the "Christmas Spectacular." Previously, dancers had to be between 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-10-and-a-half. This year, seven of the 18 newest Rockettes are 5 feet 5 inches tall, according to Branam — and Nolting is one of them.

“When we did a run through of the show, hearing the beginning of 'Sleigh Ride' when we come out as reindeer, that was very magical to hear,” Nolting says of the show's opening, when the Rockettes are revealed as Santa's reindeer in a snowy forest. “I remember hearing that song as a little girl, so I got a little emotional.”

A dream deferred

Nolting first stepped foot on a stage at age 2, when she took dance instruction at Edie’s Dance Factory in Wood-Ridge. She was a competition dancer, so she dabbled in a “little bit of everything,” but says she was stronger in tap and jazz.

She remembers as a little girl watching her television in awe as the Rockettes high-kicked their way through the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the trip with family to Midtown Manhattan every December to see the "Christmas Spectacular." Nolting even begged her mom to let her dress as a Rockette one Halloween, she says.

But when she was 9 years old, Nolting’s dreams of being a Rockette were dashed — at least in her young mind — when she fell on her knee and had to get stitches. She could no longer be a Rockette because they have “perfect legs” and she no longer did, she cried to her mom at the time. Little did she know that her “imperfect” legs wouldn’t be what kept her from becoming part of the legendary dance troupe; instead, the obstacle would be her height.

In high school, she was a cheerleader, a member of the debate team and honor society, and won parts in Wood-Ridge High School musicals. After graduating in 2011, she followed her dreams to New York City, where she attended Marymount Manhattan College. She lauds her college instructors and guest choreographers who “pushed her” and helped her grow before she graduated in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in dance.

Nolting was soon showing off her skills as a cast member in the national tour of the Tony-winning Broadway musical "Bandstand"; as a dancer in "Swing! The Musical" aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines, which luckily for Nolting did not come with seasickness; and in two national tours of "42nd Street." She performed in various regional shows and tours throughout her 20s.

Finally, in spring 2022, the Rockettes adjusted their height requirement to include women who are 5-foot-five-inches tall. “Every year, we’d see so many talented dancers who were just short of the height requirement, so this allows so many more dancers to audition,” Branam says. Nolting, 29, tried out for a coveted spot in April along with 746 other prospective dancers and was invited to take part in the Rockettes Conservatory, an invitation-only week-long program held during the summer to get dancers “Rockette-ready.”

“It provided them with a well-rounded curriculum that emphasized Rockettes precision choreography supported by a strong technical foundation in ballet, tap and jazz, as well as the strength and stamina training needed to be a Rockette,” Branam says. Nolting stood out during rehearsals thanks to her “great focus," says Branam.

Nolting says the audition was the “hardest” she’s ever taken part in because the Rockettes' dancing technique is so different from what she is used to. Luckily, the “veteran” Rockettes have been kind enough to take the new girls under their wing and lend support and guidance, she says.

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Training for the show involves a great deal of physical fitness as well as muscle memory, requiring dancers to take cues from the choreographer and apply them on the spot while also being mindful of spacing and accuracy. It’s a lot to keep up with, especially next to dancers who have been there for 15 years, says Nolting.

As for the Rockettes’ signature high-kicks? It was “very new” to Nolting, who says that practicing them over and over again with the support of the other women helped get her through it. The first time the girls kicked in sync, it was, no surprise, “very magical,” she says with a giggle.

Following auditions each spring, 80 women are selected to learn rigorous choreography for six weeks, six days a week and six hours a day to prepare for the highly anticipated musical production. Nolting, however, spends a bit longer at the studio, since she is one of the 18 new dancers to join the company. She shows up before the 10 a.m. start time to review and warm-up, and stays late to go over the new choreography. It makes for long days, but it’s “very rewarding,” she says.

Fun fact: Each girl will kick 170 times per show, according to Branam. And performing between two and five shows a day isn’t uncommon.

Remembering her roots

On a recent day, Nolting and her 17 fellow “newbies” stood on the Radio City Music Hall marquis to introduce themselves to the public for the first time. It was a surreal moment for Nolting, who also credits her dance teachers in Wood-Ridge from the time she was very young for being where she is today.

Nolting still has a soft spot for her hometown, where for the past two years she has been teaching tap to all ages at The Next Step School of Dance, a studio in Lyndhurst. (She had to quickly shift to a new role after the national tour of "Bandstand" concluded early in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.) While glad she can add “Rockette” to her repertoire and hoping to continue performing for as long as she can, Nolting plans to return to teaching in Bergen County, where she has lived all her life, after the "Christmas Spectacular" concludes.

For many young performers, Rockettes are looked at as role models. They are, according to Branam, the “epitome of empowerment, strength, resilience, focus and talent. They work together to create something magnificent and joyful both on stage and off stage,” she says. “Grace, glamour and kindness can be found in every Rockette.”

So as a little girl who once looked at the Rockettes in awe from her couch at home or in a chair inside Radio City Music Hall, Nolting has a little advice for young performers hoping to reach their goals: Keep working hard. “Listen to your teachers even though you may not want to at times, (because) they have their reasons,” she says.

Nolting will have to re-audition each year to maintain her status as a Rockette, but she has no plans to give up after her first year. It’s her hardest challenge yet, but she plans to take it one step at a time. Or, perhaps, one perfectly synced leg-kick at a time.

The Radio City Rockettes star in The Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall from now through Jan. 2, 2023; 1260 6th Ave., Manhattan; (212) 465-6741; Rockettes.com. Ticket prices range from $46 to $629.

This article originally appeared on New Jersey Herald: Mallory Nolting joins Rockettes Radio City Music Hall Spectacular