Rockettes Alexis & Paige share how they tailor their training year-round to prepare for the Christmas season. They work with Legacy Rockette, Elaine Winslow-Redmond, who heads up the Athletic Training team & Physiatrist, Dr. Hrubes, from the Hospital for Special Surgery, to understand the science behind their movements and injury prevention.
How many years have you been a Rockette and how has your training evolved throughout the years?
Alexis: I have been a Rockette for four years. I still make sure that I’m consistently taking dance classes to keep my technique and stamina up, but now I try to incorporate different ways to cross train. Some of my go to’s include: pilates, cycling, and barre classes.
Paige: This upcoming holiday season marks my fourth year with the Radio City Rockettes. I’ve learned to train like a Rockette: balancing strength with endurance to sustain multiple 90-minute shows each day. Under the guidance of our renowned athletic training team, I’ve shifted much of my focus to stabilizing muscle groups, flexibility, mobility work and functional fitness.
How do you approach fitness and training ahead of a rigorous Christmas season?
Alexis: As the season gets closer, I’ll increase my conditioning sessions to three times a week and I’ll end each session with about 100 kicks. I also incorporate cardio training three times a week, which is needed to get through our rehearsal process and our 90-minute shows.
Paige: Training like a Rockette is a year-round commitment. I aim to maintain strength, endurance, and overall fitness during the out-of-season period rather than ramping up only before rehearsals. My routine blends cross-training in the gym with regular dance classes in NYC, with the goal to keep technique sharp while building athletic capacity. Restorative care is just as important – acupuncture, massage, and occasional chiropractic visits help keep my body balanced.
Tell us about the importance of working with Elaine and Dr. Hrubes in your everyday routine. What is your relationship with them like?
Alexis: It’s been a life saver being able to see Elaine throughout the entire year and not just during the season. Having access to Elaine, Dr. Hrubes, and our athletic training room has helped me focus on strengthening weaker muscle groups and addressing injuries that can arise during the out-of-season period. Now that the season has started, I can hit the ground running.
Paige: Elaine and Dr. Hrubes approach our care with the attention and compassion you’d give a family member. While managing injuries or physical concerns, they also serve as steady emotional anchors, especially for rookies navigating the many “firsts” of the season. They’ve seen it all, and their dedication goes beyond physical care; they equip us with every tool possible to perform at our best, not just as a dancer, but specifically as a Rockette. Paired with our own discipline and motivation, their support is invaluable.
Can you share any specific exercises or routines that have helped you stay healthy throughout the year?
Alexis: My muscles tend to get tight, so I make sure I get massages regularly. However, I’ve also found that rolling out my muscles with a foam roller, using a tennis or golf ball to release my fascia, and stretching consistently, has helped me recover and keep my body limber.
Paige: I’ve consistently dealt with knee pain but in the past three years, it has diminished. This is thanks to targeted programming from Elaine, focusing on my Vastus Medialis Oblique (VMO) and Gluteus Medius. Key exercises include lateral squat walks, side-lying hip abduction, pistol squats, squats with toe tap, single-leg deadlifts, hip hitch, and cross-body lateral step-ups. I also integrate eccentric training, weekly yoga, and when possible, breathwork or meditation.
How important is injury prevention in your overall training routine?
Alexis: Over the past year, I’ve been implementing more rest and recovery in my routine. It can be hard for dancers to take time off, but I’ve learned that rest is essential for muscle recovery and injury prevention.
Paige: Our athletic trainers have developed detailed prevention programs that I follow closely, covering everything from blister and bunion care to active warm-ups and recovery protocols like ice baths and heat therapy. I have found it beneficial to maintain open communication with our Athletic Training team, as collaboration leads to the most effective and sustainable injury prevention plan.
How does the intensity of your training during the season impact your body?
Alexis: The season is quite intense given that we’re performing typically 12-17 shows per week. During the season, I always make sure to do a lower body cold plunge before leaving Radio City to help with muscular fatigue, inflammation and lactic acid build-up. This is important because during the show’s run, we’re doing the same movements which can cause some muscles to get significantly stronger, while others get significantly weaker. In my warmup, I’ll also try to engage those muscles I’m not using as much during the show to keep them strong throughout.
Paige: Being a Rockette is the most rewarding and the most physically demanding job I’ve ever done. During the season, our “training” shifts from consistent cross-training in the gym or dance studio to six days a week of rehearsals, performances, and, when possible, restorative work. Mornings that once began with gym sessions now focus on recovery, injury prevention, and nourishment. The intensity is unmatched, our bodies performing at peak athletic capacity, but with the guidance of our expert team and the camaraderie of seasoned veterans, we’re able to sustain our highest level of performance show after show.
What are the body areas you focus most on strengthening and training throughout the year? Does that change during the show season?
Alexis: A lot of our choreography has us working through parallel. This puts a large demand on our inner thighs. Prior to the season, I’ll focus more on strengthening my posterior chain, in addition to those inner thigh muscles needed to work through parallel and over-crossed positions.
Paige: While flexibility is important for our iconic kicks, those kicks also require power, core strength, and stability. We strengthen proprioceptive muscles for balance in heels and focus on the posterior chain for posture efficiency. My off-season training is intense and full-body focused to prepare me for the rigors of the season; in-season, I continue total-body work, but the intensity of strength training eases as my energy shifts toward performance, injury prevention, and recovery.
Before you go on stage, what are you most focused on in terms of your body movement? How do you maintain your mobility and flexibility?
Alexis: I like to warm up with movements that get my body warm without fatiguing my muscles – which is important because we can do up to four shows a day. Dynamic stretches are perfect for lengthening and warming up my muscles, but I also love doing exercises that challenge the proprioception in my feet to help with ankle stability.
Paige: Before a show, I want to feel warm, fueled, and hydrated. My pre-show ritual – refined over seasons with help from Elaine, Dr. Hrubes, veteran Rockettes, and personal trial – includes: a nourishing meal, 10 minutes in the warm whirlpool, 10 minutes of active stretching, 10 minutes of balance/activation drills, and 10 minutes of injury-prevention work. The more I prepare my body offstage, particularly through movement, the more proficient I feel in bringing each performance to life at the highest caliber. Mobility and flexibility remain priorities year-round for injury prevention, performance quality, and overall functional fitness. I find yoga to be especially beneficial, and I take at least one ballet class a week to maintain both range of motion and refined technique.
Do different types of movement in the routines require different preparation?
Alexis: Yes! For example, when we’re rehearsing ‘Dance of the Frost Fairies,’ which has a lyrical quality, warming up with a ballet barre is a great complement to that movement. Conversely, when we’re rehearsing ‘New York at Christmas,’ which has a bit more of a punch, I tend to do smaller and faster movements to engage my fast twitch muscle fibers.
Paige: Yes, each number in the show places unique demands on the body, which leads to very prescriptive training. One of my favorite pieces, ‘Sleigh Ride,’ where we are dressed as Santa’s reindeer, requires unmatched explosive power. The number has a quick tempo, with deep lunges, high passés, and significant travel across the stage. With this opening number in mind, learning how to generate explosive energy through a full range of motion is a fundamental part of my off-season training.
