“I remember the first time I suited up as a Rockette,” St. Louis native Karilyn Surratt said. “We were doing our strut kick downstage, and I had tears in my eyes. There is really nothing else like that that I’ve experienced.”
It’s been nearly 10 years since her six o’clock kicks debut among the most renowned sets of legs in the world. And next week Surratt and the Rockettes return to their St. Louis roots.
“Being from St. Louis and being a part of the Rockettes – which got their start as the Missouri Rockets – is just this full circle moment and so much of an honor that I get to be a part of it,” Surratt said. “This is a group of dancers who have been here for so many generations and still are doing their thing. I feel so lucky.”
In commemoration of their 85th anniversary celebration tour, the Rockettes return home with a beloved native dancing daughter.
“You are a part of this unbroken line of women, and I just think it’s really important and just an awesome thing when you’re on stage – knowing that we are in precision and everyone working together,” Surratt said.
“It just fills you with so much joy and so much pride that you’ve worked so hard and you’ve accomplished that goal. I think it’s a feeling anyone can relate to when you’ve worked so hard. It makes you feel very proud.”
When she joins the fellow Rockettes next week at the Peabody Opera for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, it will be a full circle moments for herself and the troupe of dancers known as the Rockettes.
“We have a star on the University City Walk of Fame,” Surratt said. “I came back for that – it was awesome.”
And as she readies for her second return to St. Louis as a part of the Rockette, her most recent visit will have special significance because of the venue.
“It’s great to be back in your hometown and to be at the Peabody is so cool,” Surratt said. “I actually did dance recitals there when it was the Kiel Opera House. All of the dressers still remembered me when we (The Rockettes) were at the Fox. They were same ones helping me put my hair in buns when I was 5 years old.”
Alumnae of Rosati Kain who studied dance with Palagi Wren Dance Studios and Lee Nolting at COCA, Surratt graduated Suma Cum Lade from Oklahoma City University with a degree in dance performance.
She says her experience as a black Rockette is not as unique as people might assume.
“To be a Rockette you have to be between the heights of 5’6” and 5’10” to be a Rockette, so if you see me in a flat shoe you might not think I’m 5’6”,” Surratt said.
“So people say, ‘You’re a Rockette, you’re so short. And I say, ‘Well, actually you have to be between the heights of 5’6” and 5’10”. It’s the same thing. People say, ‘Oh, there are black Rockettes, or the Rockettes are multi-ethnic?’ And we have girls from all over the country and different countries. I just think we really embody that feeling of ‘together we are better’ amongst ourselves and it’s pretty cool.”
Surratt is already in the Christmas spirit at the thought of the bedazzled spectacular that the Rockettes show will bring.
“I just hope that they see that while they are an audience member and we’re on stage that we can feel the audiences energy and they can feel us – it’s a live spectacular,” Surratt said.
“We have a 50 foot LED screen and amazing technology. You will see us in our finale number ‘Let Christmas Shine’ in costumes with 3,000 crystals. There will be this reciprocated feeling of what Christmas is about – and the overall feeling of what the spirit of Christmas should be.”
Tickets are going fast – and she should know.
She said, “And I just really encourage people to get their tickets now because last time my aunt and my mom were buying up all of the tickets.”
Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring The Rockettes presented by Chase and St. Louis Children’s Hospital will run November 8-17 at the Peabody Opera House. For more information, visit www.peabodyoperahouse.com or www.ticketmaster.com
