The Secret Behind The Rockettes Famous Wooden Soldier Fall

The Secret Behind The Rockettes Famous Wooden Soldier Fall

The world famous Rockettes share the secret behind their popular wooden soldier fall.


Since the 1920s, the Rockettes have dazzled the world with their amazing dance moves and performances. These talented dancers have such skill and grace.

Over the years, they’ve become a symbol of New York and a goal for all elite dancers. One of their most famous numbers is the Wooden Soldier Fall that is performed during their Christmas Spectacular.

This optical illusion number features all of the dancers dressed as toy soldiers. Together, they stand in a single file line. Then, one by one, like dominos, they slowly fall to the ground.

For years, we’ve watched this difficult dance and wondered how the Rockettes were able to pull it off. Now, they are pulling back the curtain and sharing how the wooden soldier fall comes together.

Today, we get a behind-the-scenes look at rehearsal for this famous dance and hear from the women themselves about how to perfect the number. Rockette Sarah remarked on the popular move, “It’s the epitome of what the Rockettes are. It is precision dancing, but this number has been around and in the show since 1933. It’s definitely a fan favorite.”

After we learned how the fall is actually executed, I was even more in awe over these talented dancers. This takes so much skill and practice but they pull it off flawlessly. This is definitely a tradition that I hope never goes away.

Who else enjoys watching this ‘optical illusion’ dance from the Rockettes?

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