Image
Deep Dive
From Downtown to Radio City
At Pace University, we don’t just train dancers—we train Rockettes. More Rockettes than anywhere else.
As the famed Radio City Rockettes mark their 100th anniversary, Pace proudly celebrates nineteen Rockettes and fifteen ensemble dancers whose journeys began at the Sands College of Performing Arts. Guided by our distinguished faculty, including Rockette alumnae Lauren Gaul and Holly Evans, these performers embody the precision, artistry, and professionalism that define Pace’s Commercial Dance program. From their first classes on campus to the bright lights of Radio City Music Hall, their success reflects the transformative training and mentorship that prepare Pace students to shine on the world’s biggest stages.
Hundreds of dancers audition each year for just eighty-four coveted spots in the Christmas Spectacular, and this season, 20% of those went to Pace students and alumni. Their versatility, grounded in rigorous training across ballet, tap, and jazz, is what sets them apart. At Pace, technique meets opportunity. Our faculty of working professionals help students master the skills, confidence, and creativity needed to thrive in elite companies like the Rockettes and beyond.
- Our Rockettes: Jo Jo Carmichael, Elizabeth Dupont, Hayden Helms, Danielle Jones, Emily King, Kathleen Laituri, Stevie Mack, Maile Makaafi, Breanna Marshall, Sydney Mesher, Svetha Nallapaneni, Madison O’connor, Kelly Peterson, Megan Peterson, Johanna Piper, Maddie Rodrigue, Caitie Russell, Mia Wilson, and Valeria Yamin
- Our Ensemble Dancers: Chris Critelli, Matthew Deloch, Joseph Harrington, Darriel Johnakin, Hadley Koger, Evan Lacombe, Niko Martinez, Brandon Maxwell, Amanda Mitchell, Alec Mittenthal, Kevin Murakami, Gabby Rembert, Makayla Ryan, Michael Santomassimo, and Addie Taron
The Rockettes’ 100th anniversary celebrates a century of precision and performance, but for Pace, it’s also a celebration of the talent, dedication, and artistry that begin right here on our stages, in our studios, and under the guidance of our world-class faculty at the Sands College of Performing Arts.
See the world-famous Rockettes live this season in New York City.
More from Pace
Deep Dive
Meet the actors, dancers, and designers redefining what it means to be a working artist in New York. From Broadway bows to lighting up Spike Lee films, at Pace’s Sands College, the line between student and professional blurs, and the city itself becomes the classroom, stage, and screen.
Deep Dive
Pace’s Sands College of Performing Arts and Deaf West Theatre are joining forces to make music education more inclusive. Their new artist-in-residence program introduces the first-ever ASL Music Theory Lexicon Project—giving deaf and hard-of-hearing artists equal access to the language of music while training all students to see access as innovation.
Deep Dive
What does it take to bring a classic to life? From first table read to final curtain call, follow along with the cast and crew of Chekhov’s The Seagull as they navigate an accelerated rehearsal process, build a world from scratch, and discover what it means to perform like professionals.