Kicking Up Her Heels
Dancer fulfills her dream performing
with legendary Rockettes troupe.
Suzanne Chessler
Special to the Jewish News
S
amantha Harvey, still in col-
lege and competing with 450
dancers just months ago,
won a spot among 24 Rockettes and is
touring the country in the brand-new
Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
Harvey, whose stage experiences are
living up to her nearly lifelong dream,
will appear Friday-Sunday, Nov. 21-23,
at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.
"This year's production is the big-
gest that Radio City has put on," says
the dancer, 22, one of a few Jewish
women working on the revue. "We
have beautiful new choreography and
costumes.
"The great thing about this show is
that it's not strictly about Christmas.
Samantha Harvey is one of only a
It's really about feeling a sense of com-
few Jewish Radio City Rockettes
munity, warmth, unity and joy during
hard economic times?'
The production, which still spot-
lights live animals for its traditional
doubled-majored in dance perfor-
manger scene, features a 15-minute
mance and sociology with a concen-
segment with songs about New York
tration in anthropology. The liberal
and a string of songs about toys. Santa arts school chose her as valedictorian.
Claus appears in the opening number.
"I had a full scholarship to the col-
"The show is an amazing experi-
lege and auditioned two weeks before
ence for families:' says Harvey, whose
graduation:' says Harvey, one of the
career was encouraged by her mom, a
shorter Rockettes at 5-feet-6 inches.
dancing teacher in Baltimore, where
"I went through two days of auditions
this Rockette grew up.
and got a call about two months later
Harvey walked for the first time
saying that I was hired?'
at the studio, where she was watch-
Harvey, whose boyfriend is sup-
ing her mother teach a jazz class. It
portive of the tour, has never been to
seemed as if the toddler wanted to be
Michigan and is enjoying the travel to
like the students.
new places.
"I trained since I could walk, but
"I want to continue doing this as
there was a time while I was in second long as I am physically able and lov-
grade that I didn't want to dance any-
ing it:' she says. "Eventually, I'd like to
more recalls Harvey, who maintained get my master's degree and perhaps
religious studies and was a bat mitz-
teach dance at a university and cho-
vah. "My mom was really concerned
reograph. For now, I want to focus on
because her own dream was to be a
performing!' ❑
Rockette.
"My parents took me to New York
to see the Christmas Spectacular, and
The Radio City Christmas
I fell in love with the Rockettes, their
Spectacular runs Nov. 21-23 at.
eye-high kicks, beautiful long legs and
Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. Show
costumes. The show swept me off my
times are 7:30 p.m. Friday; noon,
feet; and ever since then, it's been my
3:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday;
goal to be a professional dancer?'
and noon and 3:30 p.m. Sunday.
Harvey trained at a magnet arts
Information: (313) 471-6611; tick-
high school and then went to Towson
ets: $25-$75; (248) 645-6666.
University in Baltimore, where she
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