The Radio City Rockettes will be featured daily throughout the holiday season on Sphere’s exosphere in Las Vegas.
The activation begins with the first Christmas ornament to be displayed on the Exosphere. The top of the vibrant red and gold ornament begins to spin off, revealing, in a nod to the “12 Days of Christmas” number in the Christmas Spectacular, the Rockettes‘ legs. As the top of the ornament continues to rise, the Rockettes are revealed, at 125 feet tall performing their iconic precision choreography that concludes with their beloved kickline, while rotating around the Exosphere. The creative is meant to be transparent, so the Rockettes backs are visible through Sphere, marking the first time the technique has been utilized on the immersive digital canvas. The ornament closes, and the iconic Radio City Music Hall marquee appears in vibrant neon, replicating the landmark venue in New York City.
In order to achieve the continuous dancing, 15 Rockettes were captured performing in groups of five, giving the Sphere Studios team three clips that were composited together. Those composite clips were then multiplied and stitched together to stretch all the way around the Exosphere. Animated elements, including the ornament and the Radio City Music Hall marquee were added, before a final touch of sparkle behind the dancers.
“We are all about precision,” said Danelle Morgan, Radio City Rockette, dance captain and assistant choreographer. “But with Sphere, we really need to make sure that every single thing – from the tip of our finger to the height of our signature eye-high kicks – is completely in sync because of the scale of the Exosphere. It’s such an honor to see the Rockettes on Sphere, spreading Christmas joy in Las Vegas while we perform in the Christmas Spectacular at our home in New York City.”
Watch the behind-the-scenes video to see the making of the first activation to feature dancing, and how the Sphere Studios team creates content for the world’s largest LED screen!