When she was just a little girl, Hannah Ruckle remembers watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on television, and being awestruck by the high-kicking Rockettes dance troupe.
“It was almost magical,” Hannah recalled. “Their amazing precision intrigued me.”
It was then she decided she wanted to be a dancer, and, in fact, a Rockette. So, from second grade on, she has been seriously involved in dance lessons and the art of dance, including dance production at Red Mountain High School.
Now, at 17, her dream is starting to unfold. Last January, Hannah auditioned in Los Angeles, and earned one of the coveted spots in the Rockettes Summer Intensive. This comprehensive summer training program is set for July, at Radio City Music Hall, in New York City.
“The Rockettes had auditions all over the country, as well as video submissions. There were at least 100 girls trying out in LA,” Hannah said. “We all had to learn three different dance routines, jazz, tap and high kicking, to perform for the judges.”
But Hannah almost didn’t make it. “I came down with the flu two days before the audition, and it continued throughout the time I was in LA,” she said. “The day of the audition, I still wasn’t feeling well, but I pushed through it. Three months later, I got notice that I was chosen.”
Hannah’s first dance instructor, Elle Eckardt, owner of Elle’s Dance Studio at Red Mountain Ranch Country Club, isn’t surprised. “When she first started classes, you could see she was special—a stage presence,” she said. “Your eye goes to her. She is so driven and focused. She practiced, practiced, practiced,” Elle continued. “She is so inspiring to other girls—to let them see it can really happen.”
Hannah, who has never even been to Radio City Music Hall, or seen the Rockettes in person, can’t believe she will be studying eight hours a day for a week in this hallowed arena. “We will be taught routines in tap, jazz and ballet, and then give a live performance at New York University,” she said.
After graduation in 2016, Hannah plans to major in dance and minor in business at college. However, if other opportunities arise, she is open to them. “I’d like a career in dance, and especially with the Rockettes,” she said. “Eventually, I would like to open my own dance studio to encourage other kids to follow their dreams.”
For more information about Elle’s Dance Studio, at Red Mountain Ranch Country Club, send an email to Elle121@aol.com.