In USA TODAY essentialscelebrities share what fuels their lives, whether at home, on set or on the go.

NEW YORK – Nobody does it Christmas a bit like Midtown Manhattan.

If you can get past the fear of crowds, the liveliest neighborhood in the country’s busiest city is a festive vacation spot. Amid the glittering windows of Saks and The iconic tree at Rockefeller Center is Radio City Music Hall, home to the most famous kick line in the world: the Rockets.

Hailee Snyder, a veteran of the dance troupe, and Tamia Strickland, a newcomer this year, sat down with USA TODAY to talk about all their holiday must-haves. “We’ve been completely immersed in Christmas since September, but it goes by so quickly,” Snyder says. “I never get tired of it.”

A little less than a week before Christmas, the two men enjoy a rare day off (alternate acts will perform that day’s shows). The Rockettes, chatting from a dressing room filled with sequined costumes and well-worn ballet shoes, share their essentials, from super sticky hairspray to off-season Pilates workouts.

Christmas music is a Radio City Rockettes staple

No, they don’t get tired of Christmas music.

“I always loved ’12 Days of Christmas,’” Snyder says. She lives most of the year in Ohio but comes to New York every year to “stock up until January.” The dance to “12 Days,” a jaw-dropping 6-minute tap routine, has the best costume, she admits — plus it’s one of her mother’s “favorites.”

“I was really excited this year when they added ‘Need a Little Christmas,’” Snyder adds. The holiday show, which has been performed in New York since 1932, added a new song number this year. Strickland loves her too (she sings backstage during her quick change).

Strickland also listens to holiday tunes even when she’s not on stage. “Honestly, I listen to Christmas music on the way to the theater. I’ll be on the subway with my Christmas playlist in the holiday spirit.”

10 best songs of 2024: Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift and Beyoncé deliver a spectacular year

His mix is ​​based on the classics, with the Jackson 5 and Frank Sinatra.

What lipstick do the Rockettes wear?

The Rockettes’ iconic red lip is cheaper than you think.

“I like to stick to one lip stain because I feel like it stays the best,” Snyder says, although she doesn’t prefer any specific brand. She’s tried every option at Sephora, but definitely isn’t afraid of the drugstore aisle.

“Just go to CVS,” Strickland jokes. The key is to get one that doesn’t need to be reapplied every time you sweat so it can last a few seasons.

As for the hair, which is pulled back in a tight twist without a single rebel, the secret ingredient is maximum-hold hairspray and “all the bobby pins,” Snyder says.

Familiar faces in the audience

Snyder, who has been with the Rockettes for seven years, says there are still familiar faces in the audience at least once a week: “My mom likes to get up at every kick screaming because she loves it .”

Just seeing another dancer’s face on stage can help bring light to what can be an exhausting day involving up to four performances. This week, the two women danced in 16 shows. “We’re getting by,” she said. “We support each other.”

The 10 Best Broadway Shows in 2024, including “Oh, Mary!” »

Since it’s her first year, Strickland says her family will spend Christmas in town, having meals with her after shows and celebrating a lifelong dream come true. “At least every week there’s someone in the audience that I have a direct connection with.”

Rockettes Fitness Program: Pilates, yoga and a lot stretching

“A lot of Rockettes work out, whether it’s Pilates, yoga, gym, dance,” Strickland says.

The gravity-defying punchlines that have become the series’ signature are no joke. “Endurance is an important thing,” she adds. Not much of a runner before, she took up jogging to make sure the shows, which can last more than an hour, didn’t exhaust her too much.

Snyder is also a fan of Pilates and frequently visits the hired sports trainer. “I feel like it really improves your mobility and flexibility.”

How the Rockettes Create Their Own Christmas Magic

Since Snyder is never home for the holidays, his family crashes them all. When the Rockettes ends in mid-January, she returns to Ohio for a big family reunion that brings together Christmas and Thanksgiving.

“They want to keep it special even though I’m not there,” she says. The Christmas decoration stays up and her dad prepares a full Thanksgiving set – bonus, her parents get to participate in the post-holiday sales.

The Strickland family also has its own traditions, opening one gift each year before the others on Christmas Eve. Spoiler: it’s matching pajamas.

The secret to being a Rockette on the streets of New York: a disguise

Outside the Fifth Avenue theater, the Rockettes wander among the usual crowd and you’d never know it.

“It definitely sounds like the Hannah Montana lifestyle,” Snyder jokes. Unless you come off stage in full costume, no one will recognize you, she says.

The best TV shows of 2024, classified: do our choices match yours?

It can seem like a powerful secret, both women say, knowing that you’re part of such an important cultural institution but not claiming the celebrity status that can sometimes accompany it.

“I like to walk in and sometimes I can pass people seeing the show in my hoodie and jacket (thinking) ‘Do they know I’m about to go on stage with a red lip and twists?’” Strickland says.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

This article was originally published on USA TODAY: The Radio City Rockettes need Christmas music and drugstore lipstick