A Rockette's Recollections
An Interview with Illene Collins

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Thirty-three million tourists visit New York City each year. And chances are that many of them will make the pilgrimmage to Radio City Music Hall, home of that chorus line of dancers, preserving the kickline for the next millennium, known as The Rockettes. Radio City Music Hall was almost torn down in the late seventies, when it was known for having more pieces of gum stuck under the seats than people sitting on them. But now, after a 70 million dollar investment, it's been restored to its former Art Deco glory, and will reopen with a grand gala event on October 4th. The Savvy Traveler's Wesley Weissberg went to sit on one of the new chewing gum-free seats amidst the final touches of construction and hear the recollections of a former Rockette, Illene Collins.