When I met a Rockette at Radio City earlier this year, I promised to return soon for their lauded Christmas Spectacular. Today, with the help of a friendly Groupon, I beat the holiday crowd and settled down for the show.

Apart from high kicks and glitzy costumes, I wasn’t too sure what to expect. And I was surprised when they handed me, Ryan and Rachel some 3D specs as we entered the massive auditorium.

The 90-minute show, which is performed three times a day until December 30, is written especially for the event. It has a little bit of everything – ballet, tap, high kicks, Santa, singing, a nativity scene, a couple of 3D films played on a huge screen and of course, a few cheesy messages.

But by far the highlight of the evening was the wonderful Rockettes. They’re famous for their perfect dance moves and their scenes were so well co-ordinated. My favorite was when they dressed as toy soldiers and performed in perfect lines – splitting up and returning with unbelievable precision. It was mesmerizing.

I also loved a scene in which they jumped on a New York City tour bus. As they waved and kicked from the double-decker, the scenery behind them changed.

These scenes are no doubt tried and tested staples of the show and I loved them. In fact, the only needless part of the evening came as they tried to keep the script ‘fresh’.

Two actresses – a little girl and her mother – had an argument over whether or not she could have a video game for Christmas, and Santa took them to the North Pole to find a compromise. I’m not going to give away their solution, but the whole thing was far too on the nose. It was clearly the creators’ attempt at presenting a ‘modern’ message… but it made me squirm.

Apart from this, the show was flawlessly produced: unbelievable dancing, inventive choreography, snazzy costumes and some really interesting arrangements of the Christmas carols (plus even a few live sheep and camels). I can definitely see it entertaining kids and adults alike.

While the Groupon deal is over, the theater has November Specials tickets, so contact them for more information. It’s definitely a New York Christmas must-see.