You can’t get more iconic than the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes. And while the goal of those legendary dancers is always perfect unison, one dancer has stood out from the rest—Jennifer Jiles. The former Rockette (and Emmy Award winner!) is kicking it up once again with a new slate of creative projects that blend comedy, storytelling, and a little bit of magic. We spoke about connection, reinvention, and how everything—yes, even a kickline—can lead you to your purpose.
Let’s start at the beginning—I definitely want to hear about the Rockettes first.
Sure! I grew up in Poughkeepsie, New York. My parents were both professionals—one was a doctor, the other a psychotherapist—and I was a dancer. That’s all I wanted to do. When I finished high school, I was ready to head straight to the city, but my parents insisted I go to college. So I went to SUNY Purchase School of the Arts and got my BFA there.
Did you actually study anything besides dance?
Not really! My mom found out years later that I never took an English class. It was all dance.
So how did the Rockettes come into the picture?
After graduation, I moved to New York. I danced with some smaller companies, started acting and doing comedy, and eventually auditioned for the Rockettes—and got in. I did that while also acting when I wasn’t in a show. Around that time, I also hosted a kids’ baseball show for the New York Mets called Dynamites, which ended up winning an Emmy.
That’s such a fun combination—Radio City in the winter and Shea Stadium in the summer!
Exactly! It was a really fun four years. I had the flexibility to explore my comedy career too, which was something I really wanted to pursue.
What made you want to audition for the Rockettes? Were you in the parades and everything?
So this is funny—people always assume I dreamed of being a Rockette as a little girl, but that wasn’t the case. I didn’t really even know what they were. My mom was into Broadway, so that’s where my exposure was. My idols were Carol Burnett and Lucille Ball. I loved Funny Girl. I didn’t even realize Barbra Streisand was playing Fanny Brice—I thought she was Funny Girl.
But I saw an ad: Radio City Music Hall seeks world-famous Rockettes. Good pay. Full health benefits. And it said you had to be 5’5″ to 5’10” with great legs. I thought, “That’s me!” It was a big audition—the first time they were hiring 12 new dancers at once under a new executive producer. It felt like the start of a new chapter.
What was the experience like?
It was the best training ground for what I do now—discipline, focus, being part of a team. But it was also hard. Exhausting. Soul-crushing at times. You’re dancing in a little box—literally and figuratively. And I’m not a conformist. But fitting in taught me how to eventually branch out and build my own businesses.
What do you think makes the Rockettes so magnetic?
It’s the precision—the lights, the music, the costumes, the buildup. It’s carefully designed to be exhilarating. And it is exciting! You’re doing all these steps, thinking “Am I in the right spot?” You’re smiling through the chaos. But once that kickline happens, and everyone’s in sync—it’s electric. And really, who else does precision dancing like that anymore?
There’s this moment of crescendo in performance, when everyone is perfectly in sync. What’s that feeling like?
Oh, it’s amazing. You can close your eyes and just know what’s coming next. Everyone’s heads moving the same way—it’s magic. That synergy—it’s like what you feel on a great sports team. Timing, movement, unity. It’s powerful.
And you became a mom too, right?
Yes, I have two kids. I always said I wanted it all, and I do—but there were sacrifices. I couldn’t just pick up and go to L.A. for six months. I didn’t want to miss the little years. I didn’t want someone else having all the fun of watching them grow up.
That tradeoff is something so many parents wrestle with—especially moms.
Absolutely. You try to blend your career and family life, but the truth is you can’t get that time back. They’re only little once. And while I’ve done a lot professionally, there were moments—like being at a film festival and missing a bedtime call—that stayed with me. It was hard, even if it was worth it in the long run. At least I hope it was! We’ll see what the therapists say.
Did your Rockettes experience show up in your comedy?
Oh yeah. I wrote a two-act musical called Kicking and Screaming: The Musical. I played 21 characters—including a one-woman kickline of 36 Rockettes. I did it off-Broadway and toured it. Later, I created a keynote speech called A Rockette Out of Line—a motivational talk that includes some of that material. It’s funny and heartfelt, but also more honest than I was in the earlier show.
More honest how?
Well, the truth is, I never really wanted to be a Rockette. That’s something I wouldn’t have said back then—I thought people only wanted to hear the fairy tale. But now, I’m more comfortable being real about it. It was an amazing experience, but it also wasn’t fully “me.”
So how does that experience translate to what you’re doing now?
Completely. That discipline, precision, and shared energy—that’s what I bring into everything. I always say: Embracing the rules unleashes the power of performance. Once you know the structure, you can innovate. That’s where the freedom comes in.
Outside of speaking, what else are you working on?
I have a production company now. For years, I worked with amazing comedians, and my dream was always to have a sketch show—like The Carol Burnett Show. I did a live version at Gotham Comedy Club for four years, but it never quite took off. Then in 2015, I made my first short film, Mother of the Week—about a working mom trying to do everything. That was basically me. It won a bunch of awards and gave me the bug.
So you continued making films?
Yes! I made another short, and now I have three projects in the works:
- A podcast series called Curveballs, inspired by my experience with the Mets.
- A dark comedy murder mystery feature.
- A Bollywood-Hollywood crossover that’s in development.
Sounds like you’re juggling a lot. What ties it all together for you?
Focus and dedication. And joy. Everything I’m doing now comes from personal experience. Whether it’s comedy, drama, or producing—it’s about connection and storytelling.
And you also work as a psychic medium. How did that come into play?
That’s the completely other side of my world—and yet, not. Being a medium is also about connection. I help people communicate with loved ones who have passed. I say my business is “healing through connection,” and that’s really what it is. Just like in performance, you feel that energy. That presence. You just have to trust it.
And what’s wild is that connection has always been the throughline of my life. Whether I was dancing in unison, doing comedy, or working as a medium—it’s always been about connection. And validation. Helping people feel seen.
What’s next for you?
Right now I’m focused on four projects: the keynote, the Curveballs podcast, and two feature films. They’re all in different stages, which is exciting. I’ve learned to trust the process, have faith, and keep creating. That’s where the joy is.
Do you feel like you’ve stepped into your purpose now?
Absolutely. It took trying a lot of things—some that didn’t go the way I planned—but now, things feel aligned. I think that’s what happens when you’re finally doing what you’re meant to do. There’s a flow and although it doesn’t mean it’s easy, it feels right. And that’s everything.