Many little girls (and boys) have dreamed about taking the stage as a Radio City Rockette — the bright lights, the glamorous costumes, the opportunity to hang out with Santa Claus.

The Radio City Rockettes are not only beautiful and graceful, they are also world-class athletes. We spoke with Teresa Burks, who has danced as a Radio City Rockette for 11 years, about what it’s really like behind the scenes at the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular.

In addition to her 11 seasons of high kicking as a Rockette, Burks has performed around the world with such artists as Vanessa Williams, Gloria Estefan and Kool and the Gang. She performed as a Las Vegas showgirl and onboard three cruise ships, including Holland America Cruise Lines as a dance captain.