On Friday, thousands of lights will illuminate and turn Indianapolis’ Soldiers & Sailors Monument into the state’s largest lighted “tree.”
And to help unveil the spectacle and welcome in the holiday season, musicians, bands and other performers have been chosen to create a festive spirit. Joining them will a group of dancers from Franklin to leap, twirl and boogie into Christmas.
The Rosettes of Le Rose Dance Academy were picked to take part in this year’s Circle of Lights celebration. This will be the eighth time the elite competition team has taken part in the extravaganza, making it a kind of tradition for the group, said Amanda Rose Nixon, director and founder of Le Rose.
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“For the current dancers to carry on that legacy is exciting. On top of everything with COVID going on, it’s great to bring in a little bit of joy and look ahead to some hopefully brighter times, as giving the girls a chance to get out and do something they love doing,” she said.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Circle of Lights will transition from a live gathering around Monument Circle to a made-for-TV event. Revelers can watch the performances of the Rosettes, and other performers from around Indiana, at 7 p.m. Friday on Channel 13.
“The show must, and will, go on,” said Sherry Seiwert, Downtown Indy, Inc. president.
The Circle of Lights is an annual celebration organized by Downtown Indy, the nonprofit in charge of marketing and developing the downtown, and presented by IBEW 481, the local electrical workers union. Union workers decorate the Soldiers & Sailors Monument with 52 garland strands with 4,784 colored LED lights, strung from the top of the structure to its base.
Surrounding the monument are 26 larger-than-life toy soldiers and sailors and 26 peppermint sticks.
In a normal year, more than 100,000 people pack into downtown Indianapolis to see the Hoosier-centric show filled with holiday cheer. That’s not possible this year, but organizers have put together a performance that captures the best of Circle of Lights for at-home viewing.
“The TV event, in place of the live celebration, will still be wonderful. We look forward to uniting back downtown this holiday season in small and measured ways,” Seiwert said.
Circle of Lights will be headlined by Josh Kaufman, an Indianapolis native and winner of the 2014 “The Voice” competition. He has starred in “Pippin” on Broadway, as well as performing on the NBC “TODAY Show” and “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
Other artists included in the show are Indianapolis native and acclaimed opera singer Angela Brown, singer duo The Best Kept Secret, Indianapolis-area supergroup Meridian Moon and Morgan County duo Anneliese and Ali.
Le Rose Dance Academy and the Rosettes are excited to be joining such a talented group, Nixon said. Adding to the energy is the fact that two of the studio’s choreographers, Katie James Miller and Holly Handlon, are former Rosette members and Circle of Light performers.
“It’s very cool because it’s become a generational thing,” Nixon said. “It’s neat for them to work with the group of girls to make it back to Circle of Lights.”
The Rosettes were formed in 2003 to be the competition team of Le Rose. Participants audition each year to be part of the group, with members ranging from age 7 to 19 this year.
They train weekly on various styles of dance: ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip-hop and many more. Gymnastics and strength training classes help them master their movements and hone their skills.
Three or four times each year, they compete against other dance teams.
“It’s a hard-working group,” Nixon said.
The decision to enter the Circle of Lights talent search was made by Le Rose leadership a few weeks ago, after information about auditions became available.
In a matter of hours, they had come up with choreography, costumes, and a list of dancers who wanted to participate.
The 15 dancers from the Rosettes perform to “We Need a Little Christmas,” a fitting choice for this bizarre year, Nixon said.
“We thought it pertained very well to what everyone needs right now — something to look forward to,” she said.
Dancers’ costumes represent an array of holiday symbols, from snowmen to dolls to holiday shoppers.
In early November, Le Rose was informed that they were chosen for the performance. Nixon and her team had a little fun with the dancers, cryptically calling them together for a meeting.
“I sat all the children down and they thought they were in trouble,” Nixon said. “Then we all yelled at the same time that we had made it, and had a cookie cake with ‘Circle of Lights’ written on it. Then it was mass hysteria. They were so excited.”
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Circle of Lights
What: The holiday extravaganza marking the illumination of the lights on the Soldiers & Sailors Monument in downtown Indianapolis. This year’s event will be a TV-only program, as opposed to in-person as in years past.
When: 7 p.m. Friday
How to watch: The show will be broadcast on WTHR Channel 13.
Performers:
- The Rosettes of Le Rose Dance Academy, a Franklin-based competitive dance team who have won several regional and national awards and titles.
- Josh Kaufman, an Indianapolis native who was the 2014 winner of "The Voice" and starred in Broadway’s "Pippin."
- Angela Brown, Indianapolis native who has drawn rave reviews for her voice, including when CBS News declared “the future of opera has arrived” and New York Times exclaimed “at last an Aida.”
- The Best Kept Secret, made up of singers Jordan Bridges and Samantha (Sam) Voegele, both seniors at Purdue University who will be performing an original song “That Christmas Feeling.”
- Meridian Moon, a supergroup of Indianapolis-area musicians, many of whom are front-line medical professionals.
- Anneliese and Ali, a married duo from Morgan County who have performed in Nashville’s Blue Bird Cafe and have upcoming Pride events scheduled for 2021.
Information: downtownindy.org
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