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Last Friday was like “Christmas in July” for Onalaska native Lynzi Zettler — a special day, complete with Christmas music, as she danced to “The 12 Days of Christmas” and “Let Christmas Shine” in the Radio City Rockettes Summer Intensive Student Showcase in the Beacon Theatre in New York City.

The choreography for New York’s elite dance troupe, however, was anything but a short or simple eight-count for the 2006 Miss Onalaska. Already having jobs lined up as a lifeguard, swim instructor and Onalaska Fighting Tuna swim team coach along with acting as a camp counselor at a Show Choir Camps of America summer workshop at Milikin University, Zettler “was looking for a summer dance workshop or intensive” to add to her already busy summer schedule.

“As a child, I always loved to watch the Rockettes,” said Zettler. “I wanted to see if I would like to pursue their style of dance.”

That style of tap and jazz is a military style, as Russell. Markert, the creator of the original Missouri Rockets in 1925, had a military background. The precision lines and matching dancers remained as Samuel Roxy Rothafel moved the troupe to his Roxy Theatre in New York City in 1927. They then were known as the Roxyettes.

On Dec. 27, 1932, the dancers moved into their present home, Radio City Music Hall and changed to the current Rockettes. Since then, the Rockettes have become an American institution.

Just after the holidays in early January, Zettler traveled to Chicago to audition for the Rockettes Summer Dance Intensive in New York. Auditioning at the Hubbard Street Dance Studios, Zettler noted there were at least 50 other dancers trying out — a whole lot more, actually, because there were auditions in multiple other cities. And if a dancer could not make it to an audition site, she could send in a tape.

In March while at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where Zettler will be a junior studying for a double major in athletic training and dance, she learned she had been selected for the summer intensive.

Zettler and her mother, Marilyn, arrived in New York a couple days prior to the June 20-25 workshop and stayed at one of three hotels providing space for the young, aspiring dancers.

Zetter was a member of the Green Taller troupe, but there were six groups of 16 to 18 girls each: yellow, blue and green tall and the same taller. Days began at 9 a.m. with two jazz classes, followed by lunch and two tap classes rounding out the afternoon. Dismissal was around 6:30 p.m.

Director/choreographer Elaine Grace taught classes, assisted by three Rockettes and assistants who were Broadway dance center interns.

“I didn’t get any blisters, but we were warned ahead-of-time to bring lots of Band Aids and tape our feet,” Zettler said.

Even though she did not have to see the Rockettes athletic trainer officially, Zettler got to talk to her about her chosen college majors. A former Rockette who returned to school and started the athletic training program for the Rockettes, the trainer helped Zettler refine her thoughts on a possible future career.

“I want to do an athletic training internship with a sports team and with the Rockettes,” she said. “Getting to know the trainer really helped.”

On Nov. 7-8, the Rockettes arena tour will be in Green Bay and Zettler plans to be backstage to shadow and assist the Rockettes athletic trainer.

The Rockettes, in addition to their two 36-girl lines in New York City, have permanent companies in Chicago, Nashville, Tenn., and St Louis, Mo. They typically only have about 18 dancers in those locations due to smaller stages. In addition, this year, there will be the arena tour of Middle America cities consisting of one more line of 18 to 36 dancers who will travel to many cities, including Green Bay and Milwaukee in November.

Getting a leg up on a possible future career and “getting to learn the original Rockettes choreography and perform it in front of an audience,” was the best part of the experience for Zettler. Her father and brother, Robert and David Zettler, also arrived in NYC to enjoy her performance. What could be better for Christmas in July?

“It’s my half birthday,” said Zettler, beaming after the performance.