GETTING A LEG UP; FROM STUDIO CITY TO RADIO CITY, ROCKETTE KICKS HER WAY TO FAME.

Byline: Story by Keith Marder

They have proportionally long legs, perpetual smiles and sparkly outfits for any occasion.

Turn plastic into flesh and there is very little difference between a Barbie doll and a member of America's most popular precision dance troupe, the Rockettes.

Whether in faux eyelashes, a sequined jacket and kicking so high that her ankles reach her ears, or dressed in nondescript civilian garb while running mundane errands, a Rockette is a Rockette during every waking moment.

Kelli Coleman, so perky she probably dots the ``i'' in her name with a smiley face, has been on the team for five years and likes everything that goes along with the position.

``It's such a great job, I will do it as long as I can keep kicking,'' said the Studio City resident. ``It's great being a world-famous eye-high-kicking Rockette.''

World-famous, eye-high-kicking Rockette. Coleman repeats this mantra several times during the day.

Yes, she believes in the Rockettes - and all that it stands for. Maybe more precisely, she has to believe in it, because being a Rockette isn't work for wimps. These leggy dancers do more after 8 p.m. than most people do in a week.

Coleman goes through nine costume changes, including one polar bear suit, and performs in 10 dance numbers during a two-hour show. Some days, she has to do three shows, and the only way to prevent flat-out exhaustion is plenty of coffee beans and an occasional catnap in a sleeping bag laid out on the dressing-room floor.

The Rockettes, and the rest of ``The Radio City Christmas Spectacular,'' will continue tapping and kicking through Tuesday at the Universal Amphitheatre.

``Los Angeles doesn't have a lot of holiday spirit,'' said Coleman, who grew up in Oklahoma City. ``Christmas isn't as big of a deal here as it is in other places. It's great that we were able to bring the `Spectaular' here and help everyone get in the holiday spirit.''

And many Rockettes take that mission seriously, spreading peace on Earth, good will toward men and the gospel of Rockette both on and off the stage.

Tree-lightings and other public appearances are a big part of a willing Rockette's job. Some prefer simply to dance, while others enjoy the spotlight.

``This time of year there are a lot of public events,'' said David Nash, the show's producer. ``And the Rockettes are in great demand. They promote the wholesomeness of the time of year.''

Surprising a family with five adopted and two biological children with their Christmas wish of nine tickets to ``The Radio City Christmas Spectacular'' on the ``Leeza'' show fits right into that wholesome category.

One recent day,Coleman was out and about by 9 a.m., and to the ``Leeza'' show about two hours later to do this good deed.

Her first stop: the amphitheater dressing room to transform herself. Giant faux eyelashes were attached, red lipstick was applied, and a red sequined outfit trimmed with snow-white feathers and a matching Santa hat were carefully slipped on.

While waiting her turn to step on stage, Coleman sent off letters, cards, resumes and glossy photos of herself to casting directors and other Hollywood types, wishing them season's greetings and inviting them to the show.

``It's all about networking,'' Coleman said.

As it turns out, being a Rockette - world-famous, eye-high kicks and all - isn't the final destination in Coleman's career plans. She wants to break into acting.

It could be a long shot, given the Rockette track record. There have been no breakout stars from the first 65 years of the Rockettes. But Coleman has some help - she's newly married to a screenwriter.

Coleman requested to be stationed in Los Angeles for this holiday season to network while remaining close to family. Her home base for the last 2-1/2 years has been the San Fernando Valley, where she lives with husband Art Altounian.

The honeymoon isn't over by any means. They're an effervescently happy couple who met in what could very well be the story line of a romantic comedy. It was a Hallmark moment. Altounian and Coleman were both shopping for birthday cards at Sav-on Drugs in Studio City, when a simple hello turned into a 30-minute flirtation and the realization by both that they had met their life partner; they married in August.

Altounian, who grew up in Glendale, had no idea his find in the drug store aisle was a Rockette that first day. She kept that from him until after their first date.

Now, he couldn't be happier about it.

``It's awesome,'' he said. ``It's beyond great.''

That enthusiasm runs in the Altounian family. His mother, who lives in Brentwood, brought 68 people to one show and even takes tap-dance lessons from her daughter-in-law.

The Altounian-Coleman partnership could be this Rockette's ticket to stardom. She's about to work in a movie, ``Soul,'' that was written by Altounian.

``Everyone has a different agenda,'' Coleman said. ``Some go back to school to get their degrees. Some go into becoming a makeup artist, or photography or interior design.''

And while they're waiting to get their next careers going, some Rockettes just go shopping.

Keeping themselves stocked with makeup supplies - which the dancers are required to buy and apply on their own - is enough to keep the makeup counters at malls in business.

Too blue? Coleman pondered the tube of MAC Red lipstick in her hands during a recent shopping trip to the Fashion Square mall in Sherman Oaks. Rockette rules dictate that the dancers' lips be dead-on red. A quick slick of the tester tube proved helpful.

``Actually, this is pretty great,'' Coleman finally decided, paying $14.61 to add the waxy wand to her makeup arsenal.

Her mission accomplished, Coleman left for home to rest up before heading back to the amphitheater for rehearsal, stretching, more makeup and a show.

At about 10:30 p.m., more than 13 hours after she first arrived at Universal City, Coleman's full day was over.

There is one thing that keeps Coleman coming back.

``It makes you feel so good,'' she said. ``Rockettes are a part of history, and you become a part of that. That's why it's such a privilege and honor to be one of the world-famous eye-high-kicking Rockettes.''

Barbie couldn't say that.

Are you Rockette material?

What has two very long legs, stands between 5 feet 5-1/2 inches and 5 feet 9 inches, wears flaming red lipstick and can be found in one of seven cities during the Christmas season?

Why, a world-famous, eye-high-kicking Rockette, of course.

Being a Rockette is not about individuality. The synchronized dance team members never kick alone, and they wear hats and stand in a particular order (tallest in the middle and shortest on the outside) to give the illusion of being the same height.

There are currently 200 Rockettes kicking and tapping in New York, South Carolina, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Las Vegas and California.

They've been around since 1933, when they debuted in St. Louis as the Roxyettes. Now, New York's Radio City Music Hall is their home base.

The Rockettes have performed ``The Dance of the Wooden Soldiers'' in one form or another in each of its 65 years.

Being long and leggy is not the only thing that these timeless dancers have in common. They also have to be ambassadors of Christmas in their personal and professional lives.

``When we pick them, we look at their personality and wholesomeness,'' said producer David Nash, who lives in Santa Clarita. ``Obviously we look for talent for dancing - and attractiveness is very important.''

- Keith Marder

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5 Photos

Photo: (1--2) Above, Rockette Kelli Coleman, left, spreads good cheer on the ``Leeza'' show. At left, on stage at the Universal Amphitheatre, eye-high-kicking Coleman is third from left.

(3--5) Clockwise from left, Coleman is fussed over before her ``Leeza'' appearance, a Swiss Army knife comes in handy for an impromptu eyelash trim, and a Fashion Square shopping trip yields a suitable red lipstick.

Photos by Andy Holzman/Daily News

Box: Are you Rockette material? (See text)