Long Island mom Tara Tubridy among the longest standing on Rockettes line 

When Tara Tubridy enters the doors to the historic Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan, she's a Rockette, perfecting high kicks in as many as four onstage shows each day from early November to after New Year's. But when she enters the doors to her Oceanside home, she's Mom. 

"You just switch the switch. It's homework and it's dinner and bath and bedtime," says Tubridy, who has seen her life change quite a bit since she first stepped foot inside the Sixth Avenue theater to perform as one of New York's iconic holiday dancers.

This season, she holds another title, one of the longest-running dancers on the Rockette line. She became a Rockette 19 years ago after graduating from Hofstra University and has remained on the team ever since, dancing through two pregnancies — "the second time with twins," she says.

"There's been a few of us over the years that have performed pregnant, a few moms, but this season, I am the only Rockette mom here doing the Christmas Spectacular," Tubridy tells NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano. "I'm representing for all of the women out there, but I love it. The other women look up to me and they know they can do that — they can have this career and have a family."

When asked if she has cracked the secret to juggling motherhood and being a professional dancer, Tubridy replies: "How does any working parent do it? You just do it. You figure it out. But if I didn't have the huge support of my family at home it would be a lot harder."

Her three daughters — Ava, 7, twins Devin and Brynn, 5 — have become accustomed to their own holiday tradition of coming to see Mom perform onstage each year, which Tubridy reminds them is a special bonus. "I always try to remind them it really is hard work," she says, adding that every child doesn't get the chance to see the Rockettes year after year.

Tubridy adds it helps that she has become accustomed to multitasking. "Sometimes I don't even get one day off a week depending on our schedules, so I definitely have to plan ahead and coordinate."

At home, planning ahead comes in the form of a color-coded marker board in the pantry, marked out with everyone's schedules for the week with after-school activities and homework. "That has its own routine too," she says.

That routine: Getting the kids ready for school, breakfast and bus stop drop-offs, budgeting commuting time, to get to the theater via the Long Island Rail Road for shows starting as early as 9 a.m. or as late as 8 p.m., show time, homework, cleaning, bath time, icing her body and trying to find rest and recovery after the kids go to bed. 

And it helps that her kids, she says, know to be on their best behavior during the busy holiday season. "Mommy comes to work with Santa every day — and they know it!"