Sheinelle Jones left “Today” viewers stunned with her Halloween transformation.
The “Today With Jenna & Sheinelle” co-host, 48, performed alongside the actual Radio City Rockettes on the TODAY Plaza in New York City last Friday, trading her news desk for the dancers’ iconic kickline. Jones wore a glittering green version of the Rockettes’ signature fringe dress, a bold choice that stood out even as the professional dancers towered over the 4-foot-11 anchor.
“It was really fun. I worked really hard… the girls who I am surrounded by in this video are athletes. I mean, their core strength, the way they can kick, I mean, these girls are incredible dancers,” Jones said during Friday morning’s broadcast. “For me, to be able to just join them for a day is amazing,” she added.
The performance sparked an immediate flood of reactions across social media, with fans flooding Instagram to praise her moves and joke about her future prospects. “10/10 👏👏👏 put her in the show!!” one fan wrote on Instagram. Another agreed, “Those high kicks were perfection!! 👏👏👏👏”
The enthusiasm came with a running gag about her stature. “SHEINELLE!!! The only thing keeping you from Radio City is your height. 😂,” someone else typed on Instagram. One Instagram user seconded, “For being a fellow short girl, you were right in line with those high kicks! Bravo!” Typically, Rockettes must stand between 5-foot-5 and 5-foot-10.5 tall.
Jones wasn’t the only “Today” personality to commit fully to the Halloween spirit last Friday. Jenna Bush Hager dressed as Phoebe Buffay from “Friends,” even roping in her new cat Maisie to appear as “Smelly Cat” from the sitcom’s third season. Savannah Guthrie transformed into Rachel Green, Bush Hager’s on-screen best friend. Al Roker went with a Gumby costume from “Saturday Night Live,” while Dylan Dreyer channeled Jeannie from “I Dream of Jeannie” in an all-pink look. Willie Geist appeared as Johnny Carson, and Craig Melvin turned up as Snoop Dogg carrying the Olympic torch at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
This year’s Rockette moment caps a growing reputation for Jones as the show’s unexpected dance ring leader. In May, she performed “Lush Life” alongside Zara Larsson during the singer’s concert on the show, a set that similarly blew fans away. Last year, she dressed as Beyoncé for the 2025 Halloween episode, putting on an impressive Cowboy Carter-inspired dance routine that set a high bar for her annual transformation.
The 2025 Beyoncé costume and the May duet with Larsson both demonstrated what Friday’s broadcast confirmed: Jones has developed a recurring habit of surprising audiences with performance skills far removed from her morning news duties. Each appearance has drawn escalating fan response, building toward the Rockette moment that had viewers openly campaigning for her to join the Christmas Spectacular lineup.
The physical demands of the Rockette routine appeared to leave Jones with fresh respect for the professionals. Her on-air comments emphasized the athletic gap between her one-day stint and the dancers’ daily training, even as her own kicks drew wide praise for keeping pace with the line.
The Halloween broadcast marked one of the most elaborate costume efforts across the full “Today” ensemble, with multiple hosts referencing specific pop-culture moments rather than generic characters. The specificity of Bush Hager’s “Smelly Cat” nod and Melvin’s Olympics reference suggested a year when the show’s talent aimed for recognizable, timestamped cultural touchstones.
Jones has not indicated whether she plans to pursue further dance performances beyond her morning show duties, though her growing track record suggests the annual Halloween slot has become a showcase she actively cultivates. The Rockette costume, with its professional-grade construction and authentic choreography, represented her most ambitious attempt yet.
The “Today” show continues its regular broadcast schedule from New York City.
