Disney on Ice star Allison Merges
Xposer Magazine had the wonderful opportunity to chat with Disney on Ice star Allison Merges this past week. At the tender young age of 18, this young woman has taken the ice skating world by storm. Skating as Anna from the movie Frozen, Allison is a new addition to the tour signing with Feld Entertainment just last year. Skating has always been a passion of Allison’s, Beginning when she was only seven, and her family took her skiing and she was in heaven. She fell in love with Disney on Ice after her family took her to see a show and she knew at that moment that she would be there on the ice too one day. Having always had a love for winter sports, Allison spent many hours practicing her moves, which would eventually launch her into the megawatt world that is Disney. Not just anyone is chosen to skate at this caliber. People are chosen by their capabilities and this sport takes a whole lot of talent to perform. Practicing for hours each day, they work on each move repeatedly to ensure there are no mistakes made during the performance. Allison considers it a great accomplishment to have made it into the realm of Disney. Being able to travel doing what she loves is probably one of the greatest aspects to her.
I decided to ask what exactly was her favorite part of not only being part of this exceptional team, but what it was she enjoyed most about her travels. Allison replied with “Being able to see all of the country, tasting the food and experiencing the different cultures within each city, it’s pretty amazing”, and I agree. There is something about travelling the world that brings an enlightenment to ones soul.
Allison even enjoys being able to give back at local animal shelters along her route if possible, volunteering her time just as she used to in her hometown of Salt Lake City. Allison prefers performing rather than competing, being able to enjoy everything that much more. She has one of the biggest hearts out there, which makes her perfect for skating the part of Anna, connecting with the audience is one of her favorite things to do, “I want the audience to feel the emotion I am trying to portray”. Looking out amongst the fans, she can see their faces light up and it pushes her even further to perform at her best. “I love the way the kids react when Elsa sings ‘Let it Go’, when they sing along and their faces light up, it’s one of the best feelings in the world”. There is just something about kids, when they get excited, it turns up your excitement and the performance just goes that much better.
With a personality that her friends and family describe as “bubbly yet humble”, Allison enjoys the happiness this industry brings. What advice would she give to those looking to pursue a career in performing arts? “Stick with it! It might be hard sometimes because performing isn’t always seen as a career, but as long as you love what you are doing, don’t ever stop”.
Wise words there! To catch Disney on Ice presents Frozen, click here to be taken to their website and find out what days they will be in your city!
Disney on Ice presents Frozen will be here in Denver this weekend from April 5-8th. Do not miss out on your chance to see this wonderful performance!
Till next time!
Ciao,
Bella