Audition season is the season where dreams come true. The hard work, sweat and tears come to fruition as a handful of select women land their dream teams. Speaking of hard work, sweat and tears, I want to highlight one of my dear friends, Amanda, who has truly made the comeback of the season.
To provide a little background before getting into our Q&A, Amanda was a 2014-2015 Dallas Stars Ice Girls rookie with me. For those of you who don’t know Amanda, she is one of the kindest, most genuine people I have ever had the pleasure of spending time with. And she is FIERCE AND DETERMINED! She had gone back last season to audition as a veteran, made it to finals, and then had to resign before the season started in order to have her THIRD knee surgery. Instead of retiring, Amanda decided to overcome the overwhelming obstacle and prepare herself post-surgery to return to the Ice Girls once again. The result? She has landed a spot in this season’s finals! Here is what she had to say during one of our recent conversations:
Me: What is your favorite thing about the Dallas Stars organization?
Amanda: “My favorite thing about the Dallas Stars organization is definitely the fans! They make game days so much more fun! Their energy just radiates through the AAC, and they get the Ice Girls so much more pumped to perform and clean the ice!”
Me: What makes you want to return to the Ice Girls?
Amanda: “The Ice Girls organization is top-notch! The classy image, the women, the leaders, and directors are small bits of what makes this team so special. I’ve made some of my best friends on this team, and will forever wear my veteran ring with pride.”
Me: Describe the journey of your knee injury leading up to and after you had made last season’s team and realized you had to undergo another surgery.
Amanda: “Pulling out of training camp last year due to my knee injury was heartbreaking. After I found out I needed to have a third knee surgery, I knew I had to ‘retire’ and close the door on my dancing career. It was a tough pill to swallow because my heart was nowhere near done, and I honestly didn’t think I’d ever dance professionally again. About a month after I quit, my dad was diagnosed with cancer. It was a really tough moment in my life. Seeing my dad go through his treatments and radiation with a smile on his face inspired me. He never gave up, he never quit fighting. I thought to myself ‘If dad can go through all of this and never lose hope, if he can beat cancer and never let it upset his spirit, then why can’t I overcome my injury and get back to doing what I love?’ So here I am, fingers crossed that I can finally have my veteran year.”
Me: With the busy season and a full time job, tell me what makes the long (and often late) hours of practices, games and appearances worth it.
Amanda: “Being a professional dancer and having a full-time job is not an easy task. It takes a lot of time management and dedication. The friendships and bonds you create during late night practices and game days make it all worth it! You really become a family. My employer is very supportive of my dancing career, so that definitely helps a lot also!”
There you have it, folks! I am so proud of Amanda for looking challenge dead in the eye and giving it a big wink! 😉
Be sure to stay tuned for the unveiling of the 2016-2017 Dallas Stars Ice Girls. If you have a Twitter account, go vote for your favorite candidates at @starsicegirls by “liking” and “retweeting” their photos.
