PDC Meet the Dancers: MEREDITH Allen Americans Ice Angels

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Photos by Dominic Ceraldi, Dustin Schneider and Velton Hayworth

MEREDITH is in her rookie season with the Allen Americans Ice Angels.

She joined us at a recent Allen Americans home game at the Allen Event Center for PDC Meet the Dancers:

PDC: Talk about your dance background and how you ended up with the Allen Americans Ice Angels

MEREDITH: I was actually a soccer player growing up and my sister in-law Trisha Trevino actually got me inspired to be a dancer. She was a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader and Dallas Mavericks Dancer and encouraged me to tryout for one of the teams. I tried out for the Texas Legends Dancers, made the team and was on that team for one season before I auditioned for the Dallas Mavericks Dancers and made that team. After one season with the Mavs, I took a year off to graduate, find a job and I missed being on a team so I tried out for the Allen Americans Ice Angels and here I am.

PDC: What made you decide to tryout for the ice Angels in your return?

MEREDITH: I chose this team because I had heard so many great things about the Ice Angels and that the director Stephanie (Ice Angels Director Stephanie Dibiase)was amazing and had a big part in helping other dances achieve their dreams including girls that have made the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders. Things like that inspire you to want to be a part of it. and I’m also a fan of the Ice Angels’ style of dance.

PDC: What was the Ice Angels audition process like?

MEREDITH: Going to the prep classes is very important because it really gets you ready for the entire process. my understanding is that every year is a little different, but this year’s first round was freestyle and questions from the judges to show your personality. The second round is where you learn a routine, and actually Stephanie teaches the routine at the final prep class on the Friday night before auditions begin so that’s another reason to go the classes. You then perform that routine for the judges and for those who advance, there’s a few days off to practice before finals. There’s not a training camp, so once you survived finals, you’ve made the team.

PDC: Now that you’ve made the team, what are some of the highlights you’ve had so far during your rookie season?

MEREDITH: A big highlight is that I have definitely become a stronger dancer, Stephanie has really helped me in that regard. I also LOVE hockey and being so close to the action is amazing and the overall energy and environment in the building is great!

PDC: What’s game night like for the Ice Angels?

MEREDITH: If we have an on-ice performance, we arrive at the arena early, around 5:15, if not we get here at 5:45. At 6:00, we go out and greet the fans who are arriving at the two main entrances. Then we go out to our corners for the game, which we switch around each of the three periods. We also do a thing called the “VOM” where each of the dancers go to the section entrances and perform during the third period. We practice that dance the night before and it’s always a lot of fun.

PDC: The Ice Angels have an annual swimsuit calendar that is very popular. What is the calendar shoot like?

MEREDITH: We shot it here in Texas and we all had different spots to shoot. I was at a private residence and it was breathtaking. I ended up being Miss September.

PDC: There was a big Ice Angels calendar release party. Did you have any idea of your month or had you seen the calendar going into that night?

MEREDITH: For the calendar release party, we didn’t know if we had a month yet or what pictures were selected. Some of the players ended up coming to the party and there were friends and family there, so it was fun. We all dressed up in cocktail dresses, they showed a behind the scenes of the calendar shoot video as kind of an intro and then they announced who was in the calendar, which was really exciting. It was a really cool experience.

PDC: What are some of your favorite movies?

MEREDITH: A funny thing about me is that I will see a movie, like it and stick with it for like three weeks! Right now, I’m stuck on Definitely, Maybe. It’s on Netflix, it’s got Ryan Reynolds, who I love and I had never seen it before. Overall, I’m a huge fan of romantic comedies. I like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Miss Congeniality and I actually saw Pretty Woman for the first time this year.

PDC: Do you have a favorite actor or actress?

MEREDITH: There’s a ton. Actor, Ryan Reynolds, Will Smith and Christian Bale. Actress, Kate Hudson, Sandra Bullock and Jennifer Aniston.

PDC: You mentioned Netflix. Do you have any TV shows that you like to watch or binge-watch?

MEREDITH: Game of Thrones is my favorite! I love Dexter, Ozark, Breaking Bad and Stranger Things.

PDC: What are some of your favorite foods?

MEREDITH: I love pizza and spaghetti. Spaghetti and garlic bread together are the best. I also love chicken sandwiches, they’re really my thing and I don’t know why.  I also love chicken fried steak.

PDC: Do you have a favorite restaurant or restaurants?

MEREDITH: For Mexican food, I love Mi Cocina. I go there all the time. And I’m an atmosphere person, so I really like Joe T. Garcia’s in Fort Worth. Chick-Fil-A is also great.

PDC: Do you have a full-time job outside of the Ice Angels and if so, how do you manage the demanding time schedule?

MEREDITH: I am an executive team leader in human resources at a big retail company. I am in management, so I do get there around 4-5 a.m. and we do work around 10-13 hour shifts a day. I get one day off a week, my days off are Tuesdays and I have to work every other weekend. So it does get kind of had to balance everything, but it works.

PDC: Last question, you were featured in the first ever PDC: Summer Edition. What was that experience like for you?

MEREDITH: I absolutely love it. I got nothing but great feedback from my friends and family from the minute y’all posted it. We did the photo shoot at the W Hotel in Dallas and I was with Sydney Durso, who was also on the Dallas Mavericks Dancers when I was there. We did shots in the infinity pool, on the pool lounge chairs and silhouettes with the sun in the background. One thing that every one pointed out to me was that every model’s photos were unique and with everyone’s outfits being different that it really looked like everyone was able to put their own personalities into it. I really enjoyed that whole experience and I would definitely do it again. It was a lot of fun.

Fans can follow MEREDITH on Twitter @AAIA_Meredith

For more photos and videos from the Allen Americans Ice Angels, visit HERE

See MEREDITH in the 2017 PDC Summer Edition in the PHOTO GALLERY below:

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