Although many girls dream about being Elsa, Abby Kimmelman had her heart set on becoming Anna. For most girls, their dream will never come true. But, thanks to her natural talent on the ice combined with a lot of hard work and a little luck, Abby gets to live her dream of being Anna several times a week in Disney on Ice’s production of Frozen.

Why Anna? Abby explains that although the role of Anna is extensive, and she is on the ice in nearly every scene in the two hour production, she loves being Anna because the role is so dynamic. Abby also loves Anna since she believes she is such a good role model for girls. Not only does Anna love her sister beyond measure, but she is optimistic, caring, and loving – all while being completely herself which comes with a big dose of quirkiness and a lot of energy.

But playing Anna isn’t all about wearing pretty dresses and cute boots. To learn how to become Anna, Abby worked with a team to learn acting and choregraphed gestures that Anna uses. She trained a lot and practiced until her performance as Anna was perfect. To learn all of Anna’s gestures and become an expert in her personality, Abby also studying the movie Frozen and watching it “about a million times. Probably more.”

Abby also loves the way Disney on Ice

makes Frozen magical in a live venue. Even without movie magic, thanks to special effects this production is full of magical moments. Even though Abby is not in Elsa’s solo Let it Go scene, it is one of Abby’s favorite parts of the show because of how amazing the special effects are, including plenty of snow.

Abby feels a lot of responsibility playing Anna since she is one of the most popular Disney characters of all time. One of the best parts of Abby’s job is looking out into the audience and seeing all of the children dressed as Frozen characters, especially all of the little Annas who come to watch her bring Anna to life. Abby says that she constantly feeds off of their energy and loves the very end of the show when she and other Disney characters, including Mickey and Minnie Mouse, get to skate close to the audience and wave to their fans.

Another thing Abby loves about Frozen is how the story, which is full of adventure as well as princesses, appeals to girls and boys alike as well as grown-ups. And she hopes she gets to continue living her dream of being Anna and inspiring little girls everywhere for a long time to come.