Three Minnesota skaters return home for ‘Disney on Ice’ spectacular

Performers on international tours get the opportunity to see the world. But it’s also nice to come home. That’s the case for three skaters featured in “Disney On Ice: Magic in the Stars,” taking place this weekend at Target Center, close to where all of them grew up.

Sydney Berrier, 23, of White Bear Lake plays Raya of “Raya and the Last Dragon”; Olivia Oltmanns, 26, of Shakopee is Elsa of “Frozen II″; and Leah Smith, 21, of Minneapolis plays Snow White. In a Zoom interview Tuesday, they chatted about their experiences both on and off the ice.

Q: When were you first introduced to skating?

S.B.: There was a rink literally two minutes away from me so it was very convenient. My mom said she got me into skating because I saw a figure-skating dress and I was like, “That’s so cool. I want one of those.” My mom said, “Well, you have to be a figure skater if you want that.” Now my mom is like, “I should have just gotten you the dress. It would have been cheaper.”

O.O.: My mom was a figure-skating coach so I started when I was 2, so very, very little. My mom jokes that I was just learning to walk when I began skating.

L.S.: In kindergarten. One of my best friends told me about a local rink that was going to put on a spring show and I was really intrigued because I was told I would get to wear a really cute costume.

Q: What was the first Disney film or TV show that had an impact on you?

O.O.: I remember watching “The Little Mermaid” on VHS. My older sister was obsessed with Disney films, so she got me hooked.

S.B.: I grew up with Disney Channel, shows like “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.” As far as Disney princesses go, I always liked Mulan. She was super-cool, just a very strong female persona.

Q: What’s been the biggest challenge for you over the past year?

O.O.: I had an injury last year and was off the road for quite some time. But that comes with the territory of being an athlete. Things are bound to happen when you put so much wear and tear on your body.

S.B.: Living out of two 50-pound suitcases and a personal carry-on, you have to sacrifice a few things like the ability to sit at a normal dining table with actual silverware and plates.

Q: What do you like to do to relax in your off time?

L.S.: My best friends and I really like to go to coffee shops and read our books. It’s sort of a book club. It’s a super-nice way to relax after a super-hectic work schedule. Right now we are reading this fictional series, “Fourth Wing,” which we heard about from someone in the show. I’ve been loving it.

O.O.: I’ve been to almost 40 countries with Disney. Nobody gets to travel like that. I like to get out and see the cities we’re in. If the weather is beautiful, I’ll go to a park. I do really enjoy going to museums.

S.B.: I‘m a big foodie. I look for specialties in each city. So, of course, I had deep dish pizza in Chicago. I’ve done the Europe tours and the best food was in Paris. There’s a reason the Food Network people brag about going to French cooking schools.

When: 7 p.m. Fri., 11 a.m., 3 & 7 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m. & 3 p.m. Sun.