What Makes Davis and White So Special?

[Skater Boy]

According to Stephen Colbert, Meryl is from a magical world where Disney princesses are real and Charlie's hair is actually a magic carpet.

I assume that answers your question.

I always said they are perfect froth for Disney on Ice:0 Maybe not artists in the traditional sense but definitely disney on ice. even their looks.

 

[Skater Boy]

I don't dispute that D/W are hard workers - that's very much in evidence. But it's worth pointing out that a lot of skaters spend the spring/summer skating in shows in order to fund their skating, and might not have the choice of taking that time to work on their competitive programs.

Exactly and american stars are much more revelled financially and fan wise.

 

[RiceSkate]

I find D/W more genuine as athletes and people. V/M come off to me as fake and phony. I roll my eyes every time I see them because they always play the game "oh no we're not dating but our relationship is hard to explain really special" crap they keep spewing. Plus D/W have displayed great sportsmanship better than the Canadians.

 

[ice coverage]

... Of course they are after points. They're athletes in an athletic contest that is determined by points. They're not on stage in Lincoln Center. Then again, Virtue and Moir are equally after points. It's the name of the game. Really, it would be helpful if Voir fans would acknowledge that they are equally competitive, not some ethereal beings who just happen to grace an athletic competition now and then. Ice dancing may be dance, but it is dance as sport. ...

As a Virtue/Moir supporter, I for one of course know that V/M's competitive drive is as strong as D/W's. And that V/M want to maximize their points just as D/W do.
I have never believed V/M to be "some ethereal beings who just happen to grace an athletic competition now and then."

"Really, it would be helpful" for you to be less condescending to Virtue/Moir supporters.

 

[anyanka]

I don't understand why some people think they didn't deserve the gold at sochi. They are very talented and elegant

Agreed. Although I personally prefer V/M, D/W are deserving winners. I hope the win will continue to inspire ice dancers in the U.S. and bring attention back to the sport, it's sorely lacking in the public consciousness since Kwan and Cohen retired and only re-surfaces every four years.

 

[capcomeback]

Agreed. Although I personally prefer V/M, D/W are deserving winners. I hope the win will continue to inspire ice dancers in the U.S. and bring attention back to the sport, it's sorely lacking in the public consciousness since Kwan and Cohen retired and only re-surfaces every four years.

In 2010, V/M were amazing (and clearly the winners), but after that, due to Tessa's injury and issues with timing, they had taken a step backwards. They've managed to get back to their level of excellence, but like the world continues to spin, things change. D/W have continued to improve and redefine the sport. They now exceed V/M not only in terms of speed, but in unison too.

I do get tired of hearing D/W as point chasers. V/M chase points just as much (as their short-lived record score indicated, as they hit a ton of elements brilliantly). Still, D/W exceeded their training partners' skate by producing a stunning effort of their own. Both teams are outstanding, but D/W skated and executed a better program and deserved to win.

 

[hyperinflation]

the notion that v/m have taken a "step backwards" and are somehow worse skaters than they were in 2010 continues to be one of the most ridiculous narratives ever constructed

I roll my eyes every time I see them because they always play the game "oh no we're not dating but our relationship is hard to explain really special" crap they keep spewing.

that's kind of ironic seeing as meryl and charlie have spent the last quad saying the exact same thing

like verbatim

 

[Memelah711]

I find D/W more genuine as athletes and people. V/M come off to me as fake and phony. I roll my eyes every time I see them because they always play the game "oh no we're not dating but our relationship is hard to explain really special" crap they keep spewing. Plus D/W have displayed great sportsmanship better than the Canadians.

^This. I used to like Tessa and Scott, but after hearing him complain after the ice dance competition in Sochi, their programs are ruined for me. Their bad attitudes and phony personalities are a huge turn off for me.

Charlie and Meryl have big, grand skating. Great speed and power.

 

[Buttercup]

I do get tired of hearing D/W as point chasers. V/M chase points just as much (as their short-lived record score indicated, as they hit a ton of elements brilliantly). Still, D/W exceeded their training partners' skate by producing a stunning effort of their own. Both teams are outstanding, but D/W skated and executed a better program and deserved to win.

Shockingly, there's more to ice dance than D/W and V/M. As I wrote earlier, everyone wants points, but some skaters are focused on getting them to a greater extent while others are equally (or more) concerned with telling a story, putting on a show or trying to come up with innovative concepts.

Looking at V/M and D/W, however, I think that V/M would have been successful under either system (though they would have had to wait their turn under 6.0) but I can't see D/W succeeding under 6.0. The things they do well weren't rewarded as much and their weaknesses would have been more of an obstacle than they are under the IJS. But that's just the way it is: some skaters are wonderfully talented, but skated at the wrong time for their skill set and performance style, while others are perfectly matched to the demands of the system during their career. D/W are both fortunate and worked hard to be the kind of ice dancers that the current system rewards.

 

[Skater Boy]

I find D/W more genuine as athletes and people. V/M come off to me as fake and phony. I roll my eyes every time I see them because they always play the game "oh no we're not dating but our relationship is hard to explain really special" crap they keep spewing. Plus D/W have displayed great sportsmanship better than the Canadians.

perhaps genuine as people but very disney on ice when the skate - plasticky miss america which is why they had problems conveying more hot and sensual programs etc. They just had that perfect smile approach.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Being from Detroit!! No I'm not kidding. There is something special about Detroit.

On ice I'd say a commitment to excellence. It shows each and every time they skate. Not that all skaters don't do that but you can sense something special on their delivery and most importantly their posture!

 

[capcomeback]

the notion that v/m have taken a "step backwards" and are somehow worse skaters than they were in 2010 continues to be one of the most ridiculous narratives ever constructed



that's kind of ironic seeing as meryl and charlie have spent the last quad saying the exact same thing

like verbatim

Tessa twizzles were off until very recently (through the Grand Prix). It greatly affected their unison (which in essence was a "step backwards" from their Vancouver performance). What's wrong with this analysis? Please note I said they HAD taken a step backward. Again, this was a case of Tessa and Scott finding their timing. The OG proved that they had made it back. The problem is that Charlie and Meryl have kept moving forward and have passed their training partners.

 

[Hikaru]

I like what Kurt Browning said about them during the Olympics: they're like watching an epic film. Speed, yes, precision, yes, but also they skate BIG. It's a very American way of dancing. Think MGM musicals, with their giant, extended dance numbers. It is not as precise as ballet --which is quintessentially European. It is more raw-seamed, more exuberant (ballet is nothing if not about precision and control). More, as Olympia said above, exhilarating. The thing is, both qualities (precision/control and a rawer exhilaration), when danced well, are equally valuable, equally moving. What I find annoying are people who think ONE way of dancing is the ONLY type of dancing that should be valued. Mikhail Baryshnikov was a great dancer. But then so was Bill Bojangles Robinson. Or the Mills Brothers. Or the corps de ballet at Covent Garden. I'm greedy. I enjoy both.

Of course they are after points. They're athletes in an athletic contest that is determined by points. They're not on stage in Lincoln Center. Then again, Virtue and Moir are equally after points. It's the name of the game. Really, it would be helpful if Voir fans would acknowledge that they are equally competitive, not some ethereal beings who just happen to grace an athletic competition now and then. Ice dancing may be dance, but it is dance as sport.

One of the other things that make Marlie so special is that they have pushed beyond their innate abilities. No one who has ever seen dance would deny that Virtue and Moir have more natural talent as dancers. But Marlie is the quintessential example of a team that have taken what dance talents they were naturally given and, through an enormous amount of hard work, improved them significantly. I find that very encouraging.

That's enough for a start.

this whole post deserves an standing ovation.

 

[Mrs. P]

Mr. P said something interesting to me shortly after he saw them in person at Skate America in 2012.

He said that when he sees Meryl and Charlie he is captivated by them regardless of the music they skate to. He explained that he doesn't always love the music they skate to, but he always likes how they skate to it.

It strikes to me to be such an odd statement because we're in a spot where the music can make or break a skater.

But the more I think about it, it makes sense. Ultimately, when people look back at the Olympics, I don't think it's so much the music the made the FD for Meryl and Charlie, but the skill, precision and power they put into that program.

And I didn't love the SD music for them, but I think more fondly about the lightness in their step and the joy they expressed during that SD. I think I'll remember that more than the music they used for it.

So I guess my husband is on to something.

 

[Olympia]

I like that description of them too, Mrs. P. I think it's their effervescence and quickness that I love as well. Tessa and Scott are more lyrical and fluid, more mysterious and subtle. Meryl and Charlie are quicksilver and sunlit. I that this quality of Meryl and Charlie's first really leaped out at me with their De Fledermaus dance, which perfectly evoked the frothy, buoyant atmosphere of Vienna during its golden age.

I still can't believe our good luck that we have had two such astonishing couples to enjoy at one time.

 

[slider11]

I think the special qualities that Meryl and Charlie hold are their commitment and hard work. Sure, they have the talent, a phenomenal coach who studies the point system and understands how to make the most of a team. But they strike me as very smart folks who not only surround themselves with the right people but put in all the hard work that's necessary to achieve at this level. As someone smart said, genius is 10 % inspiration and 90% perspiration.

 

[WeakAnkles]

I like that description of them too, Mrs. P. I think it's their effervescence and quickness that I love as well. Tessa and Scott are more lyrical and fluid, more mysterious and subtle. Meryl and Charlie are quicksilver and sunlit. I that this quality of Meryl and Charlie's first really leaped out at me with their De Fledermaus dance, which perfectly evoked the frothy, buoyant atmosphere of Vienna during its golden age.

I still can't believe our good luck that we have had two such astonishing couples to enjoy at one time.

Back in the 80s/90s, I thought we were in the middle of a golden age for American cartoons: Doonesbury, The Far Side, Calvin and Hobbes, early Dilbert, Bloom County, Peanuts still going strong. Lucky time then too.

Thank you for the compliment, Hikaru. Awwwwwww... :

I'm sorry if you feel I was being condescending, golden411. I'm as much a fan of Voir as I am as Marlie, but I am not a fan of certain Voir supporters with the attitude I mentioned, the same way I am not a fan of Marlie supporters who do nothing but harp on mistakes made by Voir in competitions. As Olympia said, we're astonishingly lucky to have lived through and enjoyed one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports history.

 

[ice coverage]

Thx for your response, WeakAnkles. Agree that the rivalry between Virtue/Moir and Davis/White is a great one. And I like how each couple gives credit to the other for contributing to their success.

 

[WeakAnkles]

You're welcome. I'm still missing Far Side and Calvin and Hobbes, so I know I'm going to be, in one respect, a sad puppy next year without that rivalry. Oh for the days of the Pro Circuit!

How could you not miss something like this?
http://tr.pinterest.com/pin/550142910700834518/

LOL!

 

[gmyers]

It was their speed on ice too a lot of people but they were too fast for me most of the time! Just Slow down and breathe! LOL!