For some unknown reason, we've lately escaped the couples jinx in the discipline of ice dancing. I don't know what cosmic grace has allowed us that escape, but I'm thrilled.
I analyzed this discrepancy in the other thread. But it's worth going into again. So why are the many factors seemingly at work against the US developing a top tier pair less applicable to US ice dancing?
Ice dancing is less reliant on and less sensitive to differences in size and growth. Not that the woman being smaller doesn't help in ice dancing, especially with the lift levels, but it's a lot easier to adjust to it in ice dancing. Thus, it's both easier to find and keep partners.
Ice dancing has less absolute skill barriers. Pairs requires a vast variety of skills (the most of all the figure skating disciplines, in my opinion), and some of them are just beyond the vast majority of people. Most skaters are never going to land triple jumps. A lot who do are never going to land them consistently. And if they can at one point, puberty can knock that right out. That alone can completely torpedo the international top tier potential of any pairs team. If one partner hits that wall, the team can wave world and Olympics medal hopes bye bye.
In other countries with more autocratic skating programs, very often they will pluck out a boy and a girl who are talented at singles skating and put them in a pair. In the US, if you're a skater who shows talent in singles, you might dabble in pairs, but you're going to focus on singles, where the money is (which is more important to US skaters). And as with any country, if a skater shows good ice aptitude, but hits that triple jump wall or can't handle those lifts or whatever else, why not try ice dancing?
And possibly the most important difference? Igor Shpilband! Let's face it, the US ice dancing program would not be making a peep without him. He has exactly the right experience, discipline and talent to mold all these skaters into great international competitors. We have no one like that in US pairs skating, it seems. John Nicks, who coached the last internationally dominant US pairs team, Randy and Tai, is either not working with any US pair team with much potential, or doesn't have the experience and skills to coach skaters for modern pair skating. All the negatives against US pair skating could be rendered moot if we had just one great coach (and supporting team). We don't seem to have one yet.
I think pairs require the most complex, diverse and often paradoxical skills and qualities in partners. This easily leads to mismatches, frustration and impatience that aren't ameliorated because under the US system it's every skater for her/himself. I think progress in ice dancing is a lot more likely to be convergent, with both partners advancing together. That minimizes the drama.
In conclusion, if the US wants to improve its pair program: dish out extra funding for pair teams to make up for the fact that pair prizes are not only lower, but have to be split among partners to encourage talented single skaters to go into pairs. Attract/kidnap a great pair coach.
Also, like Kira Korpi, she's good looking; from the instant I saw her I was thrown back to Carole Lombard (the love of Clark Gable's life). 
Good looks only help the sport, not hurt it (e.g. G&G). 
