Meryl Davis - US Figure Skating's Superstar

[Olympia]

t is a shame that Marlie will probably retire now, because I don't think they ever reached their full potential and I do think their DWTS experience would have made them even better ice dancers.

Yes, I think that this dance program very obviously showed the reason why D/W never been exciting and hot in the ice more than their great technique and perfectionism. The reason is Charlie. He is the dead fish outf of the 2. I cannot imagine where Meryl would have been gone with f.e. Scott Moir, Andrew Poje or even Poirer. Charlie is VERY good technically but unable to interpret anything else than "The prince in the Swanlake" or a little bit more modern version of it playing some musical role.
The Disneyworld like of style was not the mistake of Meryl or Zueva. That was because of the limits of Charlie.
I hope that this dance show made Charlie to understand and interpret something else, and than they can go to incredible hights.
Meryl's availability is unlimited. She is fantastic. Even ready to do some Bejart program or the most difficult theme of Bartók The Miraculous mandarin. It would be priceless.

Bejart! You are so clever! She suddenly reminded me of Marcia Haydee, a small firecracker of a dancer who partnered with Richard Cragun in the Stuttgart Ballet, I think. (John Cranko was the customary choreographer for them.) Yes, I think Meryl could expand to do stuff in that direction.

Here is a YT video of them. This kind of dancing explains why I am never tired of Romeo and Juliet. The problem is not that the music has been overused in skating. It's that the music has rarely been used to its fullness in skating. This is what it should look like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v8Bqu3gjF4

 

[desertskates]

What is wrong with you how rude and mean.Meryl is not the standard beauty yet she is beautiful.

Agreed. She is quite striking. Even my 92 year old grandpa perks up when she's on TV because she's "one hell of a woman".
From a girl's point of view, what's great about Meryl is her bone structure and the ability to pull off a variety of makeup looks.
Then we have all her drive and talent, and you've got a total package that most people will admire.
I wish her and Charlie the best as they move forward and decide how the next few years will play out for them.

 

[lmarie086]

Charlie is the dead fish?! Uhh, I think not. Just because he and Meryl don't have a super sensual connection does not make him a dead weight on the team. Is he somewhat limited in his expression? Perhaps, though he also broke out a bit on DWTS.

Back when they did the Eleanor Rigby FD, Dick Button said Meryl and Charlie had a sexual connection in the dance. And there indeed was a different energy in that performance than we've seen since, IMO. I think Charlie's loyalty to Tanith might limit him somewhat. But there is so much Meryl and Charlie can still explore outside of romantic themes. It's okay that that is not their strength.

(No matter how awesome Meryl is I don't think I would have enjoyed her with Scott. Scott's expression was what it was because of his connection with Tessa)

 

[Ladskater]

Don't forget Dancing with The Stars is judged by the American public..so kind of a "no brainer" they would vote for either Meryl or Charlie in the final - I am sure it would have been the same outcome for Charlie had he made it to the final. It Would have been interesting to see which way the votes went had they both been in the final. I am still not convinced that Meryl and Charlie have much chemistry on the ice. In fact, Meryl seemed to have more chemistry with Max. Maybe she will benefit from his instruction and translate that to the ice. Congrats to Meryl anyway, I was surprised she won, I really expected Charlie to win.

 

[Mathman]

Don't forget Dancing with The Stars is judged by the American public..so kind of a "no brainer" they would vote for either Meryl or Charlie in the final -

I don't think it is a no brainer at all. The American public is more than figure skating fans. Amy Purdy, a paralympian snow boarder, got second (Charlie got fifth). The fourth place finisher was in a boy band -- and he out-polled Meryl and everyone else in the vote for an encore performance in the final show.

 

[BlackPack]

I wouldn't say Charlie is a dead fish, but his range is limited. He is boyish and childlike with a slight dash of debonair.

Meryl is super-hot. Say what you will about Maks but he was able to bring out the sultry sexiness that others could not.

 

[buttermilk]

If Charlie didn't have enough votes to make it to fourth place, I don't think he had enough votes to harm Meryl in the final. There are quite a few indicators that Meryl basically ran away with the vote, which was not surprising to me. Female figure skaters appeal to the show's target female demographic, and with Maks whipping up drama and romance (or at least the trappings of it) it was like a perfect storm.

 

[dorispulaski]

Here's what Meryl's mom said about this sexier performance on the floor:

Reporter :But why didn’t it ever come out on skates?

Meryl's Mom: We asked her about that,” Cheryl Davis said. “She said, when on the ice, the technical is what is important. You have to have the technical score. You have to watch your edges. You have to have everything in the right place. You practice the same dance for a year. It gets to the point where it’s robotic. It’s the same dance, all year long.

“But this is more emotional. She can let herself go and she’s not as inhibited

The current structure of COP dance also was a contributing factor in Meryl not reaching her full potential as an emotional performer on ice.


I no longer wonder why I have often loved their first performances of new programs more than their more polished efforts later in the season.

 

[76olympics]

Here's what Meryl's mom said about this sexier performance on the floor:



The current structure of COP dance also was a contributing factor in Meryl not reaching her full potential as an emotional performer on ice.


I no longer wonder why I have often loved their first performances of new programs more than their more polished efforts later in the season.

Doris, you expressed my feelings here. I thought that I spent too much time in the 6.0 system, and it was only me. I actually started liking ice dance the best after COP because COP really seemed to homogenize pairs to me ( people doing spirals in five directions one after the other), but I do think the weight of the elements does take away a certain freedom in all of the disciplines.

It isn't worth it to do a simpler element in a breathtaking way, so skaters don't do scratch spins, etc.

 

[sky_fly20]

Unquestionably, Meryl Davis is US Figure Skating's "it" girl right now.

Olympic medals of every colour, including 2014 Olympic Champion, won everything in figure skating that there is to win with Charlie (they've won 27/32 competitions in the past 5 years ), countless talk shows, and now a huge victory on prime-time Dancing With the Stars making her more of a household name than she already was following her Olympic victory.

She's also has the most popularity online, with the MOST Twitter followers of any current US figure skater.

Anyone know what's next for her? Hollywood, maybe?

I like Meryl, she is gorgeous beauty, I love her Disney Princess look
but she isn't known for most Americans other than Dancing with the Stars, she doesn't have Gracie Gold's Hollywood connections

 

[tulosai]

Doris, you expressed my feelings here. I thought that I spent too much time in the 6.0 system, and it was only me. I actually started liking ice dance the best after COP because COP really seemed to homogenize pairs to me ( people doing spirals in five directions one after the other), but I do think the weight of the elements does take away a certain freedom in all of the disciplines.

It isn't worth it to do a simpler element in a breathtaking way, so skaters don't do scratch spins, etc.

It's hard with COP in dance in particular, because there is no denying on the one hand that it's been a real boon to dance. Unlike in the other disciplines, I actually think there's no or very little question that it has made results in dance fairER and more understandable than they were (while obviously politicking and 'intangibles' do still play their part). I also think that in ice dance more than in the other disciplines it's really contributed to a greater understanding of the elements among fans and what makes them difficult. At least the TES is also much more straightforward, too- if you are on the wrong edge at the wrong moment, boom! down a level! etc.

But like in the other disciplines, I do think it has also taken something away in many cases- maybe a freedom of expression and movement, it's hard to explain exactly. It's intangible.

 

[sky_fly20]

Gracie could only wish to have Meryl's popularity and Hollywood relevance

I beg to differ while Meryl now is known in DWS
Gracie still triumphs in Hollywood exposure, connections ( friends with Taylor Swift, Maggie Q etc.) and has many Endorsements
many young American skaters look up to Gracie

 

[TMC]

Overall, with all of the ridiculous nose and voice comments, I'm not sure why so many individuals feel the need to be so rude and not add to the real discussion at hand. I think that the OP of this thread intended for it to be a place to praise Meryl for her recent accomplishments and discuss what else she has the potential to do...

I agree. And now Charlie, too, is a dead fish. smh

 

[fleeting]

I like Meryl, she is gorgeous beauty, I love her Disney Princess look
but she isn't known for most Americans other than Dancing with the Stars, she doesn't have Gracie Gold's Hollywood connections

She and Charlie made every hugely watched morning/night show post-Sochi, and were voted best team at 'Best of the US' Awards. They even got to talk to Stephen Colbert, Charlie's favorite newscaster (as said on their website). They were invited to Elton John's Oscar viewing party. They met Stevie Wonder and Taylor Swift and likely many more. She has the biggest social media following of any US skater right now, excluding Johnny Weir. She leads the pack by miles. Not to mention prime time coverage weekly of how she's not only talented and hardworking, but also sweet and kind and totally not the horrible 'ice princess' some media outlets made her to be during Sochi? Her media exposure from DWTS is priceless.

Meryl and Charlie are the face of US figure skating right now. Just check the USFSA twitter.

(Hm, they're asking who we want from the skating contingent next on DWTS. I'd say Ashley - she'd certainly bring something interesting!)

 

[sky_fly20]

She and Charlie made every hugely watched morning/night show post-Sochi, and were voted best team at 'Best of the US' Awards. They even got to talk to Stephen Colbert, Charlie's favorite newscaster (as said on their website). They were invited to Elton John's Oscar viewing party. They met Stevie Wonder and Taylor Swift and likely many more. She has the biggest social media following of any US skater right now, excluding Johnny Weir. She leads the pack by miles. Not to mention prime time coverage weekly of how she's not only talented and hardworking, but also sweet and kind and totally not the horrible 'ice princess' some media outlets made her to be during Sochi? Her media exposure from DWTS is priceless.

Meryl and Charlie are the face of US figure skating right now. Just check the USFSA twitter.

(Hm, they're asking who we want from the skating contingent next of DWTS. I'd say Ashley - she'd certainly bring something interesting!)

Meryl is riding the post Olympics glory and the icing is exposure in DWTS
I'm saying overall, Gracie is more well known she is more known in the Hollywood circuit and has connections

 

[Mathman]

(Hm, they're asking who we want from the skating contingent next on DWTS. I'd say Ashley - she'd certainly bring something interesting!)

Girl: Madison Chock. Boy: Max Aaron. :yes:

 

[dorispulaski]

Ooo yes to Madison Chock!!!

 

[fleeting]

Madison seems so sweet and fun! I'd definitely like to see her more, especially since she tends to get overshadowed by Meryl and Maia in terms of social media stuff.

 

[Olympia]

The current structure of COP dance also was a contributing factor in Meryl not reaching her full potential as an emotional performer on ice.


I no longer wonder why I have often loved their first performances of new programs more than their more polished efforts later in the season.

That's interesting, and I do remember my first view of my favorite of D/W's programs, "Die Fledermaus," at SkateAmerica, and it did stand out to me in my memory. But today when I went back to watch that sublime program, the video I watched was the one from U.S. Nationals, which is much later in the season, and to me it seemed to sparkle just as much. Not that I'm arguing the point with you, but the champagne fizz was so apparent in this particular version of the program that I thought I'd bring it up.

Whatever it took to get Meryl to open up this other side of her that we've seen on DWTS, I'm so glad they had that chance. Dare we hope that we'll get to see that new dimension of Meryl and Charlie too in some form of skating, either competitive or pro? Maybe after they finish their vacation, they'll be able to think clearly about what they want to do for this season and the further future.

 

[Mathman]

http://www.freep.com/article/20140522/COL38/305220141/meryl-davis-dancing-with-the-stars-dwts

And I felt uncomfortable, even asking her about it.

“I apologize for saying this to you, her mom, but she looked so sexy,” I said.

This Detroit sports writer (Jeff Seidel) has done a wonderful job adding figure skating to his usual beat covering the Lions and Tigers and Red Wings (oh my). He is so respectful of the sport, has invested a lot of time developing professional contacts on the local skating scene, and -- as these two short sentences attest -- comes off as thoughtful, courteous, and even chivalrous. The print version of this article started on the first page of the sports section and continued for a full page inside.