Meryl Davis is competing in the Winter Olympics 2010 in Vancouver in figure skating.
With partner Charlie White, who grew up five minutes away, Meryl Davis finished fourth at the 2009 Worlds in what they call their breakthrough season. Both Meryl Davis and Charlie White are University of Michigan juniors and Michigan football fans. Member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority, she has been skating with Charlie for more than 13 years and credits him with helping her to overcome her shyness.
Career
Two-time U.S. Champions
2009-10 Music
Original Dance: Selection of Indian music (middle section is from the Bollywood film Devdas)
Free Dance:" Phantom of the Opera" by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Meryl Davis and Charlie White had a stellar season in 2010, winning every event they entered including the U.S. title over 2006 Olympic silver medalists Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto.
Davis and White's Indian-themed original dance is a hit on YouTube; the majority of the 250,000+ views are from the subcontinent. Inspired by a scarf she saw in an Hermes catalogue, choreographer and coach Marina Zoueva, with the help of an ethnic Indian dancer helped create the program. Davis and her mother picked out the fabric for her costume.
Davis and White missed winning their first world championships medal by four hundredths of a point, finishing behind training mates, Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir. Davis and White had the crowd behind them, receiving a standing ovation before they hit their ending pose. After their marks were announced, the audience booed in disapproval. Later, their coaches said that after the competition, judges told them that they believed Davis and White should have placed higher.
Growing up about five minutes from each other in the suburban Detroit community of Bloomfield, Michigan, both Davis and White began skating at age five because their mothers didn't want them to embarrass themselves when they went skating with friends - Davis lived on a lake and White wanted to play hockey. White's coach paired them together when they were "seven or eight years old," and though it took them a few years to actually speak to each other, they've stayed together for around 13 years - a lifetime in the sport. Davis credits White with helping her to come out of her shell; she was so shy in the beginning that their coach threatened to put a sticker on White's face so Davis would have something to focus on, because she wouldn't look into White's eyes. They're now good friends off the ice, and their families have come together as well; parents, siblings, cousins, "I know everyone," Davis jokes.
Davis and White are used to what they call the pre-Olympic bustle around the rink. During the lead-up to Nagano in 1998, they watched Tara Lipinski and Todd Eldridge. Later, they watched Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto prepare for Torino.
Davis and White's mothers play a large role in designing their costumes. "They take the initiative," Davis explains. "They have a lot of experience, 13 years. It works pretty well for us. They do their jobs well." White says that he stays out of the process. "Whatever anyone else wants to put me in," he says. "I'll wear whatever at this point.
Both Davis and White are part-time students at the University of Michigan. Davis is majoring in anthropology and minoring in Italian and says that she'd love to work for National Geographic one day. A Delta Delta Delta, Davis lives in the sorority house with about 60 other girls. White, who lives in an off-campus apartment with several other skaters (including Evan Bates, who also competed in ice dance at the 2009 worlds), isn't sure what he wants to do, but "definitely not figure skating," he says. "I want to have a life, just something else," he says. "Maybe go to law school and see where that would take me."
White, who names the Detroit Red Wings as a big inspiration in his life, plays hockey, and last year went to an all-figure skaters hockey tournament in Canada. In 2005, he missed Nationals with a broken ankle, so he says he's trying to stay away from pick-up games this year; he doesn't want to get injured again. Davis is also a big Detroit sports fan, cheering on the Detroit Pistons.
With partner Charlie White, who grew up five minutes away, Meryl Davis finished fourth at the 2009 Worlds in what they call their breakthrough season. Both Meryl Davis and Charlie White are University of Michigan juniors and Michigan football fans. Member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority, she has been skating with Charlie for more than 13 years and credits him with helping her to overcome her shyness.
Career
Highlights
Two-time U.S. Champions
2009-10 Music
Original Dance: Selection of Indian music (middle section is from the Bollywood film Devdas)
Free Dance:" Phantom of the Opera" by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Meryl Davis and Charlie White had a stellar season in 2010, winning every event they entered including the U.S. title over 2006 Olympic silver medalists Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto.
Davis and White's Indian-themed original dance is a hit on YouTube; the majority of the 250,000+ views are from the subcontinent. Inspired by a scarf she saw in an Hermes catalogue, choreographer and coach Marina Zoueva, with the help of an ethnic Indian dancer helped create the program. Davis and her mother picked out the fabric for her costume.
Davis and White missed winning their first world championships medal by four hundredths of a point, finishing behind training mates, Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir. Davis and White had the crowd behind them, receiving a standing ovation before they hit their ending pose. After their marks were announced, the audience booed in disapproval. Later, their coaches said that after the competition, judges told them that they believed Davis and White should have placed higher.
Growing up about five minutes from each other in the suburban Detroit community of Bloomfield, Michigan, both Davis and White began skating at age five because their mothers didn't want them to embarrass themselves when they went skating with friends - Davis lived on a lake and White wanted to play hockey. White's coach paired them together when they were "seven or eight years old," and though it took them a few years to actually speak to each other, they've stayed together for around 13 years - a lifetime in the sport. Davis credits White with helping her to come out of her shell; she was so shy in the beginning that their coach threatened to put a sticker on White's face so Davis would have something to focus on, because she wouldn't look into White's eyes. They're now good friends off the ice, and their families have come together as well; parents, siblings, cousins, "I know everyone," Davis jokes.
Davis and White are used to what they call the pre-Olympic bustle around the rink. During the lead-up to Nagano in 1998, they watched Tara Lipinski and Todd Eldridge. Later, they watched Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto prepare for Torino.
Davis and White's mothers play a large role in designing their costumes. "They take the initiative," Davis explains. "They have a lot of experience, 13 years. It works pretty well for us. They do their jobs well." White says that he stays out of the process. "Whatever anyone else wants to put me in," he says. "I'll wear whatever at this point.
Both Davis and White are part-time students at the University of Michigan. Davis is majoring in anthropology and minoring in Italian and says that she'd love to work for National Geographic one day. A Delta Delta Delta, Davis lives in the sorority house with about 60 other girls. White, who lives in an off-campus apartment with several other skaters (including Evan Bates, who also competed in ice dance at the 2009 worlds), isn't sure what he wants to do, but "definitely not figure skating," he says. "I want to have a life, just something else," he says. "Maybe go to law school and see where that would take me."
White, who names the Detroit Red Wings as a big inspiration in his life, plays hockey, and last year went to an all-figure skaters hockey tournament in Canada. In 2005, he missed Nationals with a broken ankle, so he says he's trying to stay away from pick-up games this year; he doesn't want to get injured again. Davis is also a big Detroit sports fan, cheering on the Detroit Pistons.
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