Davis and White: ice dancing, with an accent on the “dancing”
Ice dancing is a funny sport. Even more than other types of ice skating, it accentuates the showbiz aspects and plays down the athleticism—although just try it yourself for a moment and you’ll see how much of the latter is involved.
Much of it is too showbiz and over-the-top for me. But I watched the ice dancing competition at last night’s Olympics, and one couple stood out among the rest: the eventual winners of the silver medal, Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White. The duo has an unusual balance of flair and strength, with some real artistry thrown in. Their synchrony, flow, speed, power, and the emotion they conveyed were glorious things to watch.
The Byronic White is especially mesmerizing. With most ice dance couples it’s the woman who draws the eye. But I can’t take mine off White. Perhaps it’s his hair (shades of the 60s) waving in the breeze. But I don’t think so. He conveys the intensity of a Nureyev along with something Nureyev never had—the ability to present his partner and complement her perfectly, and to act as though he really is in love with her (to me, Nureyev always made it seem as though he was mostly in love with himself).
Here’s a clip of an earlier rendition of the same performance that so impressed me. Notice especially the fast part that begins at 3:50 and last for about a minute. I think this is the closest humans can come to flying under their own power:
All ice dancing couples have be musical, but White and Davis seem especially so. Compliments to the choreographer as well. Ice skaters usually need to chop up the music in their programs in order to have the requisite variety of slow and fast, and this program is no exception. But so often the music seems an afterthought, a sort of spliced-in accompaniment for the steps. White and Davis use their music fully, and express it so masterfully that (even though I’m not a “Phantom” fan) I was taken in by the sheer romance and lyricism of it all.
White and Davis have been skating together since the ages of 8 and 9. He also has been an ice hockey player, who played on some championship teams. I think that may be where he gets his sweep and power, the feeling of absolute freedom and ease. And here’s a video that shows how good they were even as little tykes:
Yes, they were very good from an early age. Their hard work has paid off.
I can appreciate the skill and talent. It just doesn’t strike me as an olympic sport. How long before synchronised ice carving with a chainsaw to music?:)
I have long been a fan of figure skating, as I once was involved with a figure skater who familiarized me with the difficulty, discipline, and sacrifice involved.
The Ice Dancing has evolved quite a bit from the 1984 Winter Olympics when Torvil and Dean performed their gold medal pefomance to Ravel’s Bolero. IMO, I have not seen another ice dance performance that was as truly otherworldly in its beauty and feeling. But that may be just my old codgerliness.
I enjoyed all the top six finishers skates. They all skated near perfect performances, which meant the best couple (if you trust the judges) won. While I thought Davis and White were outstanding, the Canadian couple, Tessa Virtue (what a name!) and Scott Moir, were just a tad better and deserved the gold.
Great winter games in spite of the warmish weather. The U.S. Team has done an outstanding job after so many past years of middling results.
Not much of a fan of figure skating, but I still watch occasionally, because I am a fan of pretty girls doing things gracefully.
J.J.: I thought the Canadian couple were boring. But perhaps I’m in the minority there.
Neo
That last comment is interesting. You seem to be enthralled by the “flair and strength”. However, ice dance is much more than that.
I had a daughter who ice danced at the Canadian Junior competition level. I once commented to her after a training session, how I was impressed by the sounds of the skates carving out the turns etc. She told me that the best skaters skates make no sounds – that was a sign of perfect edges.
Davis and White were very, very good last night and I very much enjoyed their program. They have a very bright future ahead of them. I will enjoy watching them compete against their very good friends Virtue and Moir and they will win their share of competitions. Last night however, Virtue and Moir were, as the NBC women commentator said “exquisite”.
Take it from an ex ice dancers dad. There is much more to ice dance than “flair and strength with some real artistry thrown in”.
i just watched the canadian gold medalists. the choice of music was kind of dull (mahler) but the dude scott moir – wow. i was impressed by his performance, not a wobble anywhere. so yes a bit more excitement in their routine would have been nice but scott moir is a great skater.
earlier, i was glad to see evan lysacek won gold in the men’s single. i have been following his career since torino in 2006. if its not too geeky to admit that i follow figure skating…. lol
SteveWH: of course, I know next to nothing about the technical aspects of ice dancing. I’m simply writing about my preferences. I hold myself out to be no sort of ice dancing expert whatsoever.
However, I believe I explained that quite a bit more than “flair and strength” appealed to me with Davis and White. In addition, since they got the silver, they were obviously only a slight amount behind the winners on all the aspects involved in the sport. But to my taste the gold medalists were somewhat dull and stiff in comparison. And this despite the fact that the Gold medalists were somewhat more balletic in their presentation (and it’s ballet that’s my field of expertise).
Neo:
Here is a comment from a reviewer which sums up the differences:
Virtue and Moir’s program was tender and sensual, like a married couple stealing away for a romantic evening. Their gentle, slow start showcased their skating skills, their edges so quiet and smooth they appeared to float above the ice. Make no mistake, though, there was plenty of strength behind that softness.
“They had as much power and speed as the hockey players Moir admires so much, but it was performed with balletic grace. Their combination spin seemed to go on forever, with many different positions and edge changes.
And their lifts, oh my. Virtue looked almost angelic on one, balancing on his right thigh with her arms outstretched while he stayed in a deep-knee, spread-eagle bend before she flipped forward and into his arms.
While Virtue and Moir were all softness and grace, Davis and White’s “Phantom of the Opera” was big and bold, as powerful as any Broadway production. They skated perfectly to the music, flying across the ice in the fast parts and oozing romance when it slowed.
Their lifts were akin to stunts, done at breakneck speed yet with perfect control. In one, White flipped Davis over his shoulder so she faced the opposite direction. Then, skating backward on one leg, he picked up the other and crossed it behind him, using it to balance his partner. With her arms stretched out wide, that crossed leg was the only thing keeping her from plunging to the ice.”
It will be interesting to see what the future brings. Perhaps a reversal in style from time to time?
I’m a little ashamed of myself, but I found myself dying to know what their true relationship is. The background piece seemed to edge delicately around that question.
They were thrilling to watch, but it’s hard for me to fully accept ice-dancing. Somehow the fact that they’re wearing skates makes the moments of high drama seem slightly ridiculous.
mizpants: I wondered about that, too. From a little bit of Googling, I got the impression they are not a couple off the ice, but that he has been linked in the past with another female ice dancer.
It’s clear to me that ice dancing takes an extraordinary amount of athletic ability, no quibbles there.
But curling? Now THAT’S an unusual “sport.” It just doesn’t look that difficult! Nor does the sweeping part 🙂
This reminds me of an ice dancing pair I used to see in my childhood, a pair my mother loved, called The Old Smoothies. I can’t find them on google, but maybe I haven’t looked hard enough. I can’t recall whether they were Olympic competitors or whether they were members of the Ice Capades, which we went to see in Pittsburgh in my childhood. Anyway, this post struck a fairly deep chord.
Thanks, Neo!
And of course one loves Torville & Dean.
I loved both performances, but the Canadian team seemed to love their country more, and I was glad that they won. Wouldn’t have wanted to miss Moir showing his medal to the crowd and belting out O Canada! as the flags were raised.
Tarragon Rose, if you have followed the Olympics very much, you are aware that Canada seems to have staked its national mental health on the outcome of certain sports. Ice dancing being one.
My wife favored Virtue and Moir, but I really liked Davis and White. I thought their performance was really bold and strong. Also perfectly executed. Both couples really stepped up in crunch time, so to speak. Always a treat to see an athlete or performer do that. I confess that my wife sort of shangied me into watching last night, and I was glad she did.
White captured me because he just seemed so relaxed and laid back about the whole thing–when he wasn’t on the ice. Maybe a pretense; but if so, well done. Charming in a mileu in which, along with figure skating, nerves seem like bow strings.
One comment. I thought our male figure skating champion, and I wish I could write his name, was perhaps the most gracious and humble winner I have ever witnessed in any sport. His demeanor just actcentuated the boorishness of the Russian.
I actually completely missed the last couple of winter Olympics so I can’t say I follow anything very much! But I completely agree about Evan Lysachek (sp?). He just seemed to handle himself superbly in interviews as well as on the ice.
The Canadians and Americans were wonderful, and their skating styles were so different, and also showed the difference in cultures. It was fascinating. The Americans were brash, and bold and exhuberant. The Canadians were more restrained, and detailed and classical, more European. I loved both performances. Especially U.S. skater Charlie White. Wow. What charisma and musicality, I couldn’t keep my eyes off of him, a skater like that sure doesn’t come along very often. Both teams were truly inspiring. I do think the Americans’ poor choice of music, did not help them. “Phantom of the Opera?” yikes, that is painful to listen to. And European judges do not like Andrew Lloyd Weber. Still, the U.S. team seemed to LOVE skating to Phantom, and I guess that’s the most important thing. They really connected to it. But both teams were so close going into the free skate, and when I heard the opening chords of “Phantom” I thought “uh oh”. Still it was a wonderful night of skating, and a terrific night of great sportsmanship, which is what the Olympics are supposed to be about. Go Ice Dancing!
Thank you, Neo, for giving me such a wonderful start to my day.
> Ice dancing is a funny sport.
It’s not really a sport. It’s athletic, and it certainly involves talent, but it’s not a sport.
Sport does not depend on “opinion” (there’s always minor “refereeing” controversies, but that’s not the same thing) of judges as to “who wins”. Put in a different set of judges, and the results may well be entirely different. For sport, the winner and loser is less subject to interpretation.
Oldflyer : “…boorishness of the Russian”
If you only knew HOW boorish!
I read the outraged interviews he gave to various sports media; the guy is going to sue the the judges, I think.
Also, his fans are beside themselves (Russian fans I mean). One of them said (in her LJ) something like “he is a genius, and even pauses and hesitation from a genius are of a higher plane and have to be watched with baited breath. How dared they!!!”
Tatyana: I find the guy not just boorish, but boring—an ungraceful and klunky sort of skater.
Just a note to say thank you for bring my wife and I a few moments of enchantment. I agree with your appreciative comments. We actually surfed their videos for a couple of hours with great enjoyment. Just a note a lot of the intelligentsia hold their noses when it comes to Andrew Lloyd Webber but then I suppose atonal discords are more post-modernistic. Anyway, thanks again, David
Dancing seems more about sex than athletics. I cannot help but wonder if the fascination with White is just that he is a handsome guy.
Steve: dancing is definitely about both sex and athletics—and dancing. And it doesn’t hurt to be handsome (or beautiful)—not at all. But this is not about handsome, it’s about the way the guy moves and what he expresses through that movement. Just look at the first few seconds of the program in that first video and I think you’ll see what I mean.
Neo: in this corner of the Olympics I prefer straight figure skating to dancing. I don’t think I even watched it this time, so can’t form an opinion of Pluschenko’ style.
But the fanaticism in equaling victory or failure of athletes with National Tragedy demonstrated by Russian blogs is quite ridiculous. And what they say now, when hockey team is out of duration, is beyond printable!
Thanks for GREAT note, neo. In Slovakia, we have to get up at 6am to watch (Slovaks beating the Russians in Ice Hockey! yeah!), but I don’t, usually.
Really fantastic skating — it would have been great dancing as just dancing.
SteveWH’s review was spot on for Davis & White, but I didn’t see the gold performance. (Neo, an embed or link for easy quick comparison would be nice).
I noticed in the score that their tech 49 was a bit lower, so maybe there were small ‘quiet skate’ issues I don’t even know enough to look for.
Nobody’s mentioning that while Davis is lovely, her costume was only elegant. White’s hair was flashier than her costume.
I too was bored with the Canadians’ free skate. I thought Davis and White should have won. But the Russians’ original skate was awful — I’m glad they didn’t do better than a bronze.
Mr. White,
I am the Mother of SGT Adam James Ray. Adam was a fantastic Son and loved serving his Country. He was fierce plus courageous yet gentle plus loving to all he met. Adam was KIA 2-9-10 in Southern Afghanistan at the Helmond region by an IED. Even in his last moments he was considering the other鯿½s welfare. Thank you for a service plus courage. I am encouraged in my grief by your good gift of your talent to honor the Fallen. God Bless We Ron White!
Donna Ray