Charlie White: American figure skater and dancer

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:41

Charlie White is an American professional figure skater and dancer who has paired with Meryl Davis since 1997.

The main achievements of the dance duo Charlie/Davis during their entire career

Together they are 2014 Olympic champions, 2010 Olympic silver medalists, two-time world champions (in 2011 and 2013), five-time Grand Prix champions (between 2009 and 2013), three-time intercontinental champions (in 2009, 2011 and 2013) and six-time United States Champions (between 2009 and 2014). In addition to the above, Charlie White and Meryl Davis are also bronze medalists in the team event at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

This dance couple is currently the longest running team in the United States of America in this sport. These are the first American dancers who managed to win many titles, both world and Olympic. At the NKH Trophy 2006 (stage of the Grand Prix Figure Skating season 2006/07), they became the first ice dance team to receive the highest scores in all their elements.

Biography

Charlie White was born on October 24, 1987. Place of Birth:City of Royal Oak (Michigan, United States of America). From childhood, he revealed himself as a creative person: in kindergarten, Charlie began to play the violin, during his school years he began to get involved in poetry, and already as a student he was one of the main activists. In 2005, White entered the University of Michigan in the political science department. Here he played hockey for the student team and took part in the state championship. Charlie currently lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. April 25, 2015 married Canadian dancer Tanith Belbin.

Early career

Started skating at the age of five. Initially competed as a solo skater and ice dancer. As a single skater, he won a bronze medal at the 2004 United States of America Junior Championships. At the end of the 2005/06 season, Charlie White quit figure skating, began to hone his skills for performances in the ice dancing genre.

At the age of seven, the guy started dancing on ice. In 1997, when White was 10 years old, he met his dance partner Meryl Davis. Since that time, they have not parted - they trained together, went to competitions together, achieved success together, and again, rejoiced at this success together.

In their first season of dancing, Charlie and Davis achieved silver medal level at the Youth Olympic Games in the under 16 category. In the 2000/01 season they qualified for the 2001 United States Championship finishing sixth as rookies. ATthe following season in this category, they won silver medals, and only then moved to the junior level. By the way, at the Junior Grand Prix they never managed to reach prizes, and at the 2002 US Championships they took seventh place.

Junior career

In the 2003/04 season, Davis and White became champions of the Championship Section, and a few months later won the silver medal in the junior league of the US Championship. These achievements secured them a spot at the Junior World Championships, where they finished 13th.

In the 2004/05 season, the dancing couple won two bronze medals in the ISU Junior Grand Prix series. In the middle of the season, Charlie White suffers a serious ankle injury, which forced them to put their skates aside for the next six months. Despite this, the pair achieved impressive results the following year: a silver in the final of the Junior Grand Prix, a triumph at the US Championships and bronze medals in the World Junior Championship.

Professional careers of Charlie White and Meryl Davis

Davis and White made their professional senior league debuts in the 2006/07 season, both nationally and internationally. At the 2007 United States of America Championships, they won a bronze medal, placed 4th at the Four Continents Tournament, and 7th at the World Championships. At the 2006-2007 NKH Trophy Grand Prix, they became the first couple to earn all four levels in their dance elements.

In the 2007/08 season, the couple achieved the following results: second place in the UnitedStates of America, 2nd in the Four Continents Championships and 6th in the World Championships. The following season, Charlie and Davis got their debut gold in the Grand Prix and took 3rd place in the Cup of Russia tournament. Also, 2009 was remembered for the fact that this sweet couple took first place in the national championship, but it is worth noting that then the tournament was held without the participation of the eternal leaders - the couple Tanith Belbin (White's future wife) and Benjamin Agosto.

The king and queen of the glacial arena - the greatness of the pair of figure skaters Charlie/Davis

In subsequent seasons of ice dancing, Charlie and Davis permanently took high prizes, they were already established stars that the whole world knew. From 2009 to 2013 they won gold at the Grand Prix, and from 2009 to 2014 they were six-time champions of the national tournament. Also, this couple conquered the ice arena at the Winter Olympics - in 2014 they took home gold, and in 2010 they were awarded silver. The repertoire of this duet includes more than 50 ready-made dance compositions to various music (often legendaryly known). During their careers, Charlie and Davis have managed to win more than 80 awards and medals (about a third only gold).

Retirement

In February 2017, figure skaters Charlie White and Meryl Davis officially announced their retirement from dancing. The legendary ice dancers have vowed that they will no longer enter the arena as a competing couple. Currently, Charlie continues to perform at "ice parties" asexclusive guest, and occasionally appears on television commentating on the adult ice dance league.