Charlie White And Meryl Davis Discuss DWTS, Disney Week, And More With TV Guide
What a great new interview with Charlie White and Meryl Davis! They talk about the Switch Up dance on Dancing With The Stars last week, the competition, what it’s like competing against each other, and the new Stars On Ice Tour. They also give a little sneak peek into tonight’s dances on Dancing With The Stars. From TV Guide….
Is it odd to be going up against each other?
White: For Meryl and myself, it just really feels like we’re in it together still. I don’t know what it would take [for us to] actually be competing against each other. At this point, coming off of winning the Olympics … we just have a different mindset coming in. We feel like we’re doing a lot of this together. And in fact, we are. Right now we’re sitting in a car together and we’re traveling all over the country together and learning these steps, and we’re on the same journey together. Our approach to everything is really just about self-improvement. It’s not so much about competing against other people. That’s how it was on the ice, and that’s how it is on the ballroom floor. So, in that sense, we feel like we have each other’s support, and I think that makes it a lot easier.
Davis: It’s hard to explain. I guess technically speaking, we are competing against each other, but it couldn’t feel further from that. We’ve been on this incredible journey together for 17 years, and our interests have been aligned almost our entire lives, so we just have this team mentality. We have this natural support for one another that has been formed over such a long period of time, and in this circumstance, I feel like we’re supportive of one another. We are having fun together. We really feel like we’re in it together.Charlie, Erin Andrews told me last week that she feels like your personality is starting to come out more. Are you getting more comfortable in the ballroom?
White: It’s tough, with the change of dance, to get some consistency. But at the same time, I definitely do feel like I’m a lot more comfortable week to week. I do think it’s showing, and that’s super sweet of Erin to say. With the jive definitely, it was fun, and that is sort of my personality. That’s what I like to bring to everyday life, and not just the dance floor. Being able to sort of have that translate into a dance was special.What are you working on for this week?
White: This week is Disney week. I can’t tell you the song, but we’re doing jazz. I think the whole Disney thing is about cheerfulness, and so much of it for me and for a lot of the other dancers is sort of connecting with your childhood and what made you so happy back then. I think it’s going to be a very fun and funny week that everyone should look forward to.
Davis: Maks and I will be dancing a samba. I’m excited to get going with it. … I think it’s going to be a fun week.
More at TV Guide.
I love Charlie and Meryl so much! They are incredible athletes in their sport and such good people! I want them to do well on the show and am rooting for both of them.
They probably won’t ever feel competitive against each other but will root for the other to make it through each week until they make it to the final 4. Then they will do their best to get the highest scores and let the voters decide.
It will be interesting to see how the season pans out. I am splitting votes between the two right now.
I cannot wait for tonight! This will be the first time that I am excited for every single dance!!!!
Love both Meryl and Charlie but as long as Amy is dancing, she will get every vote I have. Amy represents so much more than just dancing and for her to dance like she does is beyond amazing. I would give the MBT to Amy if I could because she represents what DWTS is all about. Go Amy!
There was one interview last week where Charlie was like “I don’t care that I didn’t get 10s, whatever, but how did Meryl not get all 10s?!” I love that there’s a lot of that camaraderie this season between contestants, not just Meryl and Charlie. Sure, NeNe is a little sassy, but so far it really does seem like the celebs are all supportive of each other. For me, that makes better TV than petty rivalries and unnecessary drama.
I wish the producers would realize that many viewers love to watch the friendships develop among the stars, etc. It enables the viewer to feel like they are actually seeing the “real” person w/in the stars.
Heart, you do realize splitting votes is a dangerous thing, right? If a lot of Davis/White fans are doing the same thing, chances are one of them could get caught in a “shocking elimination”. If they avoid that and end up in the finals, splitting votes between them is a good way to make sure neither of them wins the season.
Della, while I love Amy and think she is a legitimate contender for the trophy, it’s really just *your opinion* that “she represents what DWTS is all about”. For me there is no one type of celeb that represents what the show is about. I feel everyone (ringer, non-dancer, comedian, actor, singer, athlete, reality personality) contributes to making the show work, and they all have an equal right to the trophy if they can convince the judges and viewers that they should be the champion.
Hart I feel the same way as you do about Charlie and Meryl – just love them both and hard for me to decide between the two of them. I end up voting for the one whose dance I enjoyed the most on that particular night. I’m not sure if that’s the same as splitting my votes, but it’s just the way I do it. I certainly do not want either of them to leave us in a shocking elimination. Maybe the better thing would be to make my choice and stick with it. Hard as that would be for me.
That being said I think this season has just been enjoyable to me for so many reasons. Normally I just have one celeb that I end up liking the best and stick with that person. This season I think we have more talent to choose from and at this point I don’t want to see anyone go. James as an example was a surprise to me and I think in any other season he may have been the one I might have decided to cast my votes for. Unfortunately, I like Charlie and Meryl more.
Cidra I love what you said regarding Amy in Post #5. I agree while I love her and she is truly an inspiration I don’t think she represents what DWTS is all about any more or any less then the others on the show. They as a group contribute to make the show work. Each and everyone of them have an equal right to the trophy and to win the viewers as well as the judges over. Many of us may end up having different favorites as we are all different people with different opinions about what draws us to whoever we do. I don’t have the gift of writing that you do, but just want you to know I really liked what you said and how you said it.
Yeah, I think Amy is in a category all her own on DWTS. Drew and Candace are also what DWTS is all about.
Gail, thanks for the compliment; and in my opinion, you express yourself very well. ๐
Picking a favorite is hard this season. Like you, James has really grown on me. I didn’t have any expectations for him and wasn’t all that impressed Week 1, but aas the weeks go on, I’m finding him very engaging and he’s coming along nicely as a dancer.
We’d have to get PH to weigh in on whether voting for Charlie one week and Meryl another is vote splitting. Of course, in the strictest sense, it is; but I couldn’t say if it exposes them to more, less, or the same risk of going home than if you split votes between them on the same night.
I know, Cidra, that splitting votes is dangerous, but I thought that since there are so many people left in the competition, it would be okay for right now? I can’t choose at this point and I am not looking forward to the day when I will have to.
This is the first time that I’ve invested in voting strategy for DWTS where there is maximum number of votes, so I’m not sure what I should do if I have two favorites?
Depends on the week, Cidra, and how everyone else is doing. I am of the school of thought that says ALWAYS vote for your favorite, regardless. Do anything else and you run the risk of a shocking elimination. If Charlie is towards the bottom of the pack and you don’t want him to leave, and Meryl is at the very top?? Well, what if all the skating fans are thinking the same way?? Shocking elimination of Meryl possibility.
It’s always a risk having two favorites. But up until a normal week 6 or so, you are probably safe doing it that way. Maybe. ๐
Heart, glad you understand, have calculated the risks, and have a voting strategy. There’s always the risk of a “shocking elim”, but barring that the rationale behind your current strategy might carry you for a couple more weeks. LOL, do we sound obsessed discussing voting strategy for a TV show?
Maybe PH has some sage advice to offer, but all I can say (with *no* pun intended) is I think you have to follow your heart ๐ To do otherwise is to make yourself miserable when you should just be enjoying watching Meryl, Charlie and their pros dance.
Hah! PH and I were responding at the same time, and woo-hoo it looks like I’ve actually remembered some of the lessons she’s been trying to beat into our heads for ages.