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Meryl Davis
Meryl Davis and Charlie White - World Champions 2013 (retouched).jpg
Davis and White at the 2013 World Championships
Personal information
Country represented  United States
Born (1987-01-01) January 1, 1987 (age 37)
Royal Oak, Michigan
Home town Plymouth, Michigan
Height 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Began skating 1992
Retired February 23, 2017

Meryl Davis (born January 1, 1987) is an American former competitive ice dancer. With partner Charlie White, she is the 2014 Olympic champion, the 2010 Olympic silver medalist, a two-time (2011, 2013) World champion, five-time Grand Prix Final champion (2009–2013), three-time Four Continents champion (2009, 2011, 2013) and six-time U.S. national champion (2009–2014). They also won a bronze medal in the team event at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Davis and White teamed up in 1997 and they are currently the longest lasting dance team in the United States. They are the first American ice dancers to win the World title, as well as the first Americans to win the Olympic title. At the 2006 NHK Trophy, they became the first ice dancing team to earn level fours on all their elements.

In 2014, Davis won the eighteenth season of Dancing with the Stars with partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

Personal life

Meryl Davis was born in Royal Oak, Michigan, and raised in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, the daughter of Cheryl and Paul D. Davis. She has one younger brother, Clayton. She is of English, Irish, Scottish and German descent. Her paternal grandmother was born in Regina, Saskatchewan. Davis has difficulty seeing out of her right eye and lacks depth perception. She was diagnosed with dyslexia in the third grade and she struggled with reading until the 11th grade. In June 2005, Davis graduated from Wylie E. Groves High School.

Davis previously lived in Birmingham, Michigan. She attended the University of Michigan, where she majored in cultural anthropology and also studied Italian. She was an active member of the sorority Delta Delta Delta and plays the flute. Davis joined UNICEF Kid Power as a brand ambassador in March 2016.

On July 13, 2017, Davis became engaged to former figure skater Fedor Andreev, whom she had been dating for over six years. They married in Provence, France, in June 2019.

Career

Early career

Davis began skating at age five on a local lake in the winter. Due to her vision problems, Davis often hugged the boards when she first started skating. She started out as a single skater, but began doing ice dance at age eight. She got as high as Midwestern sectionals in novice ladies before quitting singles to focus on ice dancing.

She was teamed up with Charlie White by her coach, Seth Chafetz, in 1997. In 2009, Davis said: "Charlie and I grew up 10 minutes apart from each other. Our parents are best friends. We've grown together and know each other so well."

In their first season together, Davis and White won the silver medal at the Junior Olympics in the Juvenile division. In 1999–00, they won gold at the Junior Olympics on the intermediate level. In the 2000–01 season, they qualified for the 2001 U.S. Championships, placing 6th as Novices. In 2001–02, they won the silver medal as novices and then moved up to the junior level. In the 2002–03 season, they did not win a medal at either of their two Junior Grand Prix assignments and placed 7th at the 2003 U.S. Championships in their junior debut.

Junior career

In the 2003–2004 season, Davis/White won their sectional championship and then won the junior silver medal at Nationals. This earned them a trip to the 2004 Junior Worlds, where they placed 13th.

In the 2004–2005 season, Davis/White won two bronze medals on the ISU Junior Grand Prix series. However, White broke his ankle before Sectionals and so Davis/White were unable to qualify for the 2005 U.S. Championships. Their season ended there.

In the 2005–2006 season, Davis/White medaled at both their Junior Grand Prix events and placed second at the Junior Grand Prix Final. They won the junior national title at the 2006 U.S. Championships and then won the bronze medal at the 2006 Junior Worlds. Following that season, Davis aged out of Juniors. They lost some training time after White broke his ankle at a hockey tournament in 2006.

Senior career

This section is transcluded from Davis and White #Senior career
Davis and White

Post-competitive career

Davis and White continue to perform together in ice shows. On February 23, 2017, they confirmed that they would not return to competition.

Programs

This section is transcluded from Davis and White #Programs
Davis and White

Competitive highlights

Ice dance with Charlie White

  • GP – Event of the ISU Grand Prix Series
  • JGP – Event of the ISU Junior Grand Prix Series
  • CS – Event of the ISU Challenger Series
  • Medals at team events are awarded for the team result only. Individual placements at team events are listed in parentheses.
Competition placements at senior level 
Season 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14
Winter Olympics 2nd 1st
Winter Olympics (Team event) 3rd
World Championships 7th 6th 4th 2nd 1st 2nd 1st
Four Continents Championships 4th 2nd 1st 1st 2nd 1st
Grand Prix Final 3rd 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st
U.S. Championships 3rd 2nd 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st
World Team Trophy 2nd
(1st)
GP NHK Trophy 4th 1st 1st 1st 1st
GP Rostelecom Cup 3rd 1st 1st
GP Skate America 4th 1st 1st 1st 1st
GP Skate Canada 4th 1st
GP Trophée Éric Bompard 3rd
Nebelhorn Trophy 1st
U.S. Classic 1st
Competition placements at junior level 
Season 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06
World Junior Championships 13th 3rd
Junior Grand Prix Final 2nd
U.S. Championships 7th 2nd 1st
JGP Andorra 2nd
JGP Bulgaria 1st
JGP Czech Republic 4th
JGP Germany 8th
JGP Japan 4th
JGP Romania 3rd
JGP Serbia 6th 3rd

Detailed results

Ice dance with Charlie White

ISU personal bests in the +3/-3 GOE system (from 2010–11) 
Segment Type Score Event
Total TSS 195.52 2014 Winter Olympics
Short dance TSS 78.89 2014 Winter Olympics
TES 39.72 2014 Winter Olympics
PCS 39.17 2014 Winter Olympics
Free dance TSS 116.63 2014 Winter Olympics
TES 57.50 2014 Winter Olympics
PCS 59.13 2014 Winter Olympics

Senior level

  • Small medals for the short program and free skating are only awarded at ISU Championships.
  • Medals at team events are awarded for the team result only. Individual placements at team events are listed in parentheses.
Results in the 2006–07 season 
Date Event CD OD FD Total
P Score P Score P Score P Score
Nov 3–5, 2006 Canada 2006 Skate Canada International 8 25.53 3 52.30 4 84.83 4 162.66
Dec 1–3, 2006 Japan 2006 NHK Trophy 4 29.98 4 52.86 4 86.65 4 169.49
Jan 21–28, 2007 United States 2007 U.S. Championships 2 36.18 4 54.72 3 93.21 3 184.11
Feb 7–10, 2007 United States 2007 Four Continents Championships 3 33.68 4 54.66 5 91.35 4 179.69
Mar 20–25, 2007 Japan 2007 World Championships 10 31.15 8 55.82 7 92.17 7 179.14
Results in the 2007–08 season 
Date Event CD OD FD Total
P Score P Score P Score P Score
Oct 26–28, 2007 United States 2007 Skate America 5 30.16 4 52.84 4 85.79 4 168.79
Nov 15–18, 2007 France 2007 Trophée Éric Bompard 4 31.74 3 55.25 3 89.22 3 176.21
Jan 20–27, 2008 United States 2008 U.S. Championships 2 40.59 2 62.69 2 103.54 2 206.82
Feb 11–17, 2008 South Korea 2008 Four Continents Championships 2 37.36 2 61.93 2 100.16 2 199.45
Mar 16–23, 2008 Sweden 2008 World Championships 7 34.80 7 60.36 6 96.03 6 191.19
Results in the 2008–09 season 
Date Event CD OD FD Total
P Score P Score P Score P Score
Oct 31 – Nov 2, 2008 Canada 2008 Skate Canada International 1 34.29 1 56.36 1 88.24 1 178.89
Nov 20–23, 2008 Russia 2008 Cup of Russia 3 35.77 8 43.68 2 91.16 3 170.61
Dec 10–14, 2008 South Korea 2008–09 Grand Prix Final – – 5 55.89 3 92.15 3 148.04
Jan 18–25, 2009 United States 2009 U.S. Championships 1 39.93 1 61.93 1 99.82 1 201.68
Feb 2–8, 2009 Canada 2009 Four Continents Championships 2 35.23 2 60.42 1 96.74 1 192.39
Mar 24–28, 2009 United States 2009 World Championships 4 37.73 3 62.60 3 100.03 4 200.36
Results in the 2009–10 season 
Date Event CD OD FD Total
P Score P Score P Score P Score
Sep 23–26, 2009 Germany Nebelhorn Trophy 1 37.62 1 62.08 1 100.76 1 200.46
Oct 22–25, 2009 Russia 2009 Rostelecom Cup 1 37.87 1 62.21 1 101.02 1 201.10
Nov 5–8, 2009 Japan 2009 NHK Trophy 1 38.09 1 63.09 1 100.79 1 201.97
Dec 3–6, 2009 Japan 2009–10 Grand Prix Final – – 1 65.80 2 103.64 1 169.44
Jan 14–24, 2010 United States 2010 U.S. Championships 1 45.42 1 68.11 1 108.76 1 222.29
Feb 14–27, 2010 Canada 2010 Winter Olympics 3 41.47 2 67.08 2 107.19 2 215.74
Mar 22–28, 2010 Italy 2010 World Championships 2 43.25 2 69.29 1 110.49 2 223.03
Results in the 2010–11 season 
Date Event SD FD Total
P Score P Score P Score
Oct 22–24, 2010 Japan 2010 NHK Trophy 1 66.97 1 98.24 1 165.21
Nov 12–14, 2010 United States 2010 Skate America 1 63.62 1 93.06 1 156.68
Dec 9–12, 2010 China 2010–11 Grand Prix Final 1 68.64 1 102.94 1 171.58
Jan 22–30, 2011 United States 2011 U.S. Championships 1 76.04 1 109.44 1 185.48
Feb 15–20, 2011 Taiwan 2011 Four Continents Championships 2 69.01 1 103.02 1 172.03
Apr 24 – May 1, 2011 Japan 2011 World Championships 2 73.76 1 111.51 1 185.27
Results in the 2011–12 season 
Date Event SD FD Total
P Score P Score P Score
Oct 21–23, 2011 United States 2011 Skate America 1 70.33 1 107.74 1 178.07
Nov 25–27, 2011 Russia 2011 Rostelecom Cup 1 69.94 1 109.12 1 179.06
Dec 8–11, 2011 Canada 2011–12 Grand Prix Final 1 76.17 2 112.38 1 188.55
Jan 22–29, 2012 United States 2012 U.S. Championships 1 76.89 1 114.65 1 191.54
Feb 7–12, 2012 United States 2012 Four Continents Championships 1 72.15 2 107.25 2 179.40
Mar 26 – Apr 1, 2012 France 2012 World Championships 2 70.98 2 107.64 2 178.62
Apr 19–22, 2012 Japan 2012 World Team Trophy 1 72.18 1 111.18 2 (1) 183.36
Results in the 2012–13 season 
Date Event SD FD Total
P Score P Score P Score
Oct 19–21, 2012 United States 2012 Skate America 1 71.39 1 104.98 1 176.28
Nov 23–25, 2012 Japan 2012 NHK Trophy 1 69.86 1 108.62 1 178.48
Dec 6–9, 2012 Russia 2012–13 Grand Prix Final 1 73.20 1 110.19 1 183.39
Jan 19–27, 2013 United States 2013 U.S. Championships 1 79.02 1 118.42 1 197.44
Feb 8–11, 2013 Japan 2013 Four Continents Championships 2 74.68 1 112.68 1 187.36
Mar 11–17, 2013 Canada 2013 World Championships 1 77.12 1 112.44 1 189.56
Results in the 2013–14 season 
Date Event SD FD Total
P Score P Score P Score
Sep 11–15, 2013 United States 2013 U.S International Classic 1 73.67 1 110.02 1 183.69
Oct 18–20, 2013 United States 2013 Skate America 1 75.70 1 112.53 1 188.23
Nov 8–10, 2013 Japan 2013 NHK Trophy 1 73.70 1 112.95 1 186.65
Dec 5–8, 2013 Japan 2013–14 Grand Prix Final 1 77.66 1 113.69 1 191.35
Jan 5–12, 2014 United States 2014 U.S. Championships 1 80.69 1 119.50 1 200.19
Feb 6–9, 2014 Russia 2014 Winter Olympics – Team event 1 75.98 1 114.34 3 –
Feb 6–22, 2014 Russia 2014 Winter Olympics 1 78.89 1 116.63 1 195.52

Junior level

Results in the 2002–03 season 
Date Event CD OD FD Total
P Score P Score P Score P Score
Sep 12–15, 2002 Serbia 2002 JGP Serbia 8 3.2 6 3.6 6 6.0 6 12.8
Oct 9–12, 2002 Germany 2002 JGP Germany 10 N/A 8 N/A 7 N/A 8 15.8
Jan 12–19, 2003 United States 2003 U.S. Championships (Junior) 7 N/A 7 N/A 6 N/A 7 12.8
Results in the 2003–04 season 
Date Event CD OD FD Total
P Score P Score P Score P Score
Oct 2–5, 2003 Czech Republic 2003 JGP Czech Republic 4 N/A 4 N/A 4 N/A 4 8.0
Oct 16–19, 2003 Japan 2003 JGP Japan 3 N/A 4 N/A 4 N/A 4 7.6
Jan 3–11, 2004 United States 2004 U.S. Championships (Junior) 2 N/A 2 N/A 2 N/A 2 4.0
Feb 29–Mar 7, 2004 Netherlands 2004 World Junior Championships 6 N/A 13 N/A 12 N/A 13 22.2
Results in the 2004–05 season 
Date Event CD OD FD Total
P Score P Score P Score P Score
Sep 22–25, 2004 Serbia 2004 JGP Serbia 3 34.32 3 52.05 3 78.20 3 164.57
Oct 12–17, 2004 Romania 2004 JGP Romania 3 34.40 2 52.12 3 75.68 3 162.20
Results in the 2005–06 season 
Date Event CD OD FD Total
P Score P Score P Score P Score
Sep 7–11, 2005 Andorra 2005 JGP Andorra 2 33.25 2 55.34 2 82.62 2 171.21
Sep 29–Oct 2, 2005 Bulgaria 2005 JGP Bulgaria 2 33.50 1 52.25 1 78.90 1 164.65
Nov 24–27, 2005 Czech Republic 2005–06 Junior Grand Prix Final 3 31.94 2 50.90 2 78.01 2 160.85
Jan 7–15, 2006 United States 2006 U.S. Championships (Junior) 1 35.35 1 58.06 1 85.45 1 178.86
Mar 6–12, 2006 Slovenia 2006 World Junior Championships 3 33.31 4 52.74 2 81.15 3 167.20

Dancing with the Stars

On March 4, 2014, Davis was announced as one of the contestants on the 18th season of Dancing with the Stars. She was paired with professional dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy. She competed against Charlie White, who was also cast to take part on the 18th season of the show. On May 20, 2014, Davis and Chmerkovskiy were declared the season's champions.

Meryl Davis - Dancing with the Stars (season 18)
Week Dance Music Judges' scores Total score Result
1 Cha-cha-cha "All Night" — Icona Pop 8 8 8 24 Safe
2 Swing "Big and Bad" — Big Bad Voodoo Daddy 8 9 8 25 Safe
3 Foxtrot "All of Me" — John Legend 10 9 10 39 Safe
4 Argentine tango "Too Close" — Alex Clare 10 9 10 39 Safe
5 Samba "I Wan'na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)" — Louis Prima 9 9 9 36 Safe
6 Tango "Feel So Close" — Calvin Harris 10 10 10 40 Safe
7 Salsa "Adrenalina" — Wisin, featuring Ricky Martin & Jennifer Lopez 10 9 10 39 Safe
Freestyle
(Team dance)		 "Livin' la Vida Loca — Ricky Martin 10 9 10 39
8 Rumba "Read All About It (Pt. III)" — Emeli Sandé 9 9 10 36 Safe
Samba
(Celebrity Dance Duel)		 "I Luh Ya Papi" — Jennifer Lopez, featuring French Montana 8 9 9 34
9 Jive "Hound Dog" — Elvis Presley 10 10 10 40 Safe
Viennese waltz "Just a Fool" — Christina Aguilera & Blake Shelton 10 10 10 40
10 Argentine tango "Montserrat" — Bajofondo 10 10 10 30 Winners
Freestyle "Latch (Acoustic)" — Sam Smith 10 10 10 30
Foxtrot &
Cha-cha-cha
(Fusion)		 "Glowing" — Nikki Williams 10 10 10 30

See also

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