Marlie on DWTS

Disclaimer: I haaate DWTS. I think it's in the running for the dumbest show on TV. So I don't watch it. (I do however, love SYTYCD, so I suppose I won't take offense if maybe you take my hatred of the former with a grain of salt.)

But lately I've found myself watching clips of Olympic ice dance champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White killin' it on the show. Meryl's Argentine tango in particular. Holy wow.

I couldn't take my eyes off "Marlie" when they were on the ice, and the same is proving true on the dance floor. They're so freaking good. And I love them even more for the bold way that they have revolutionized the competitive sport of ice dancing and how they've made US dancing relevant. Prior to their generation of skaters, ice dancing was boring, unoriginal, Russian dominated and esoteric to a general audience. Ice dancing was just something you did on the side to help hone your artistry in freeskating. But thanks to Meryl and Charlie (and to a lesser extent, Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto), young skaters are flocking to the sport, exponentially more of them making it their primary discipline. I think if I didn't approach skating like a giant, ungainly 18-wheeler truck, I might try to focus on it more as an adult.  

And putting Meryl and Charlie on DWTS was a stroke of genius. The perfect opportunity to capitalize on a surge in the popularity of ice dancing among the general public. I just hope the next generation of ice dancers follow Marlie's lead. Now that they're out of the game, at least for now, aspiring ice dancers have their work cut out for them.

Anyway, even if I don't watch DWTS, I love Meryl & Charlie. So, vote for them!