(14 Feb 2014)  This weekend, the top three American dance teams, helmed by the enigmatic Meryl Davis and Charlie White, the two-time World champions, 2010 Olympic silver medalists and six-time U.S. titlists, are as fired up as ever as they prepare to take on the best teams around the world in Sochi.

Reputed to be perhaps the strongest collective ice dance contingent at the Olympics, every team in this group is formidable with the stats to back it up.

Davis and White, who work with Marina Zueva, Oleg Epstein and Johnny Johns in Canton, Michigan, helped the U.S. score bronze in the team figure skating event last weekend, should be good for putting out two more electric programs in this event, as are their American comrades.

Davis and White, the reigning World champions renowned for their exceptional technique and arresting artistry, have proven once again, they have that winning touch after earning high marks for their stunning ‘My Fair Lady’ short and ‘Sherherezade’ free dances which helped the U.S. wind up on the podium in the team event.

Since arriving in Sochi, the two have also emerged as leaders of the Team USA figure skating troupe and in characteristic fashion have been admirable in regard to the support and encouragement they have provided to all of their teammates as well as their fellow Olympic athletes.

The two have also been great with the media, and have handled some tough questions with candor, confidence and straightforward truthfulness.

Asked by an NBC correspondent if they were looking to win, White responded with a ‘yes,’ saying this is what they’re here for, showing that indeed, this is what the Olympic competitive spirit is all about.

Chock and Bates ready to rumble

Madison Chock and Evan Bates, the 2014 U.S. silver medalists, seem primed for another stellar showing in Sochi and anticipate a good follow up to their performance in Boston last month.

The two, who were second at the 2013 U.S. Championships and seventh at the 2013 Worlds, earned accolades in Boston for their lively short dance to ‘No Business Like Show Business’ in which they flew around the rink twisting, turning and flying with the expertise of top world contenders. (They followed it up with a dramatic rendition to ‘Les Miserables’ in the free dance.)

“In Boston it all came together,” said Chock, 21. “We’re going to push ourselves more to keep that momentum going.”

Since joining forces two and a half years ago, this team, who trains in Novi, Michigan, a suburb about 25 miles northwest of Detroit with Igor Sphilband, has made quite a mark on the domestic dance scene. (Prior to skating together, both had been national podium finishers with their other partners.)

During their short time together, this team has risen to the top rung of U.S. ice dancing in almost record time. In 2012, they placed fifth at the U.S. Championships then rose to second during the next two subsequent seasons, showing that they are indeed a duo who could dominate U.S. ice dance when Davis and White retire. (The latter team is said to retire from competing at the conclusion of this season.)

Looking to become the best ice dance team in the world, this driven and able team sees Sochi as an excellent opportunity toward achieving this goal.

“I think we have the potential to be World champions,” said Bates in a pre-Olympic telephone conference. “We feel if we can improve upon [last year’s World placement] and reach the top six [in Sochi] that would be great.”

At the end of the day, Chock and Bates, who competed at the 2010 Olympics with former partner, Emily Samuelson, said they are most excited about representing the U.S. at the Olympic Games because of its huge global relevance and scope.

“The Olympics are a lot further than ourselves or figure skating,” said Bates. “It’s much bigger and makes you proud to be an American.”

Shibutanis poised to skate well in Sochi

Maia and Alex Shibutani, the Michigan-based brother-sister duo who clinched bronze at the 2014 U.S. Championships, seemed as poised as ever to rack up some big scores this weekend in the ice dance event.

The two, who have been skating together for 10 years, have attracted attention since arriving in Sochi for their excitement they have shown in social media outlets over having earned a berth to this Olympic event.

 (Alex’s statement ‘unbelievable,’ which he wrote on Twitter during the opening ceremonies, was posted on NBC during its broadcast last Friday night.)

“This has been a dream for us as long as we can remember,” said Alex Shibutani, 22, in a pre-Olympic conference call. “We’re aiming to put out the best performances of our season and hopefully of our lives.”

The team, who trains with Marina Zueva in Canton alongside Davis and White, has been working as hard as ever since Boston to make sure they accomplish this goal.

“Our focus is to push ourselves to perform the best we can,” said Alex Shibutani, “It’s all about timing so we can peak in those three to four minutes.”

The duo, who scored bronze at the 2011 World Championships and are four-time national senior medalists, seem primed to also have a great Olympic experience in Sochi.

So far in Sochi, Maia, 19, and Alex have posted a lot of pictures and tweets documenting their experience as first-time Olympians, efforts that have been well appreciated by their fans.

“This ride has been amazing and we’re looking forward to the next couple of weeks,” said Alex Shibutani. “We feel like we did going into our first World Championships (in 2011) and this has been such a journey for us.”