April 1 (UPI) -- With the competitive figure-skating season coming to a close, Team USA Olympians and other top skaters take to the ice on tour.

Stars On Ice runs through late May, featuring some of the star skaters from the 2018 Winter Games, including Mirai Nagasu and Nathan Chen, along with well-known favorites like 2014 Olympic champion ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White.

Davis and White spoke to UPI about the importance of touring and the role that shows like Stars On Ice play in their careers.

Davis, 31, and White, 30, won the gold medal in ice dancing for Team USA at the Sochi Winter Games. They retired from competition in 2017. While Davis pursues a degree in anthropology from the University of Michigan and White adjusts to married life with a child, they continue to spend most of their time skating.

"It's the potential to earn a living, whether it is paying for coaching, for skating, for costumes, training leading into Olympic Games," Davis said. "It's an incredible opportunity to be able to support yourself and earn a living."

"It's a very expensive sport when you've dedicated your entire life to it," added White, who's skated alongside Davis since 1997 and continues to tour with her as a team. "The coaching fees and the equipment, the outfits. It's a lot of expenses to cover and for the amateur skaters to be able to offset that cost by being a part of a show is fantastic."

 

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