icenetwork.com: Skaters

Skaters

Dance

Tanith Belbin

Born:

July 11, 1984

Birthplace:

Kingston, Ontario

Height:

5' 6"

Level:

Senior

Hometown:

Kirkland, Quebec

Club:

IceWorks

Ben Agosto

Born:

January 15, 1982

Birthplace:

Chicago, IL

Height:

5' 10"

Level:

Senior

Hometown:

Chicago, IL

Club:

Arctic FSC

Coach:

Natalia Linichuk and Gennadi Karponosov

Choreographer:

Natalia Linichuk

The most successful U.S. ice dancing team ever, Belbin and Agosto have won five U.S. championships, four World medals and the 2006 Olympic silver medal ... Have medaled at every event at which they've received a placement but one (2008 World Championships) since the start of the 2005-06 season ... Their second-place finish at the 2005 World Championships made the duo the highest-placing U.S. ice dancing team in 30 years and the first U.S. dance team to medal at the competition in 20 years ... Were awarded perfect 6.0s for presentation in the free dance at the 2005 U.S. Championships ... Overall at the event, they were awarded 14 6.0s, placing them third in the record books for the most 6.0s at the event ... With their silver at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games, they became the highest-placing U.S. dance team in history and first Olympic medalists in 30 years ... Were awarded the SKATING Magazine 2005 Readers' Choice Skater of the Year Award ... Headlined the Spring 2006 Marshalls SkateFest in Detroit ... Featured in a two-page spread for Marshalls in the March 10, 2006, issue of US Weekly ... Starred in an Acuvue Oasys commercial for contact lenses ... In February 2005, Belbin and Agosto organized and skated in Skate Aid for Tsunami Relief, an ice skating show to benefit the tsunami relief fund for Southeast Asia that raised $40,000.

Belbin, originally from Canada, moved to the United States from Kirkland, Quebec ... Began skating at age 2 1/2 because her mom was a skating coach ... Participated in CanSkate, Skate Canada's learn-to-skate program ... Was previously coached by Paul Wirtz in Canada ... Had five dance partners before teaming up with Agosto ... Has worked as a "Good Morning America" correspondent and Ford NY model ... Has a passion for broadcast journalism and fashion, and wants to become a national news correspondent or a television host after her skating career ... Would like to meet Anderson Cooper because she "admires and respects him and the career he has built for himself" ... Hobbies are camping, hiking with her dog, shopping and roller blading ... Listens to all kinds of music except country, hard rock and gangsta rap ... Is an advisory board member for Figure Skating in Harlem and an honorary board member for Pennies in Action ... Has one brother, Lucas ... Mother is a designer and has designed some of her daughter's skating costumes ... Biggest life-defining moment was the passing of her grandfather ... Named ESPN.com Page 2's "Hottest Female Athlete."

TANITH'S FAVORITES
Favorite sports figure: Michael Jordan
Favorite sports team: Detroit Pistons
Favorite cities: Detroit, Los Angeles
Favorite season: Summer
Favorite author: Chuck Palahniuk
Favorite magazine: Nylon
Favorite gadget: Blackberry
Favorite vacation: Paris, spring 2008
Favorite performer: Dave Matthews
Favorite reality show: Project Runway
Favorite drink: Chocolate milk
Favorite vacation spot: Australia
Favorite quote: "Whenever you want to ask for more, stop and say 'Thank you' instead." - Robert Belbin (grandfather)

TANITH'S 'THREE THINGS'
Three things people would be surprised to find out about me: I voiced a French cartoon when I was a kid, I LOVE basketball, and I hate sandwiches.
Three people I'd like to have dinner with: Brooke Castile, Meryl Davis and Lauren Senft
Three things I hate doing: Changing bed sheets, carrying groceries up to my apartment and talking on the phone
Three things I love doing: Boating, shopping and sunbathing
Three television characters I wish were real so I could hang out with them: Stewie Griffin, Kelly Kapowski and Gil Grissom
Three celebrity crushes: Ryan Reynolds, Anderson Cooper and Ryan Gosling
Three favorite movies: Pulp Fiction, Boondock Saints and Spanglish
Three things I must have when I leave the house: Blackberry, iPod and Burt's Bees chapstick
Three favorite bands: Rooney, Bloc Party and the Dave Matthews Band
Three people I would like to meet: Anderson Cooper, Kate Moss and Michael Jordan
Three best concerts I've been to: Dave Matthews Band, Ernie Halter and Britney Spears
Three favorite TV shows: Weeds, Californication and Dexter
Three favorite books: Rant, Fight Club and The Tao of Pooh
Three favorite web sites: Shopbop.com, Facebook.com and IntermixOnline.com
Three favorite foods: Candy, macaroni and cheese, and bread pudding
Three favorite drinks: Chocolate milk, coffee and soy milk

Agosto is originally from Chicago, Ill. ... Moved to Detroit in June 1998 to skate with Belbin ... Graduated with honors from Groves High School in June 2000 ... Hobbies include playing the guitar (including blues and Flamenco), scuba diving, horseback riding, rock climbing and mountain biking ... Also loves to go Salsa dancing ... First concert ever was the Chicago Symphony Orchestra ... Best Halloween costume was as the X-Men's Wolverine ... Got his first voice gig recording the voice of a villain in an upcoming video game; has always wanted to be the goofy voice of some cartoon character ... Loves apple cider and Super Mario Brothers.

2010 Season Notes
OD Music: Moldavian folk dance
FD Music: Giulio Caccini's "Ave Maria" performed by Sumi Jo and "Amen" from Gioachino Rossini's "Stabat Mater"

Costume designer: Michelle Belbin

Goals for 2009-10: Win the Olympics
2009 Season Notes
OD Music: "Stepping Out" by Liza Minnelli
FD Music: Selections from Tosca by Giacomo Puccini

Switched coaches before the season, going from Igor Shpilband and Marina Zoueva in Canton, Mich., to Natalia Linichuk and Gennadi Karponosov in Aston, Pa. ... Captured the silver at both of their Grand Prix assignments, Skate America and the Cup of China ... Withdrew from the Grand Prix Final prior to the free dance because of a back injury sustained by Agosto ... This kept them from competing at the U.S. Championships and Four Continents Championships ... Came back to win the silver medal at the World Championships.
2008 Season Notes
OD Music: Appalachian Hoedown/Bluegrass mix
FD Music: Chopin custom mix by Joseph LoDuca

Won their fifth straight U.S. title as well as both of their Grand Prix Series events (Skate America, Cup of China) ... Captured the silver at the Grand Prix Final ... Placed fourth at the World Championships, the first time in four years the team finished off the podium at the event.
2007 Season Notes
OD Music: "Concierto Para Quinteto" by Astor Piazzolla played by Gidon Kremer
FD Music: Overture from Amelie soundtrack

Won their fourth consecutive U.S. title, silver at the Four Continents Championships and bronze at the World Championships ... Agosto suffered a back injury the week of the Grand Prix Final, and the team was forced to pull out of the event ... Hosted "Celebrity Moments" presented by ACUVUE that appeared on the FOX network.
2006 Season Notes
OD Music: "Let's Get Loud"
FD Music: Flamenco medley

Won their third U.S. title, the Olympic silver medal and the World bronze medal ... Belbin received U.S. citizenship in December 2005, clearing the way for the team to participate in the Olympics ... Named USOC Team of the Month in January and February 2006.
2005 Season Notes
OD Music: "Cabaret" for the Charleston and "New York, New York" for the slow fox trot
FD Music: Russian gypsy dance

Won the gold at both of their Grand Prix Series assignments (Skate America, Cup of China) ... Took the silver at the Grand Prix Final ... Captured their second consecutive U.S. and Four Continents titles ... Earned their first World medal, a silver.
2004 Season Notes
OD Music: "5 months, 2 weeks, 2 days" by Louis Prima, "Give Me Some Money Too," and "Hey Pachuco!" by Royal Crown Revue
FD Music: Selections from West Side Story

Won the gold at Smart Ones Skate America and silver at the Cup of Russia ... Took the bronze at the Grand Prix Final, the first medal by a U.S. dance team at that event ... Won their first U.S. title, at the 2004 State Farm U.S. Championships, and followed it with a gold at the Four Continents Championships.
2003 Season Notes
OD Music: "Jolly Robbers" and "La Traviata"
FD Music: Elvis Presley medley

Finished second at the 2003 Four Continents Championships ... Won their third straight U.S. silver medal ... Placed third at both Smart Ones Skate America and Trophee Lalique.
2002 Season Notes
Claimed the silver medal at the 2002 Four Continents Championships and at the 2002 U.S. Championships but were unable to represent the United States at the 2002 Olympics due to Belbin's holding Canadian citizenship.

Tanith Belbin, Ben Agosto and Tessa Virtue, Scott Moir's free dance press conference 400K
Evan and Tanith talk love and skating 400K | 700K
icenetwork.com interview with Ben Agosto 700K
Belbin and Agosto's compulsory dance from U.S. Championships 400K | 700K
Belbin and Agosto's free dance from U.S. Championships 400K | 700K
Belbin and Agosto's original dance from U.S. Championships 400K | 700K
Belbin and Agosto's press conference 400K
Get to know Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto 400K | 700K
Sneak peek at Belbin and Agosto's 2007 routine 400K
Interview with Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto from Spokane 400K