Tanith Belbin extracted from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, distributed under the GNU Free Documentation License

Tanith Belbin

Belbin in a press conference
Personal information
Full name:	Tanith Jessica Louise Belbin
Country represented:	United States
Date of birth:	July 11, 1984 (1984-07-11) (age 25)
Place of birth:	Kingston, Ontario
Home town:	Ann Arbor, Michigan
Residence:	Aston, Pennsylvania
Height:	5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Partner:	Benjamin Agosto
Former partner:	Liam Dougherty (CAN), Ben Barruco (CAN - pairs), Andrew Hinton (CAN)
Coach:	Natalia Linichuk Gennadi Karponossov
Former coach:	Igor Shpilband Marina Zoueva, Elizabeth Coates
Choreographer:	Natalia Linichuk
Former choreographer:	Igor Shpilband J. T. Hornstein
Skating club:	IceWorks
ISU personal best scores
Combined Total:	221.26 2005 Worlds
Comp. Dance:	44.00 2005 Four Continents
Original Dance:	67.54 2005 Worlds
Free Dance:	111.54 2005 Worlds

Olympic medal record
Competitor for the  United States
Figure skating
Silver	2006 Turin	Ice dancing

Tanith Jessica Louise Belbin (born July 11, 1984) is a Canadian-American ice dancer. Though she holds dual citizenship, she has competed for the United States since she began skating with Benjamin Agosto in 1998. With Agosto, Belbin is the 2006 Olympic silver medalist, four time World medalist, three time Four Continents champion (2004–2006), and five-time U.S. champion (2004–2008).

As of January 2010^[update], they were ranked 4th in the world¹. At the 2010 United States Figure Skating Championships, they were nominated to represent the United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics².

Contents 1 Personal life 2 Career 3 Programs 4 Competitive highlights 4.1 Post-2004 4.2 Pre-2004 5 References 6 External links

Personal life

Tanith Belbin was born in Kingston, Ontario and raised in Kirkland, Quebec. She lived and trained in Canton, Michigan for many years, before moving to Aston, Pennsylvania to train at Ice Works.

Belbin's mother, Michelle (McKinlay) Belbin, is a costume designer and she makes some of Belbin's costumes. She trained as a figure skater in St. John's, Newfoundland^{citation needed}.

Career

Tanith Belbin competed as a pair skater and ice dancer in Canada before concentrating completely on ice dancing. She was introduced to ice dancing by Paul Wirtz and competed with Liam Dougherty as an ice dancer and Ben Barruco as a pair skater in Canada. She did not compete internationally with them.

Unable to find a good dance partner in Canada, Belbin moved to Detroit in 1998, where she was partnered with Benjamin Agosto by their coach Igor Shpilband. They had early success, winning the bronze at the World Junior Figure Skating Championships in their first competitive season. Belbin and Agosto qualified for the 2002 Olympics by placing second at U.S. championships, but were not able to go because Belbin was not an American citizen. Because Belbin started the citizenship process before new rules went into effect, her citizenship would not have been completed before 2007. Belbin and Agosto, therefore, focused more on Nationals and Worlds, winning Nationals four times, and earning the silver at Worlds going into the Olympics.

Fans of Belbin and Agosto wrote letters and signed petitions asking for a special act of Congress to let Belbin become a citizen in time for her to compete at the 2006 Winter Olympics, where many believed they could medal. This was a controversial move. The mother of fellow American ice dancer David Mitchell believed that it was unfair to bend the requirements for U.S. citizenship for Belbin, when so many other "aliens of extraordinary ability" were denied expedited citizenship.^{citation needed} Supporters^who? pointed out that the U.S. had three dance team spots at the Olympics only because Belbin and Agosto had earned the third spot by medalling at the 2005 World Championships.^{citation needed} Had they not, the U.S. would have had only two spots. By this logic, Belbin and Agosto had earned their own spots. However, by a special act of Congress sponsored by Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) that passed on December 28, 2005, which President George W. Bush signed on December 31, 2005, Belbin became a naturalized citizen, making her able to compete for the United States at the 2006 Winter Olympics.^{citation needed} In January 2006, the pair won their third consecutive national title and qualified for the Olympics. At the Turin Olympics, Belbin and Agosto won the silver medal in ice dancing, the highest Olympic result of any American team in the discipline, and the first American ice dancers to win an Olympic medal in 30 years. They went on to win the bronze at Worlds.

For the 2007–2008 season, Belbin and Agosto began with first place finishes at both Skate America and Cup of China which qualified them for the Grand Prix Final, where they placed second. They won their 5th national title and then placed 4th at the 2008 Worlds after a fall by Belbin in the Compulsory Dance.

Belbin and Agosto were regular cast members of the Champions on Ice tour from 2004 until COI went out of business following the 2007 season.^{citation needed} They were guest stars on part of the 2008 Stars on Ice tour.^{citation needed}

Following the 2007–2008 season, Belbin and Agosto left Igor Shpilband, who had coached them for their entire partnership, and began working with the married coaching team of Natalia Linichuk and Gennadi Karponossov in Aston, Pennsylvania.^{citation needed}

Belbin and Agosto began the 2008–2009 season at the 2008 Skate America and 2008 Cup of China, winning silver at both competitions. They withdrew from the 2008–2009 ISU Grand Prix Final after the original dance due to a back injury to Agosto. They withdrew from the 2009 U.S. Figure Skating Championships before the event began due to Agosto's injury³. They were named to the team to the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships. At the World Championships, they won the original dance and placed second in the compulsory and free dances to win the silver medal overall.

Programs

Season	Original Dance	Free Dance	Exhibition
2009-2010	Moldavian Folk Dance	Ave Maria performed by Sumi Jo Stabat Mater by Gioachino Rossini
2008-2009	Stepping Out by John Kander and Fred Ebb	Tosca by Giacomo Puccini	Falling Slowly Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis
2007-2008	Appalachian Hoedown	Selections from Frederic Chopin arranged by Joseph Le Duca	Let's Get Loud by Jennifer Lopez SexyBack & My Love by Justin Timberlake
2006-2007	Concierto Para Quinteto by Astor Piazzolla Oblivion by Astor Piazzolla	Overture from That's Entertainment! Amélie (soundtrack) by Yann Thiersen	Let's Get Loud by Jennifer Lopez
2005-2006	Salsa Con Coco by Pochy y Su Cocoband Let's Get Loud by Jennifer Lopez	Bulenas Jaleo by Luis Winsberg Duende by Esteban	Green Acres American Woman La Rosa Let's Get Loud by Jennifer Lopez
2004-2005	Charleston: Cabaret Slow Foxtrot: New York, New York Quickstep: Cabaret	Shadritsa Edvin Marton's Russian Gypsy Dance	Green Acres
2003-2004	Jitterbug: 5 months, 2 weeks, 2 days by Louis Prima Blues: Give me Some Money Too by Leni Hester Swing: Hey Pachuco by Royal Crown Revue	West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein	Elvis Presley Medley Green Acres
2002-2003	Waltz: La Traviata Drinking Song by G. Verdi Polka: Jolly Robbers by Franz von Suppe	Heartbreak Hotel & Hound Dog & Jailhouse Rock & Teddy Bear by Elvis Presley	Elvis Presley Medley (modified FD)
2001-2002	The Mask of Zorro, A Los Amigos	Sarajevo	Oscar Tango
2000-2001	More, Girls Girls Girls	Alexandros	Une Vie d'Amour
1999-2000		The Four Seasons by Vivaldi	Une Vie d'Amour

Competitive highlights

(with Agosto)

Post-2004

Event	2004-2005	2005-2006	2006-2007	2007-2008	2008-2009	2009-2010
Winter Olympic Games		2nd
World Championships	2nd	3rd	3rd	4th	2nd
Four Continents Championships	1st	1st	2nd
U.S. Championships	1st	1st	1st	1st	WD	2nd
Grand Prix Final	2nd		WD	2nd	WD
Skate America	1st	1st		1st	2nd	1st
Cup of China	1st		2nd	1st	2nd	1st
Cup of Russia			1st
Nebelhorn Trophy		1st

• WD = Withdrew

Pre-2004

Event	1999–2000	2000–2001	2001–2002	2002–2003	2003–2004
World Championships		17th	13th	7th	5th
Four Continents Championships			2nd	2nd	1st
World Junior Championships	3rd	2nd	1st
U.S. Championships	1st J.	2nd	2nd	2nd	1st
Grand Prix Final					3rd
Skate America			5th	3rd	1st
Trophee Lalique			6th	3rd	4th
Cup of Russia					2nd
Goodwill Games			5th
Junior Grand Prix Final	4th	1st
Junior Grand Prix, Mexico		1st
Junior Grand Prix, Germany		1st
Junior Grand Prix, Canada	1st
Junior Grand Prix, Japan	2nd

• J = Junior level

(with Barrucco)

Event	1996–1997
Canadian Championships	2nd N.

• N = Novice level

References

1. ^ "ISU World Standings for Figure Skating and Ice Dance : Ice Dance". International Skating Union. 29 January 2010. http://www.isuresults.com/ws/wsdance.htm. Retrieved 30 January 2010. 
2. ^ "U.S. Figure Skating Announces Ladies, Ice Dancing Teams Nominated to 2010 U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team". U.S. Figure Skating. 23 January 2010. http://www.usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?id=44108&type=media. Retrieved 23 January 2010. 
3. ^ Injury Forces Belbin and Agosto to Withdraw from 2009 AT&T U.S. Figure Skating Championships

• World Junior Figure Skating Championships: ISU Results: DancePDF (11.0 KB)
• Belbin & Agosto at the United States Figure Skating Association
• Belbin & Agosto at the International Skating Union

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tanith Belbin

• Official website
• Tanith Belbin at the United States Olympic Committee.
• Tanith Belbin at the Internet Movie Database

v • d • e Four Continent Champions in Figure Skating – Ice dancing 1999: Shae-Lynn Bourne & Victor Kraatz • 2000: Naomi Lang & Peter Tchernyshev  • 2001: Shae-Lynn Bourne & Victor Kraatz • 2002: Naomi Lang & Peter Tchernyshev • 2003: Shae-Lynn Bourne & Victor Kraatz • 2004, 2005, 2006: Tanith Belbin & Benjamin Agosto • 2007: Marie-France Dubreuil & Patrice Lauzon • 2008: Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir • 2009: Meryl Davis & Charlie White • 2010: Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje

v • d • e United States national champions in figure skating – Ice Dancing 1936: Marjorie Parker & Joseph Savage • 1937–38: Nettie Prantell & Harold Hartshorne • 1939–41: Sandy MacDonald & Harold Hartshorne • 1942: Edith Whetstone & A.L. Richards • 1943–44: Marcella May & James Lochead • 1945: Kathe Mehl Williams & Robert Swenning • 1946: Anne Davies & Carleton Hoffner • 1947–49: Lois Waring & Walter Bainbridge • 1950: Lois Waring & Michael McGean • 1951: Carmel Bodel & Edward Bodel • 1952: Lois Waring & Michael McGean • 1953: Carol Ann Peters & Daniel Ryan • 1954–55: Carmel Bodel & Edward Bodel • 1956: Joan Zamboni & Roland Junso • 1957: Sharon McKenzie & Bert Wright • 1958–59: Andree Anderson & Donald Jacoby • 1960: Margie Ackles & Charles Phillips • 1961: Diane Sherbloom & Larry Pierce • 1962: Yvonne Littlefield & Peter Betts • 1963: Sally Schantz & Stanley Urban • 1964: Darleen Streich & Charles Fetter • 1965–66: Kristin Fortune & Dennis Sveum • 1967: Lorna Dyer & John Carrell • 1968–72: Judy Schwomeyer & James Sladky • 1973: Mary Campbell & Johnny Johns • 1974–76: Colleen O'Connor & Jim Millns • 1977: Judi Genovesi & Kent Weigle • 1978–80: Stacey Smith & John Summers • 1981–85: Judy Blumberg & Michael Seibert • 1986: Renée Roca & Donald Adair • 1987–88: Suzanne Semanick & Scott Gregory • 1989–90: Susan Wynne & Joseph Druar • 1991: Elizabeth Punsalan & Jerod Swallow • 1992: April Sargent Thomas & Russ Witherby • 1993: Renée Roca & Gorsha Sur • 1994: Elizabeth Punsalan & Jerod Swallow • 1995: Renée Roca & Gorsha Sur • 1996–98: Elizabeth Punsalan & Jerod Swallow • 1999–2003: Naomi Lang & Peter Tchernyshev • 2004–08: Tanith Belbin & Benjamin Agosto • 2009-10: Meryl Davis & Charlie White

v • d • e World Junior champions in figure skating – Ice dancing 1976: Kathryn Winter & Nicholas Slater • 1977: Wendy Sessions & Mark Reed • 1978–1979: Tatiana Durasova & Sergei Ponomarenko • 1980–1981: Elena Batanova & Alexei Soloviev • 1982: Natalia Annenko & Vadim Karkachev • 1983: Tatiana Gladkova & Igor Shpilband • 1984–1986: Elena Krikanova & Evgeny Platov • 1987: Ilona Melnichenko & Gennadi Kaskov • 1988: Oksana Grishuk & Alexandr Chichkov • 1989: Angelika Kirkhmaier & Dmitri Lagutin • 1990: Marina Anissina & Ilia Averbukh • 1991: Aliki Stergiadu & Yuri Razguliaiev • 1992: Marina Anissina & Ilia Averbukh • 1993: Ekaterina Svirina & Sergei Sakhnovski • 1994: Sylwia Nowak & Sebastian Kolasiński • 1995: Olga Sharutenko & Dmitri Naumkin • 1996: Ekaterina Davydova & Roman Kostomarov • 1997: Nina Oulanova & Michail Stifunin • 1998: Jessica Joseph & Charles Butler Jr. • 1999: Jamie Silverstein & Justin Pekarek • 2000–2001: Natalia Romaniuta & Daniil Barantsev • 2002: Tanith Belbin & Benjamin Agosto • 2003: Oksana Domnina & Maxim Shabalin • 2004: Elena Romanovskaya & Alexander Grachev • 2005: Morgan Matthews & Maxim Zavozin • 2006: Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir • 2007: Ekaterina Bobrova & Dmitri Soloviev • 2008: Emily Samuelson & Evan Bates • 2009: Madison Chock & Greg Zuerlein

v • d • e Junior Grand Prix Final champions in figure skating – Ice dancing 1997: Federica Faiella & Luciano Milo • 1998: Jamie Silverstein & Justin Pekarek • 1999: Natalia Romanyta & Daniil Barantsev • 2000: Tanith Belbin & Benjamin Agosto • 2001: Elena Khaliavina & Maxim Shabalin • 2002: Oksana Domnina & Maxim Shabalin • 2003: Nóra Hoffmann & Attila Elek • 2004: Morgan Matthews & Maxim Zavozin • 2005: Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir • 2006: Madison Hubbell & Keiffer Hubbell • 2007: Maria Monko & Ilia Tkachenko • 2008: Madison Chock & Greg Zuerlein • 2009: Ksenia Monko & Kirill Khaliavin