Biography

ICE DANCING


Date of birth:	11.07.1984	Tanith BELBIN USA
Place of birth:	Kingston, ON (CAN)
Height:	162 cm
Home town:	Northville, MI
Profession:	athlete
Hobbies:	broadcast journalism, horseback riding
Start sk. / Club:	1987 / Arctic FSC Canton, MI
Former Partners	Liam Dougherty (CAN) Ben Barruco (CAN - pairs)


Date of birth:	15.01.1982	Benjamin AGOSTO USA
Place of birth:	Chicago, IL
Height:	175 cm
Home town:	Bloomfield Hills, MI
Profession:	Athlete
Hobbies:	rock climbing, scuba diving, horseback riding
Start sk. / Club:	1988
Former Partners	Katie Hill

Coach:	Igor Shpilband, Marina Zueva
Choreographer:	Igor Shpilband, J. T. Hornstein

Practice low season:	30 h / week at Canton, MI
Practice high season:	30 h / week at Canton, MI

Music Short Program / Original Dance as of season 2007/2008

Cotton Eyed Joe
Country Waltz
Appallechean Hoedown by Bluegrass (Western Dance)

Music Free Skating / Free Dance as of season 2007/2008

Selection from Frederic Chopin (arranged by Joseph Le Duca)

Personal Best Total Score	221.26	20.03.2005	World Championships 2005
Personal Best Score Compulsory Dance	44.00	16.02.2005	Four Continents Championships 2005
Personal Best Score Original Dance	67.54	17.03.2005	World Championships 2005
Personal Best Score Free Dance	111.54	18.03.2005	World Championships 2005

00/01

01/02

02/03

03/04

04/05

05/06

06/07

07/08

Olympic Games

World Champ.

European Champ.

Four Continents

World Juniors

National Champ.

17.

2.S



13.



2.

1.

2.S

2.S

1.S

2.

3.



1.



1.S

1.S

S=Senior; J=Junior; N=Novice

International Competition	Year	Place
ISU Grand Prix Final 2005 Beijing	2005	2.
Nebelhorn Trophy 2005 Oberstdorf	2005	1.
SmartOnes Skate America 2005 Atlantic City, NJ	2005	1.
Cup of China 2006 Nanjing	2006	2.

Internation Competition	Year	Place
Cup of Russia - Bosco Sport 2006 Moscow	2006	1.
Skate America 2007 Reading PA	2007	1.
Cup of China 2007 Beijing	2007	1.
ISU Grand Prix Final 2008 Torino	2008	2.

Belbin/Agosto are the first U.S. ice dancers to medal at the Olympic Winter Games since 1976. They are also the first U.S. ice dancers to medal at Worlds in 20 years when they took the silver in 2005. Belbin was a Canadian ice dancer who started to skate pairs, because her coach believed it would make her stronger. In 1998, Belbin changed disciplines again and moved to Detroit. There, she teamed up with Agosto. Her mother Michele is a figure skating coach and costume designer. Belbin received U.S. citizenship in December 2005. Agosto moved to Detroit to skate with Belbin. He was partnered with Katie Hill from 1995 to 1998. Coach Igor Shpilband is the 1983 World Junior Ice Dance Champion with partner Tatiana Gladkova.

Personal Bests | Competition Results