Tanith Belbin White

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Template:Short description Template:Infobox figure skater

Tanith Jessica Louise Belbin White (born July 11, 1984) is a Canadian American ice dancer and Olympic program host for NBC Sports. Though born in Canada, she holds dual citizenship and 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).

Personal life

Tanith Belbin was born in Kingston, Ontario, and raised in Kirkland, Quebec. In 1998, she moved to the Detroit area in the United States and received an immigrant worker visa in 2000.<ref name=usat051231/> Due to immigration rules at the time, she did not receive a green card until July 2002 and would not have been granted U.S. citizenship until 2007.<ref name=usat051231/> An amendment was passed which allowed Belbin to be sworn in as an American citizen on December 31, 2005.<ref name=usat051231/> The amendment was authored by Senator Carl Levin who stated, "This amendment corrects an anomaly in the law that unfairly disadvantaged some people who had begun their naturalization process before 2002. Tanith Belbin began her naturalization process in 2000, but due to changes that were made to the law in 2002, the process has taken significantly longer than it would have if she had filed her paperwork 2 years later."<ref name=lev051222/>

Belbin lived and trained in Canton, Michigan, for many years, before moving to Aston, Pennsylvania. After 2010, Belbin decided to move back to Michigan to attend Eastern Michigan University<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and be closer to friends and family, including then-boyfriend Charlie White.<ref name=lifeskate/><ref name=yahoosports-dating>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Belbin and White became engaged in June 2014 and were married on April 25, 2015.<ref name=LAT140610/><ref name=wedding>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2017, their son was born.<ref name="Prahl">Template:Cite news</ref>

Her father, Charles Belbin, is a public relations manager, while her mother, Michelle (née McKinlay) Belbin, is a former figure skater (who trained in St. John's, Newfoundland under Rolf Adomeit), coach, and costume designer.<ref name=bio0001/> Michelle made some of Tanith's costumes.

Career

Tanith Belbin began skating when she was almost three and started ice dancing at about eight or nine.<ref name=gsinter2003/> She competed both as a pair skater and ice dancer in Canada before deciding to concentrate completely on ice dancing. She was introduced to ice dancing by Paul Wirtz and competed with partner Liam Dougherty. Her pairs partner was Ben Barruco, with whom she placed second at the novice level at the 1997 Canadian Championships. She did not compete with either partner internationally.

Partnership with Agosto

After a year without a partner in Canada,<ref name=gsinter2003/> Belbin moved to Detroit in 1998, where she was partnered with Benjamin Agosto by their coach Igor Shpilband. In the 1999–2000 season, they won a pair of medals on the ISU Junior Grand Prix series and finished 4th at the JGP Final. They went on to win the U.S. junior national title and then took the bronze medal at the 2000 World Junior Championships.<ref name=isuwj/> In 2000–2001, Belbin / Agosto competed again on the JGP series, taking gold in all three of their events including the Final.<ref name="hines-34">Template:Cite book</ref> They appeared on the senior level at the 2001 U.S. Championships and won the silver medal, qualifying them for their first senior World Championships, where they finished 17th.

In 2001–2002, Belbin / Agosto made their senior Grand Prix debut and won another silver medal at the U.S. Championships, which would have qualified them for the 2002 Winter Olympics if Belbin had been an American citizen. Instead, Belbin and Agosto were sent to all the other ISU Championships for which they were eligible: Four Continents, Junior Worlds, and Worlds. They won the 2002 World Junior Championships,<ref name=isuwj/><ref name="hines-35">Hines (2011), p. 35</ref> completing their set of medals from that event. Following that season, Agosto aged out of juniors.

Belbin / Agosto won the 2004 U.S. national title and would go on to repeat four times.<ref name="hines-35"/> At Nationals in 2005, the last year of the 6.0 system, Belbin / Agosto received straight perfect sixes for presentation in their free dance. Of the 30 6.0s given out in ice dance at U.S. Nationals, Belbin / Agosto have 14 of them. Their total 6.0 count at the U.S. Championships is second only to Michelle Kwan (38).

Belbin / Agosto won the silver medal at the 2005 World Championships.

Fans of Belbin / Agosto wrote letters and signed petitions asking for a special act of Congress to allow Belbin to become a citizen in time for her to compete at the 2006 Winter Olympics, where many believed they could win a medal. In addition, it was Belbin / Agosto who earned a third spot for the U.S. in the Olympic ice dancing event, by winning a medal at the 2005 World Championships, without which the U.S. would have had only two spots. However, the mother of fellow American ice dancer David Mitchell sent a letter to Senator Hillary Clinton, asking her to vote against it.<ref name=espn051205/><ref name=espn247/> She believed that it was unfair to bend the requirements for U.S. citizenship for Belbin, when other "aliens of extraordinary ability" were denied expedited citizenship.Template:Citation needed Ultimately, 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, allowing her to compete for the United States at the 2006 Winter Olympics.<ref name=usat051231/><ref name=lev051222/>

In January 2006, Belbin / Agosto 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,<ref name="hines-35" /> the first American ice dancers to win an Olympic medal in 30 years. They went on to win the bronze at Worlds.

Belbin / Agosto began the 2006–2007 season with a free dance called That's Entertainment but arrived at Nationals with a new program to the music of Amelie. They won gold at Nationals, the silver medal at Four Continents, and the bronze at Worlds.

In 2007–2008, they won gold medals at both Skate America and Cup of China which qualified them for the Grand Prix Final, where they took the silver medal. They won their 5th national title and then placed 4th at the 2008 Worlds after a fall by Belbin in the compulsory dance. Belbin / Agosto were regular cast members of the Champions on Ice tour from 2004 until COI went out of business following the 2007 season.Template:Citation needed They were guest stars on part of the 2008 Stars on Ice tour.Template:Citation needed

In April 2008,<ref name=skatetoday/> Belbin / 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 Karponosov at the IceWorks Skating Complex in Aston, Pennsylvania.<ref name=muscles/> In addition to teaching different technique,<ref name=skatetoday/> Linichuk advised Belbin to gain 10 pounds and develop some muscles in order to skate faster and more fluidly.<ref name=muscles/> This also gave Belbin more core strength to hold her positions better, thus making lifts easier for Agosto.<ref name=muscles/>

Belbin / 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. Championships before the event began due to Agosto's injury.<ref name=usfsa090108/> They were named to the team to the 2009 World Championships. At Worlds, they won the original dance and placed second in the compulsory and free dances to win the silver medal overall.

Belbin / Agosto won both their Grand Prix events in the 2009–10 season: the 2009 Cup of China and the 2009 Skate America. They withdrew from the Grand Prix Final for medical reasons.<ref name=wisdom/> At the 2010 U.S. Championships, they were unable to reclaim their national title, finishing second behind Meryl Davis and Charlie White. Belbin and Agosto were nominated to represent the United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics.<ref name=2010olyteam/> They finished 4th in the Olympic ice dancing event.<ref name="hines-35" /> They did not compete at the 2010 World Championships.

On June 10, 2010, Belbin / Agosto announced their retirement from eligible skating.<ref name=belagoret/> They have continued to skate together in ice shows.<ref name=lifeskate/>

On December 15, 2015, U.S. Figure Skating announced Belbin and Agosto would be members of the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame Class of 2016.<ref name=in151215/> The induction ceremony was held on January 22, 2016 at the 2016 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.<ref name=in160123/>

Post-competitive career

Belbin has worked as a commentator for ice dance competitions on Universal Sports Network, the ABC show Skating with the Stars,<ref name=skatingwithstars/> and for icenetwork.com.<ref name=in130110/> She has also worked as a commentator for four seasons of Curling Night in America, a NBCSN program that broadcasts a made-for-television curling competition.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In October 2011 Belbin competed as a pro on season 3 of Battle of the Blades paired with Boyd Devereaux; the pair placed 3rd in the competition.

Belbin also works as a choreographer.<ref name=in120124/>

Coaching career

In 2022, Belbin opened the Michigan Ice Dance Academy with Charlie White and Greg Zuerlein.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Their current and former teams include:

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Programs

Belbin and Agosto perform a straight-line lift during their Tosca free dance at the 2009 World Championships.

(with Agosto)

Season Original dance Free dance Exhibition
2009–2010
<ref name=bio0910/><ref name=inbiotbba/> 		Moldavian folk dance:
  • Moldovaneska
2008–2009
<ref name=inbiotbba/><ref name=bio0809/>
2007–2008
<ref name=inbiotbba/><ref name=bio0708/>
  • Cotton Eyed Joe
  • Country Waltz
  • Appalachian Hoedown
    by Bluegrass
2006–2007
<ref name=inbiotbba/><ref name=bio0607b/><ref name=bio0607a/>
  • Let's Get Loud
    by Jennifer Lopez
2005–2006
<ref name=inbiotbba/><ref name=bio0506/>
  • Bulenas
  • Jaleo
    by Luis Winsberg
  • Duende
    by Esteban
  • La Rosa
  • Let's Get Loud
    by Jennifer Lopez
2004–2005
<ref name=inbiotbba/><ref name=bio0405/> 		Russian gypsy dance:
  • Shadritsa
2003–2004
<ref name=inbiotbba/><ref name=bio0304/>
  • Green Acres
2002–2003
<ref name=inbiotbba/><ref name=bio0203/>
  • Elvis Presley medley
    (modified FD)
2001–2002
<ref name=bio0102/>
  • Oscar Tango
2000–2001
<ref name=bio0001/>
  • Alexandros
    by Staminis Spanudikis
  • Une Vie d'Amour
1999–2000

Competitive highlights

Belbin and Agosto (left) on the podium at the 2009 World Championships

(ice dancing with Agosto)

Results<ref name=isucrTBBA/>
International
Event 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10
Olympics 2nd 4th
Worlds 17th 13th 7th 5th 2nd 3rd 3rd 4th 2nd
Four Continents 2nd 2nd 1st 1st 1st 2nd
Grand Prix Final 3rd 2nd WD 2nd WD WD
GP Cup of China 1st 2nd 1st 2nd 1st
GP Cup of Russia 2nd 1st
GP Lalique 6th 3rd 4th
GP Skate America 5th 3rd 1st 1st 1st 1st 2nd 1st
Goodwill Games 5th
Nebelhorn 1st
International: Junior
Junior Worlds 3rd 2nd 1st
JGP Final 4th 1st
JGP Canada 1st
JGP Germany 1st
JGP Japan 2nd
JGP Mexico 1st
National
U.S. Champ. 1st J. 2nd 2nd 2nd 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st WD 2nd
Team events
World Team 1T / 1P
GP = Grand Prix; JGP = Junior Grand Prix; J. = Junior level; WD = Withdrew; T = Team result; P = Personal result; Medals awarded for team result only.

References

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