All partnerships are a careful balance of work, commitment, and passion. This can be said of marriages, companies, and certainly ice dancers. Everyone can attest to the challenges presented by finding that “perfect match”. Whole television series have been created to depict the almost impossible odds of finding true love. Human Resource Departments struggle daily to find employees that meet the needs of their companies. And some skaters go their whole careers never finding the ONE that compliments them and allows them to succeed.
For Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto the impossible happened 8 years ago when their coach Igor set up a try-out for them. They had both skated with other partners. They had both auditioned many more. But creating a winning team requires more than skills. It requires charisma, chemistry, and that “certain something”. From the first time they hit the ice together they both knew they had found their skating match and since then they have grown and developed together into one of the foremost dance teams to grace the sport and the most successful U.S. ice dancing team ever.
It is easy to see when you watch them glide through their almost seamless routines that they have good lines, and complementary technique.
Ben is a smoldering and handsome young man and Tanith is a glowing and glamorous young woman. They look good together and are a pleasure to watch. They appear to enjoy themselves. Watching them dance is reminiscent of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers with some modern edge and spice added to the mix. There is no doubt they are terrific together on the ice but what becomes truly evident and what is most remarkable is watching them off the ice. It is there we see how perfectly suited they are as a team.
Tanith is a delight in every respect: she is fun, cheerful, kind, and articulate. Ben is quiet initially until you discover his subtle and tremendous sense of humor and deep creativity. When you watch them preparing for interviews you see that they anticipate each other’s moods and needs. Even here they complement each other. They have strengths that support one another. Where one is shy the other is gregarious, and when one is nervous the other is strong. This counterplay keeps them balanced, grounded, and ready for anything that comes their way.
Take the challenges they faced regarding Tanith becoming a US citizen: they handled the stress and pressure with decorum and aplomb. They are a synergistic duo: the two being stronger than each individually.
Now, with their sights set on Olympic gold in 2010, this team remains focused on reaching their full potential in life and sport. During the next four years, Tanith and Ben both plan on balancing their training with other opportunities outside of skating, including voice-over work for Ben (like on a recent video game for FOX), and broadcasting for Tanith (including her current role as a contributer to ABC's Good Morning America). The pair is also very active in philanthropic activities, with numerous charities including the Pennies in Action Fund (funding breast cancer research), creating and hosting the 2007 “Home for the Holidays- A Celebration on Ice” show, benefiting the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and the Children’s Hospital of Michigan. They helped raise $37,000 for Tsunami Relief through the Red Cross International Response Fund with the 2005 “Skate-Aid for Tsunami Relief” show and additionally are affiliated with other charities including Figure Skating in Harlem, The Jimmy Fund (Dana Farber Cancer Institute), Project Hope, the Ennis Center for Children, Cool Kids Campaign and others.
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