Tanith Belbin White facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tanith Belbin White
Belbin in a press conference
Personal information
Full name	Tanith Jessica Louise Belbin
Country represented	United States
Born	(1984-07-11) July 11, 1984 (age 40) Kingston, Ontario
Residence	Michigan
Height	1.67 m
Partner	Benjamin Agosto
Former partner	Liam Dougherty (CAN) Ben Barruco (CAN – pairs) Andrew Hinton (CAN)
Former coach	Natalia Linichuk Gennadi Karponosov Igor Shpilband Marina Zueva Elizabeth Coates
Former choreographer	Natalia Linichuk Igor Shpilband J. T. Hornstein
Skating club	IceWorks
Training locations	Aston, Pennsylvania Canton, Michigan
Began skating	1986
Retired	June 13, 2010
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

Tanith Jessica Louise Belbin White (born July 11, 1984) is a talented ice dancer who competed for the United States. She was born in Canada but also became an American citizen. With her skating partner, Benjamin Agosto, Tanith won a silver medal at the 2006 Olympics. They also earned four medals at the World Championships, won the Four Continents Championship three times (from 2004 to 2006), and became U.S. champions five times (from 2004 to 2008). After her competitive career, Tanith became a host for NBC Sports, sharing her knowledge of figure skating.

About Tanith Belbin White

Tanith Belbin was born in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, and grew up in Kirkland, Quebec. In 1998, she moved to the Detroit area in the United States. She needed to become a U.S. citizen to compete for the country in the Olympics. A special law was passed in 2005, allowing her to become an American citizen quickly. This was important because it let her compete in the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Tanith lived and trained in Canton, Michigan, for many years. Later, she moved to Aston, Pennsylvania. After 2010, she returned to Michigan to attend Eastern Michigan University. She wanted to be closer to her friends and family, including her boyfriend at the time, Charlie White. Tanith and Charlie got engaged in 2014 and were married in 2015. Their son was born in 2017.

Tanith's father, Charles Belbin, works in public relations. Her mother, Michelle Belbin, was a figure skater and coach. Michelle even designed some of Tanith's skating costumes.

Tanith's Skating Journey

Tanith Belbin started skating when she was almost three years old. She began ice dancing around age eight or nine. She competed in both pair skating and ice dancing in Canada. Eventually, she decided to focus only on ice dancing.

Partnering with Benjamin Agosto

After searching for a partner in Canada, Tanith moved to Detroit in 1998. There, her coach Igor Shpilband paired her with Benjamin Agosto. In their first full season (1999–2000), they won medals in the ISU Junior Grand Prix series. They then won the U.S. junior national title and a bronze medal at the 2000 World Junior Championships.

In the 2000–2001 season, Belbin and Agosto won all their junior events, including the Junior Grand Prix Final. They then competed at the senior level at the 2001 U.S. Championships, winning a silver medal. This allowed them to compete at their first senior World Championships, where they finished 17th.

For the 2001–2002 season, they made their senior Grand Prix debut. They won another silver medal at the U.S. Championships. If Tanith had been an American citizen, this would have qualified them for the 2002 Winter Olympics. Instead, they competed in other championships, winning the 2002 World Junior Championships. After this season, Benjamin was too old to compete as a junior.

Belbin and Agosto won their first U.S. national title in 2004. They went on to win this title four more times in a row. At the 2005 Nationals, they received perfect scores for their free dance.

They won a silver medal at the 2005 World Championships. Fans wanted Tanith to become a U.S. citizen in time for the 2006 Winter Olympics. A special law was passed, and President George W. Bush signed it on December 31, 2005. This made Tanith a citizen, allowing her to compete for the United States.

In January 2006, Belbin and Agosto won their third national title. At the Turin Olympics, they won the silver medal in ice dancing. This was the first Olympic medal for American ice dancers in 30 years! They then won a bronze medal at the World Championships.

They continued to achieve great results, winning more national titles and medals at international events. In April 2008, Belbin and Agosto changed coaches. They started working with Natalia Linichuk and Gennadi Karponosov.

Belbin and Agosto won two Grand Prix events in the 2009–10 season. At the 2010 U.S. Championships, they placed second. They were chosen to represent the United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics. They finished 4th in the Olympic ice dancing event.

On June 10, 2010, Belbin and Agosto announced they were retiring from competitive skating. They still skate together in ice shows. In 2016, they were inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame.

After Competing

After retiring, Tanith Belbin became a commentator for ice dance competitions. She has worked for Universal Sports Network and NBCSN. She also appeared on the ABC show Skating with the Stars.

In 2011, Tanith competed on Battle of the Blades, a show where figure skaters partner with hockey players. She placed 3rd in the competition. Tanith also works as a choreographer, creating skating routines for others.

Coaching New Skaters

In 2022, Tanith Belbin opened the Michigan Ice Dance Academy. She started it with Charlie White and Greg Zuerlein. They coach many talented ice dance teams.

Skating Programs

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

Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto performed many different programs throughout their career. These programs included various styles of music and dance, from classical pieces to modern songs. Each program had unique choreography and costumes, showcasing their skills and artistry on the ice.

Competitive Highlights

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

(ice dancing with Agosto)