Benjamin Agosto
| Benjamin Agosto | |
|---|---|
 Agosto at a press conference | |
| Full name | Benjamin Alexandro Agosto |
| Born | January 15, 1982 Chicago |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Figure skating career | |
| Country |  United States |
| Partner | Tanith Belbin |
| Coach | Natalia Linichuk Gennadi Karponossov |
| Skating club | Arctic FSC |
| Retired | June 2010 |
Medal record | |
| Olympic medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Figure skating | ||
| Representing the United States
| ||
 |
2006 Turin | Ice dancing |
Benjamin Alexandro Agosto (born January 15, 1982) is an American ice dancer. With partner Tanith Belbin, Agosto is the 2006 Olympic silver medalist, a four-time World medalist, the 2004–2006 Four Continents champion, and 2004–2008 U.S. champion.
Personal life
Benjamin Agosto was born January 15, 1982, in Chicago, Illinois and raised in Northbrook, Illinois. He moved to Detroit, Michigan in June 1998 in order to train under Igor Shpilband. He is the son of a Puerto Rican father and a Jewish mother whose family has roots in Romania and Russia.[1][2][3] Agosto attended grade school at the Chicago Waldorf School, then Glenbrook North High School for two years before moving to Michigan where he graduated with honors from Groves High School in June 2000. Agosto played in a high school jazz band and hopes to become a blues player someday. He is also a voice actor and has voiced characters in video games. He has performed on television as a spokesperson for the United States Census.[4] Agosto also works as a skating coach.
Agosto lived and trained in Canton, Michigan through the summer of 2008, before he moved to Aston, Pennsylvania to train at the Ice Works Skating Complex. In September 2010, he moved to Lacey, Washington.[5]
Career
Agosto started skating at age six, after receiving a pair of ice skates for his birthday, and started ice dancing at about age 12.[2] Early in his career, he was coached by Susie Wynne.[2] He teamed up first with Katie Hill, skating with her on the novice and junior levels, including internationally. They skated out of Midwestern Section. When that partnership ended, Agosto moved from Chicago to Michigan in 1998 to train under Igor Shpilband, who teamed him up with his new partner.
In 1998, he was partnered with Tanith Belbin and the team immediately saw results on the junior level in the 1999–2000 season, their first competitive season, winning the junior national title as well as the bronze medal at the 2000 World Junior Championships. In their first year skating senior nationally, they placed second at Nationals, qualifying them for the senior Worlds team. Following that, Belbin and Agosto were sent to both Worlds and Junior Worlds every year they were age-eligible.
Belbin and Agosto qualified for the 2002 Winter Olympics with a second-place finish at the 2001 U.S. Championships, but were ineligible to compete there because the Canadian-born Belbin was not 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,[6] completing their set of medals from that event. Following that season, Agosto aged out of juniors.
In 2004, Belbin and Agosto won the U.S. Championship and would go on to repeat four times. At Nationals in 2005, the last year of the 6.0 system, Belbin & Agosto earned straight perfect sixes for presentation in their free dance. Of the 30 6.0s given out in ice dance at US Nationals, Belbin & Agosto have 14 of them. Their 6.0 count is second only to Michelle Kwan's career 38 at nationals.
In February 2005, Belbin and Agosto organized and performed in their own figure skating benefit show, Skate Aid for Tsunami Relief, which raised more than $37,000 for Red Cross relief efforts.
Though they earned silver medals for the United States at the 2005 World Figure Skating Championships, Belbin and Agosto were originally ineligible to compete at the 2006 Winter Olympics as Belbin was not yet an American citizen. Their silver medal combined with the placement of the other American team earned the United States three spots to the Olympics in ice dance, the first time this had happened since 1984.
By a special act of Congress that passed on December 28, 2005, which President Bush signed on New Year's Eve, 2005, Belbin became a naturalized citizen of the USA, making her able to compete for the United States at the 2006 Winter Olympics. Belbin and Agosto went on to win the Olympic silver medal in ice dance on February 20, 2006. They were the first American ice dance team since 1976, the first year ice dancing was contested at the Olympics, to win an Olympic medal.
Belbin & Agosto began the 2006–2007 season with a free dance called That's Entertainment. After receiving less-than-steller feedback on it, they scrapped the free dance and came to Nationals with a new program to the music of Amelie. With this free dance, they won Nationals, the silver medal at Four Continents, and 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. They were guest stars on part of the 2008 Stars on Ice tour.
In April 2008,[7] 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.[8] In addition to teaching different technique,[7] Linichuk advised Belbin to gain 10 pounds and develop some muscles in order to skate faster and more fluidly.[8] This also gave Belbin more core strength to hold her positions better, thus making lifts easier for Agosto.[8]
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. Championships before the event began to due Agosto's injury.[9] 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 and 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.[10] 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.[11] They finished 4th in the Olympic ice dancing event. They did not compete at the 2010 World Championships.
On June 10, 2010, Belbin and Agosto announced their retirement from eligible skating.[12] Agosto said that he planned to move to Washington to be closer to friends and family and after touring professionally, hopes to pursue sports medicine.[13] He is a coach and choreographer.[5]
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 Frédéric 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 Ástor Piazzolla Oblivion by Ástor Piazzolla |
Overture from That's Entertainment! Amélie (soundtrack) by Yann Tiersen |
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 Giuseppe Verdi Polka: Jolly Robbers by Franz von Suppé |
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 | Un Vie d'Amour |
| 1999–2000 | The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi |
Un Vie d'Amour |
Competitive highlights
With Belbin
| Event | 1999–00 | 2000–01 | 2001–02 | 2002–03 | 2003–04 | 2004–05 | 2005–06 | 2006–07 | 2007–08 | 2008–09 | 2009–10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympic Games | 2nd | 4th | |||||||||
| World Championships | 17th | 13th | 7th | 5th | 2nd | 3rd | 3rd | 4th | 2nd | ||
| Four Continents Championships | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 2nd | |||||
| World Junior Championships | 3rd | ||||||||||
| U.S. Championships | 1st J. | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | WD | 2nd |
| Grand Prix Final | 3rd | 2nd | WD | 2nd | WD | WD | |||||
| Skate America | 5th | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 1st | |||
| Cup of China | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 1st | ||||||
| Trophée Lalique | 6th | 3rd | 4th | ||||||||
| Cup of Russia | 2nd | 1st | |||||||||
| Nebelhorn Trophy | 1st | ||||||||||
| 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 | ||||||||||
| WD = Withdrew; J. = Junior level | |||||||||||
With Hill
| Event | 1995–1996 | 1996–1997 | 1997–1998 |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Championships | 8th N. | 3rd N. | 7th J. |
| Junior Grand Prix, Slovakia | 10th | ||
| Junior Grand Prix, Bulgaria | 7th | ||
| Midwestern Sectionals | 2nd J. | ||
| N. = Novice level; J. = Junior level | |||
See also
References
- ^ "Jewish Stars". Cleveland Jewish News. February 12, 2010. Retrieved May 30, 2010.
- ^ a b c "Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto: Online Interview". goldenskate.com. April 28, 2003. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
- ^ Bloom, Nate (February 16, 2006). "The Tribe goes to Torino: Sketches of Jewish Olympic-Bound Athletes". Jewish World Review. Retrieved April 11, 2008.
- ^ Census[dead link]
- ^ a b Brannen, Sarah S.; Meekins, Drew (May 23, 2012). "The Inside Edge: Sarah, Drew (try to) go hip-hop". IceNetwork. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
- ^ Template:PDFlink
- ^ a b Mittan, Barry (February 20, 2010). "Last Hurrah for Belbin and Agosto". Skate Today.
- ^ a b c Macur, Juliet (February 16, 2010). "New Muscles and Pounds Boost an American Ice Dancer's Outlook". New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
- ^ "Injury forces Belbin and Agosto to withdraw from 2009 AT&T U.S. Figure Skating Championships". U.S. Figure Skating. January 8, 2009. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
- ^ "Belbin, Agosto withdraw from Grand Prix Final". Icenetwork. November 24, 2009. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
- ^ "U.S. Figure Skating Announces Ladies, Ice Dancing Teams Nominated to 2010 U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team". U.S. Figure Skating. January 23, 2010. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
- ^ "2006 Olympic Silver Medalist Ice Dancers Belbin and Agosto Announce Retirement from Competitive Figure Skating". U.S. Figure Skating. June 10, 2010. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
- ^ "Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto: Life after retiring (video)". Life Skate. July 10, 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
External links
- Official website
- Benjamin Agosto at Team USA (archived)
- American ice dancers
- Figure skaters at the 2006 Winter Olympics
- Figure skaters at the 2010 Winter Olympics
- Living people
- 1982 births
- Olympic figure skaters of the United States
- Olympic silver medalists for the United States
- Jewish American sportspeople
- American people of Puerto Rican descent
- American people of Romanian-Jewish descent
- American people of Russian-Jewish descent
- American sportspeople of Latin American descent
- American people of Romanian descent
- American people of Russian descent
- People from Chicago, Illinois
- Waldorf school alumni
- Olympic medalists in figure skating