USFS "Preview" - Championship Dance Teams

This is basically for me, I'm one of those that likes to be familiar with what I'm going to see. I'm getting super excited for this trip, and this is keeping me from going insane waiting until it's closer to time to pack... I mean I *could* pack now for Disney but I'd rather wait until about a week out to pull out the suitcases.

Many thanks to Sylvia at Unseen Skaters for compiling the list. This is not the official roster, but it's all we have.

Alexandra Aldridge/Daniel Eaton Short Dance / Free Dance

Ashley Bain/Oleg Altukhov Short Dance / Free Dance

Julia Biechler/Damian Dodge Short Dance / Free Dance

Madison Chock/Evan Bates Short Dance / Free Dance

Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker Short Dance / Free Dance

Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue Short Dance / Free Dance

Cassidy Klopstock/Jacob Schedl Short Dance / Free Dance

Karina Manta/Joseph Johnson Short Dance / Free Dance

Lorraine McNamara/Quinn Carpenter Short Dance / Free Dance

Rachel Parsons/Michael Parsons Short Dance / Free Dance

Elliana Pogrebinsky/Alex Benoit Short Dance / Free Dance

Elicia Reynolds/Stephen Reynolds Short Dance / Free Dance

Maia Shibutani/Alex Shibutani Short Dance / Free Dance

30 Days of [Figure] Skating: Day Fourteen

Day 14: Top 5 Dance Teams

1 - Renee Roca & Gorsha Sur, USA. Everything about this team just oozes confidence. I love their classic dance style, and the fact that Gorsha is smokin' hot. Ha ha! I loved their romantic/slow dance type pieces most, they really felt those programs through to their fingertips!

2 - Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto, USA. They definitely made ice dance fun for Americans. I think what drew me into their skating most was they were my age, they looked so much more mature, and they skated to Elvis. Hello, awesomeness right there!

3 - Melissa Gregory & Denis Petukhov, USA. I'm seeing a pattern here, ha ha! I think a lot of this bias comes from the fact that I've met them in person and they are not only very responsive, but they cherish the relationships with their fans. They're hardcore dedicated to the sport, and they are pretty fantastic on the ice. Watching Denis' basic skills on Skating with the Stars this winter really made me realize just how special this team is.

4 - Jayne Torvill & Christopher Dean, Great Britain. I think it's considered sacriledge not to have them on a top five list, and even worse that I put them so low. Oh well. I could gush about them and say everything that is always said about them. But, I don't know. I love their choreography more than their actual skating.

5 - Shae-Lynn Bourne & Victor Kraatz, Canada. The first ice dance team that took my interest competitively. Mainly because I loved watching Victor. River Dance was fun and kicky, and their Hotel California was so smooth...

Belbin & Agosto turn Professional

The five time US Ice Dance champions who are touted as the team that changed the course of the sport for America, Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto, announced this week that they are retiring from the Amateur competitive circuit. The team's meteoric rise to the top of both national and international podiums turned the heads of many with their clever choreography as well as their youthful expression. They claimed Olympic silver during the 2006 Turin Games, and barely missed the podium in Vancouver.

The duo paired up in 1998 and began seeing early success in the junior ranks, which led to a lot of hope and hype following their jump to the senior level. Much ado was made, and they quickly saw positive returns, in just their first year they came second to the more mature and more polished Lang & Tchernychev. The next few years made for an exciting national competition with Belbin and Agosto continuing to close the gap. They easily took US Skating to the next level after taking their first senior title in 2004. They were also seeing a great amount of success in international competition, knocking down doors and barriers many believe could never be penetrated by a young North American team.

The team is now looking at professional pursuits. After spending the spring touring with Stars On Ice and a subsequent break from the ice, they announced on Thursday that they were ready for the next phase of a skater's life. Tours are in their future - no doubt they will be fixtures in Stars On Ice for some time to come - and with talk of Scott Hamilton bringing back the professional competitive circuit there are likely to be many opportunities for Tanith and Ben to continue to expand and grow with their skating.

They state on their website: "After 12 incredible years skating together, we have decided to announce our retirement from competition. We have accomplished and surpassed so many of our goals, from participating in two Olympic Games to pushing ourselves and developing our skills in this sport we love so much. With that, we feel we can move on from our competitive careers without regret. May our fans rest assured, we plan to continue skating together in the professional ranks for years to come."

US Ice Dance is now in the capable hands of the reigning Olympic and World silver medalists of Meryl Davis & Charlie White, but it will surely miss the excitement and spunk of Tanith and Ben.