![\"belgosto-0311\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.ice-dance.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/belgosto-0311.jpg?resize=253%2C300&ssl=1\")
If an elite ice dancer, newly retired from competitive skating, is going to feel a slight twinge of regret, it\u2019s probably going to be in March. This is especially likely if it\u2019s March in a post-Olympic year, World Championships looming on the horizon, when the world of competitive dance is brimming with opportunity and excitement. But Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto do not have regrets. They have new projects and exciting plans on their own horizon, and instead of spending long days at the rink, polishing programs for Worlds, they\u2019re jetting all over the country as cast members in the Smucker’s Stars on Ice<\/em> 25th Anniversary Tour<\/a>.<\/p>\nAnd how does it feel to be on tour while longtime friends and rivals are preparing to face off in Tokyo?<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels right,\u201d Belbin said, without a hint of hesitation. \u201cI\u2019ve never felt, since we retired, that tug to return to competition.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo regrets,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
After a few guest spots while they were still competing, Belbin & Agosto are in their second year as full cast members with Smucker’s Stars on Ice<\/em>, and they are loving it.<\/p>\n \u201cMy favorite thing about touring with the show is the camaraderie that you build over the course of the tour with the cast,\u201d Agosto said. \u201cEveryone is so talented and has so much to offer, but everyone gets along so well.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This year\u2019s landmark tour is headlined by 2010 Olympic champion Evan Lysacek and 2006 Olympic silver medalist Sasha Cohen and includes longtime cast members Todd Eldredge and Michael Weiss and new U.S. cast member, 2010 Olympic bronze medalist Joannie Rochette. Canadians Jamie Sal\u00e9 & David Pelletier are skating in most of the shows, but in 6 shows, they\u2019re replaced by Kyoko Ina & John Zimmerman, making their first appearances on the ice together since 2008. Perhaps the biggest treat of this silver anniversary is a return to the full U.S. tour for fan favorites Kurt Browning and Ekaterina Gordeeva. Browning\u2019s last full tour in the U.S. was 2003 and Gordeeva has not been on the full tour since 2000. Both have done partial tours, but this is a unique opportunity for fans across the country to see two of the classic cast members at every show.<\/p>\n Both Belbin and Agosto have fond memories of seeing Browning and Gordeeva in Smucker’s Stars on Ice<\/em> when they were young, so touring with them makes this year extra special.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re so excited to watch and be inspired by the skaters [on tour],\u201d Agosto said.<\/p>\n \u201cAs part of such a storied company, we still kind of feel like newbies,\u201d Belbin added. \u201cWe feel like we\u2019re becoming a part of something. It\u2019s pretty surreal.\u201d<\/p>\n The only dance team on the tour, Belbin & Agosto are trying to offer two very different solo programs. In their first number, set to the popular song \u201cUse Somebody,\u201d they use a scarf as a prop and try to set a romantic mood.<\/p>\n Their second program takes a dramatic turn.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a flamenco piece, a little more of a classical sound,\u201d Agosto explained, \u201cbut with a vampire twist. That one\u2019s a lot of fun to perform.\u201d<\/p>\n The tour continues through April 9, and after that, Belbin & Agosto are hoping for plenty of opportunities to continue skating this year, possibly in Asian markets.<\/p>\n Although the team no longer lives in the same state\u2014Belbin is based in the Detroit area, while Agosto moved to Washington state last year\u2014it wasn\u2019t too difficult to get their programs ready for the tour. They skated together when they were scheduled for shows in the fall, and since Agosto\u2019s parents are still in the Detroit area, it was easy for him to come \u201chome\u201d and work with Belbin at the Detroit Skating Club, where their partnership began.<\/p>\n And though a part of them remains in sync as partners on the ice, they are excited about a new chapter in their lives that is allowing the m to pursue separate interests. Both finally have the time to focus on college courses, and both are setting new goals. Agosto is interested in pursuing voiceover work and has a long-term goal of a career in sports medicine. Meanwhile, Belbin has fit really well as a commentator with Universal Sports and would love to continue being a voice of skating in the future.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not a full-time commitment,\u201d Belbin said, \u201cso it\u2019s a great way for me to stay involved with the sport…as long as I can keep up with the rule changes!\u201d<\/p>\n A hope that we all share, Tanith.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n