Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto's Patriotic Exhibition | Golden Skate

Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto's Patriotic Exhibition

S

SkateFan4Life

Guest
Tanith and Ben just skated to a medley of Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" and Ray Charles "America". She was dressed in a sort of American flag costume, and they used a full-sized American flag during the number. When they finished the routine, they took their bows, holding the flag fully extended between them.

Go, USA!
 

Panther2000

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
It is there way of saying thank you for her citizenship.



It was a wonderful skate. But, I hope they use something different at the olympics. I hate the use of Political statements during the games.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
A odd pair of songs to combine...the Boss's chronicle of the dreadful treatment of veterans following Vietnam (and we are not doing that much better with the Iraq war veterans), repeating Born In the USA, which Tanith was not????? with Ray Charles' beautiful song...

Oh well, there's nothing like a new citizen to be very patriotic. I do hope they have a different one for Turin, supposing they make the gala, which I DO hope they do.
 

Antilles

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I agree that Born in the USA is hardly a patriotic song. I also hope they use something different for Torino. Patriotic skates bug me in general, but they really don't work when being performed in a different country.
 

kyla2

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 24, 2004
Hmmm

I liked it but I agree about the Bruce Springsteen part. I wonder if they understand what that song is all about?? Also, this is absolutely not a shot about Tanith, who i like very much, but what must the Canadians think about that exhibition? Does she retain dual citizenship?
 

Piel

On Edge
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
I think the "BITUSA" part was just pertaining to Ben beause he was BITUSA. If you notice the only lyrics that were played were BITUSA,. Then when Tanith came out it was the Canadian band The Guess Who singing "American Woman" which Tanith is now. Then together they skated to Ray Charles' "America". So as I understood it the guy BITUSA and the Canadian-American Woman (she has dual citizenship) skated together to "America".. I loved it but agree not for an international audience. But please no Green Acres.
 

STL_Blues_fan

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 24, 2004
Well, the way I saw it is that only Ben was performing for Born in the USA (which he was). She came out when Lenny Kravitz did American woman (which is what she is now). Both danced to Ray Charles. I understood the overall theme that they were going with, but it was a bit on the cheesy-shmaltzy side - not sure these are the correct words.

I found it touching when the flag crew from the stands handed the flag to Tanith during the victory lap of the champions following the medal ceremony (I got a nice photo of that one!). I even got a bit of a tear in my eye..I thought of the day when I was sworn in. And I am not the the sentimental/crying kind. However, I couldn't get why the flag crew were giving flags to other gold medalsts. Everyone is American here, you know???
 

Piel

On Edge
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Yaana you're right it was Lenny Kravitz version. Thanks!:agree:
 

orchid

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
Do not use MY National flag as a prop

Apparently, the 2-week old U.S. citizen was not clear as how to respect the U.S Flag. She allowed the flag to drop to the ice!
 

dancindiva03

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
I guess I really don't care that they skated to those songs, but I do not like her costume at all! She looks like Wonder Woman's slutty little sister. Fab body, or course, but she still looked trashy! I don't like that kind of look on anyone, especially not when you destroy the flag to do it!
 

LarasB

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
I enjoyed Tanith and Ben's exhibition very much. I believe that for her, just recently becoming an American citizen, must still be very much in her heart and that's why I think they chose the program, clothes, flag. I think it was quite appropriate to skate it here in the U.S. In international competition and exhibitions it would be a totally different thing. Congratulations Tanith on becoming an American citizen and I wish you and Ben all the best in the Olympics!
 

CzarinaAnya

Medalist
Joined
Aug 29, 2003
dancindiva03 said:
I guess I really don't care that they skated to those songs, but I do not like her costume at all! She looks like Wonder Woman's slutty little sister. Fab body, or course, but she still looked trashy! I don't like that kind of look on anyone, especially not when you destroy the flag to do it!

I was thinking, "Wonder Woman", too, when I saw it. :laugh: lol

I think instead pf the regular size flag, they should have had her holding one of the larger flags that are attached to a stick. jmo
 

Lanie

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
dancindiva03 said:
I guess I really don't care that they skated to those songs, but I do not like her costume at all! She looks like Wonder Woman's slutty little sister. Fab body, or course, but she still looked trashy! I don't like that kind of look on anyone, especially not when you destroy the flag to do it!

For once I totally agree with you. IMO Tanith was being very disrespectful dressing like that and the two of them manhandling the American flag... oy. Made me really annoyed at them both!
 

Piel

On Edge
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Tanith's costume was just fine. COI a couple of years ago had the entire cast in various stars and stripes costumes....which is different than costumes that are actually sewn out of a flag. Tanith's was obviously not made from a flag...the blue was a different color and the stars were much bigger., and the stripes were totally different from the stripes on the flag. So NO FLAGS were destroyed to make Tanith's costume. I think the girl was celebrating and embracing her new citizenship in an appropriate way. You could tell that they were trying to keep the flag off of the ice. Someone dancing or skating with the flag in a joyful manner doesn't bother me at all. If you want to get worked up about disrespecting the flag then worry about all of the killing and government misconduct that goes on in the name of the flag. The audience seemed to appreciate her performance. And since when is showing a navel trashy? She wasn't at church she was performing.:sheesh: :sheesh: :sheesh:
 

guinevere

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
I also think that Tanith and Ben were quite careful with the flag - I think one corner touched the ice at one point, but they clearly make efforts to handle it respectfully. How anyone who actually watches ice dancing could think of Tanith's exhibition costume as trashy is bizarre to me. In the ice dancing continuum, it was practically a church outfit!

I loved the opening of the program - the joyfulness, and the (probably unintended but still present) in-your-face-ness of it. Once they got to the song "America" and got the flag, I thought it was a bit sappy, but I think the program really was a big ol' thank you from Tanith and Ben to their supporters, and an expression of how excited they are to be representing the USA in Torino. I don't think we'll be seeing this exhibition at the Olys.
 

Vash01

Medalist
Joined
Jul 31, 2003
I find patriotic exhibitions cheesy, unless there is an occasion for them, like a memorial, fund raiser, tribute, etc. Dressing in the flag seems particularly distasteful to me.

Vash
 

Piel

On Edge
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Vash I think this was such an occasion. It was a send off for the American team to the Olympics. Her costume wasn't the flag it just had stars and stripes on it....there is a difference. Dance troops all over the place have stars and stripes, and red, white, and blue costumes. Look at the ladies gymnastics team's leotards, the swim team's speedos and caps, track teams... it is used to identify them as Americans. I really think that it is meant as an expression of pride.
 
Top