2011 World Ice Dance Champions To Appear In Canton Community

The Canton Community will host a special event in celebration of the 2011 World Figure Skating Championship Ice Dance Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medalists, who all currently train year-round at Arctic Edge Ice Arena in Canton, MI. These World Champions achieved the extremely amazing feat of an unprecedented podium sweep in the ice dance category held in Moscow, Russia this past April to bring home Gold, Silver and Bronze to the Canton community.

This congratulatory special event is scheduled to take place at Kickers All Star Grill, located at 46555 W. Michigan Avenue, in Canton, MI on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 from 6-7 p.m. Canton Township employees and Arctic Figure Skating Club members are set to honor these competitors from 5-6 p.m., while the public is invited to attend a meet-and-greet from 6-7 p.m. to celebrate the achievements of these three talented ice-dancing teams and coaches who have spent months training on the ice at Canton’s Arctic Edge Ice Arena, located at 46615 Michigan Avenue.

The world watched as: Meryl Davis and Charlie White of Team USA received the Gold Medal; Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Team Canada took the Silver Medal; and Maia and Alex Shibutani of Team USA were awarded the Bronze Medal in Moscow, Russia on April 30, 2011.

The Canadian Team of Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir also earned the 2010 Gold Medal in Ice Dancing at the Vancouver Olympics, while the American Team of Meryl Davis and Charlie White received the 2010 Silver Medal in Ice Dancing at the same Olympics.

All three pairs of these World Ice Dance Champions currently dedicate hundreds of hours training on the ice at Canton’s Arctic Edge Ice Arena year round and incredibly are all trained by the same coaches, Igor Shpilband and Marina Zoueva. Last month Shpilband and Zoueva were recently recognized by the Professional Skaters Association as Coaches and Choreographers of the year. Igor Shpilband was also elected to the Professional Skaters Hall of Fame for the United States.

Zoueva is a Russian-Canadian ice dancing coach and choreographer. Together with Igor Shpilband, she coaches and choreographs for Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, who won the gold medal for Canada; and Meryl Davis and Charlie White, the American silver medalists. Shpilband, a former Soviet ice dancer and current ice dancing coach, was born in Moscow and defected to the United States in January 1990. Shpilband became a naturalized United States citizen in 2000. These elite coaches continue to work with world-class athletes in Canton, MI,

Hosted by Canton Township and Arctic Edge Ice Arena, this World Figure Skating Championship celebration will give the community a chance to join these athletes for a special congratulatory meet and greet that will include photo opportunities as well as refreshments. For more information on Canton’s special World Championship Ice Dancing Celebration, call 734/483-5600 or visit Cantonfun.org