Igor Yuryevich Shpilband (russian: Игорь Юрьевич Шпильбанд, born July 14, 1964) is an American

ice dancing Ice dance (sometimes referred to as ice dancing) is a discipline of figure skating that historically draws from ballroom dancing. It joined the World Figure Skating Championships in 1952, and became a Winter Olympic Games medal sport in 1976. Ac ...

coach and former competitor for the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

. He is the 1983 World Junior champion with former partner Tatiana Gladkova.

Personal life

Shpilband was born in

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

on July 14, 1964, to a Jewish family. In 1990, he and several other Soviet skaters were part of a U.S. tour headlined by Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean when one of them,

Gorsha Sur Georgi "Gorsha" Sur (born January 1, 1967) is a former ice dancer who represented the United States and the Soviet Union. With Svetlana Liapina for the Soviet Union, he is a two-time World Junior medalist. With Renée Roca for the U.S., he is a ...

, decided to

defect A defect is a physical, functional, or aesthetic attribute of a product or service that exhibits that the product or service failed to meet one of the desired specifications. Defect, defects or defected may also refer to: Examples * Angular defec ...

; Shpilband,

Veronica Pershina Veronica Petrovna Pershina or Voyk (russian: Вероника Петровна Першина, born December 20, 1966) is a former competitive pair skater who competed for the Soviet Union. With Marat Akbarov, she is the 1985 European bronze med ...

and

Elena Krykanova Elena Krykanova, also romanized as Krikanova, (russian: Елена Крыканова) is a former ice dancer who represented the Soviet Union. With former partner Evgeni Platov, she is a three-time World Junior champion (1984–1986). They beg ...

decided to join him. Shpilband got a coaching position in Detroit not long after. He became a naturalized United States citizen in 2000. With his former wife Veronica Pershina, he has a daughter, Ekaterina, a competitive figure skater for the United States. In 2006, he became engaged to skating coach Adrienne Lenda.

Competitive and coaching career

Shpilband was coached by

Lyudmila Pakhomova Lyudmila Alekseyevna Pakhomova (russian: Людмила Алексеевна Пахомова; 31 December 1946 – 17 May 1986) was an ice dancer who competed for the Soviet Union. With her husband Alexandr Gorshkov, she was the 1976 Olympic c ...

from age 12 to 20. He and his partner, Tatiana Gladkova, won the silver medal at the 1982 World Junior Championships and then gold in 1983. Shpilband retired from competitive skating following Pakhomova's death in 1986. Following his defection, he began working as a coach and choreographer at the Detroit Skating Club. Gorsha Sur recommended him as a coach to

Elizabeth Punsalan Elizabeth Punsalan or Swallow (born January 9, 1971) is an American former competitive ice dancer. With her husband Jerod Swallow, she is a five-time U.S. national champion, two-time Skate America champion, and competed twice in the Winter Olymp ...

and

Jerod Swallow Jerod Swallow (born October 18, 1966) is an American ice dancing, ice dancer. With his wife Elizabeth Punsalan, he is a five-time United States Figure Skating Championships, U.S. national champion, two-time Skate America champion, and competed t ...

, who were among his first students. Shpilband formerly worked in collaboration with British coach Elizabeth Coates. He began coaching with

Marina Zueva Marina Olegovna Zoueva or Zueva (russian: Марина Олеговна Зуева; born 9 April 1956) is a Russian figure skating coach, choreographer, and former competitor in ice dancing. Representing the Soviet Union with Andrei Vitman, she ...

in 2001. In 2003, Shpilband began coaching at the Arctic Edge Arena in

Canton, Michigan Canton, officially the Charter Township of Canton, is a charter township of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the township had a population of 98,659. Canton Township is Michigan's second most-populated townshi ...

. On June 3, 2012, Shpilband confirmed that he had been fired from the Arctic Edge Arena. On June 12, it was announced that his new training site is the Novi Ice Arena in

Novi, Michigan Novi ( ) is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 66,243, an increase of 20% from the 2010 census. A northern suburb of Metro Detroit, Novi is located about northwest of the city of D ...

, and American ice dancers

Madison Chock Madison La'akea Te-Lan Hall Chock (born July 2, 1992) is an American ice dancer. With her skating partner, Evan Bates, she is a 2022 Olympic team event silver medalist, a three-time World medalist (silver in 2015, bronze in 2016 and 2022), a fo ...

Evan Bates Evan Bates (born February 23, 1989) is an American ice dancer. With his skating partner, Madison Chock, he is a 2022 Olympic team event silver medalist, a three-time World medalist (silver in 2015, bronze in 2016 and 2022), a four-time Grand Pr ...

confirmed that they would train with Shpilband in Novi. They were joined soon after by

Isabella Tobias Isabella Tobias (born August 23, 1991) is an American-born Israeli ice dancer who competes with Ilia Tkachenko. Together they have won four medals on the ISU Challenger Series. Earlier in her career, Tobias skated with Otar Japaridze for Georgia ...

Deividas Stagniūnas Deividas Stagniūnas (born 28 April 1985) is a Lithuanian former ice dancer. With Isabella Tobias, he is the 2011 Skate America bronze medalist and placed in the top ten at two European Championships. They represented Lithuania at the 2014 Wi ...

of Lithuania. Shpilband is currently coaching the following skaters: *

Yura Min Yura Min (Hangul: 민유라; born August 15, 1995) is a Korean-American ice dancer who skates with Daniel Eaton for South Korea, with whom she is the 2020 Korean National Champion. With former partner Alexander Gamelin, she is a two-time So ...

/ Daniel Eaton * Eva Pate /

Logan Bye Logan Bye (born March 2, 1998) is an American ice dancer. With his skating partner and fiancée, Eva Pate, he is a two-time ISU Challenger Series silver medalist. With former partner Chloe Lewis, he is the 2016 Youth Olympic silver medalist, ...

* Robynne Tweedale / Joseph Buckland Shpilband has coached the following skaters: *

Alisa Agafonova Alisa Alexandrovna Agafonova (married name: Besseghier, uk, Аліса Олександрівна Агафо́нова, born 15 January 1991) is a former competitive ice dancer. She is best known for her partnership with Alper Uçar. Representin ...

Dmitri Dun Dmitri Dun ( uk, Дмитро Олексійович Дунь; born 7 November 1989) is a Ukrainian former competitive ice dancer. With Siobhan Heekin-Canedy, he is a three-time Ukrainian national champion and placed as high as 14th at the World ...

Eve Chalom Eve Chalom (born October 22, 1979) is an American former competitive ice dancer. With Mathew Gates, she is the 1996 Nebelhorn Trophy silver medalist and a two-time (1997, 1999) U.S. national silver medalist. Personal life Chalom was born Octo ...

Mathew Gates Mathew Gates (born June 29, 1975) is a British-American former competitive ice dancer. With Eve Chalom, he is the 1996 Nebelhorn Trophy silver medalist and a two-time (1997, 1999) U.S. national silver medalist. He has medaled seven consecuti ...

* Alissandra Aronow /

Zachary Donohue Zachary Tyler "Zach" Donohue (born January 8, 1991) is an American former ice dancer. With Madison Hubbell, he is a two-time 2022 Winter Olympics medalist, a four-time World Figure Skating Championships, World medalist, the 2018 Grand Prix of Fig ...

* Tanith Belbin White /

Benjamin Agosto Benjamin Alexandro "Ben" 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 ...

Anna Cappellini Anna Cappellini (born 19 February 1987) is an Italian ice dancer. With partner Luca Lanotte, she is the 2014 World champion, the 2014 European champion, the 2015 Cup of China champion and a thirteen-time medalist on the Grand Prix series, and ...

Luca Lanotte Luca Lanotte (born 30 July 1985) is an Italian former ice dancer. With partner Anna Cappellini, he is the 2014 World champion, the 2014 European champion, the 2015 Cup of China champion and a thirteen-time medalist on the Grand Prix series, an ...

(co-coach, with Paola Mezzadri from June 2012-July 2014) *

Christina Carreira Christina Carreira (born April 3, 2000) is a Canadian-born ice dancer who competes for the United States. With her skating partner, Anthony Ponomarenko, she is the 2022 Four Continents bronze medalist, the 2018 Rostelecom Cup bronze medalist, a ...

/ Anthony Ponomarenko * Madison Chock / Greg Zuerlein (until June 2011) *

(from July 2011 to May 2018) *

Penny Coomes Penny Coomes (born 6 April 1989) is a former English competitive ice dancer Ice dance (sometimes referred to as ice dancing) is a discipline of figure skating that historically draws from ballroom dancing. It joined the World Figure Skating ...

Nicholas Buckland Nicholas "Nick" Buckland (born 9 June 1989) is a former English competitive ice dancer who represented Great Britain. With partner Penny Coomes, he is the 2014 European bronze medalist and has won six other international medals. They are also ...

(from May 2015) *

Katherine Copely Katherine Leigh Copely, M.D. (born January 9, 1988) is a former American-born Ice Dancer who competed internationally for Lithuania. With partner Deividas Stagniūnas, she is the 4 time Lithuanian National Champion with Bronze Medals at both G ...

/ Deividas Stagniūnas * Charlotte Lichtman / Dean Copely *

Meryl Davis Meryl Davis (born January 1, 1987) is a former competitive American ice dancer. With partner Charlie White, she is the 2014 Olympic champion, the 2010 Olympic silver medalist, a two-time (2011, 2013) World champion, five-time Grand Prix Final ...

/ Charlie White (until June 2012) *

Margarita Drobiazko Margarita Aleksandrovna Drobiazko (russian: Маргарита Александровна Дробязко; born 21 December 1971) is a Russian retired ice dancer. She began competing for Lithuania in 1992 when she teamed up with Povilas Vanagas ...

Povilas Vanagas Povilas Vanagas (; born 23 July 1970) is a Lithuanian ice dancer. With his wife Margarita Drobiazko, he is the 2000 World bronze medalist, a three-time Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, a two-time European bronze medalist (2000, 2006), the 1999 ...

Grethe Grünberg Grethe Grünberg (born 17 December 1988) is an Estonian former ice dancer. With partner Kristjan Rand, she is the 2007 World Junior silver medalist and the 2005–2007 Estonian national champion. Career Grünberg began learning to skate in 19 ...

/ Kristian Rand *

Jessica Joseph Jessica Joseph (born March 31, 1982 in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan) is an American former ice dancer. With Charles Butler, she is the 1998 World Junior champion and 1998 U.S. silver medalist. They also competed in the 1998 Winter Olympics. After ...

/ Charles Butler * Jessica Joseph /

Brandon Forsyth Brandon Forsyth (born November 8, 1979) is an American former competitive ice dancer. With Emilie Nussear, he is the 2000 World Junior silver medalist. They were coached by Bob Young in Simsbury, Connecticut. In the summer of 2000, Forsyth teame ...

* Siobhan Karam / Joshua McGrath *

Naomi Lang Naomi Lang (born December 18, 1978) is an American former competitive ice dancer. With skating partner Peter Tchernyshev, she is a two-time Four Continents champion (2000 and 2002), a five-time U.S. national champion (1999–2003), and compete ...

Peter Tchernyshev Peter Tchernyshev (russian: Пётр Андреевич Чернышёв; also romanized as ''Pyotr Andreyevich Chernyshev''; born February 6, 1971) is a Russian- American ice dancer. With skating partner Naomi Lang, he is a two-time Four Cont ...

* Kavita Lorenz /

Joti Polizoakis Panagiotis "Joti" Polizoakis (born 9 June 1995) is a German ice dancer and choreographer. He is a three-time German national champion (2016–2018) and has finished 16th at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. Personal life Joti Polizoakis was born ...

* Caitlin Mallory / Kristian Rand * Lydia Manon / Ryan O'Meara * Lydia Manon / Brandon Forsyth *

Alexander Gamelin Alexander Gamelin (born February 22, 1993) is an American-born South Korean ice dancer. He competed from the 2004–05 through the 2014–15 season with his twin sister, Danielle Gamelin. The two won the gold medal in senior dance at the 2015 U.S ...

Oleksandra Nazarova Oleksandra (Alexandra) Yevhenivna Nazarova ( uk, Олександра Євгенівна Назарова; born 30 November 1996) is a Ukrainian retired ice dancer. With her skating partner, Maksym Nikitin, she is the 2015 World Junior bronze ...

Maxim Nikitin Maksym (Maxim) Kostiantynovych Nikitin ( uk, Максим Костянтинович Нікітін; born 5 October 1994) is a Ukrainian retired ice dancer. With his skating partner, Oleksandra Nazarova, he is the 2015 World Junior bronze medalis ...

Avonley Nguyen Avonley Claren Nguyen (born November 22, 2002) is an American ice dancer. With her former partner, Vadym Kolesnik, she is the 2020 World Junior champion, the 2019–20 Junior Grand Prix Final silver medalist, and the 2020 U.S. junior national ...

Vadym Kolesnik Vadym Kolesnik ( uk, Вадим Колесник; born October 27, 2001) is a Ukrainian-born ice dancer who competes for the United States. With his skating partner, Emilea Zingas, he is the 2022 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb bronze medalist and ...

Nathalie Pechalat Nathalie is a female given name. It is a variant of the name Natalie/ Natalia which is found in many languages, and is especially common in French and English speaking countries. Notable people with the name include: * Nathalie, Italian singer * ...

Fabian Bourzat Fabian Bourzat (born 19 December 1980) is a French retired ice dancer. With partner Nathalie Péchalat, he is a two-time World bronze medalist (2012, 2014), a two-time European champion ( 2011–2012), and a five-time French national champion ( ...

, from May 2013 to March 2014. *

Justyna Plutowska Justyna Plutowska (born 27 June 1991) is a Polish ice dancer. With former partner Peter Gerber, she is the 2013 Finlandia Trophy bronze medalist and 2014 Bavarian Open champion. Personal life Justyna Plutowska was born 27 June 1991 in Gdynia, ...

/ Peter Gerber *

Elliana Pogrebinsky Elliana Pogrebinsky (born April 22, 1998) is a retired American competitive ice dancer. With Alex Benoit, she is a two-time ISU Challenger Series Tallinn Trophy bronze medalist (2016, 2017), the 2016 Lake Placid Ice Dance International champion, ...

Alex Benoit Alexander Benoit (born October 9, 1995) is an American actor and former competitive ice dancer. With his skating partner, Elliana Pogrebinsky, he is a two-time ISU Challenger Series Tallinn Trophy bronze medalist (2016, 2017), the 2016 Lake Plac ...

Thea Rabe Thea Rabe (born 2 January 1995) is a Norwegian figure skater. Competing in ice dancing with American Timothy Koleto, she won the bronze medal at the 2015 Volvo Open Cup. As a single skater, she is a two-time Norwegian national junior champion ( ...

/ Timothy Koleto * Jamie Silverstein / Ryan O'Meara * Jamie Silverstein /

Justin Pekarek Justin Pekarek (born August 26, 1981) is an American former competitive ice dancer. With Jamie Silverstein, he is the 2000 Four Continents bronze medalist and 1999 World Junior champion. Personal life Pekarek was born on August 26, 1981, in ...

* Lauren Senft / Leif Gislason * Lauren Senft / Augie Hill *

Maia Shibutani Maia Harumi Shibutani (born July 20, 1994) is an American ice dancer. Partnered with her brother Alex Shibutani, she is a two time 2018 Olympic bronze medalist, a three-time World medalist (silver in 2016, bronze in 2011 and 2017), the 2016 Fou ...

Alex Shibutani Alex Hideo Shibutani (born April 25, 1991) is an American ice dancer. Partnered with his sister Maia Shibutani, he is a two-time Olympic bronze medalist (2018), a three-time World medalist (silver in 2016; bronze in 2011 and 2017), the 2016 Fou ...

(until June 2012) * Isabella Tobias / Deividas Stagniūnas * Isabella Tobias /

Ilia Tkachenko Ilia Alexeyevich Tkachenko (russian: Илья Алексеевич Ткаченко, born 26 December 1986) is a Russian former competitive ice dancer. Skating for Russia with Ekaterina Riazanova, he became the 2010 Trophée Eric Bompard silve ...

Tessa Virtue Tessa Jane McCormick Virtue (born May 17, 1989) is a Canadian retired ice dancer. With ice dance partner Scott Moir, she is the 2010 and 2018 Olympic champion, the 2014 Olympic silver medalist, a three-time World champion (2010, 2012, 2017) ...

Scott Moir Scott Patrick Moir OLY ( ; born September 2, 1987) is a Canadian retired ice dancer and coach. With ice dance partner Tessa Virtue, he is the 2010 and 2018 Olympic champion, the 2014 Olympic silver medalist, a three-time World champion (2010, ...

(until June 2012) *

Megan Wing Megan Wing (born November 1, 1975) is a Canadian ice dancer. With partner and husband Aaron Lowe, she is a two-time Four Continents bronze medallist. Career Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Wing began skating at the age of five and took up ...

Aaron Lowe Aaron Lowe (born October 12, 1974) is a Canadian ice dancer. With partner and wife Megan Wing, he is a two-time Four Continents bronze medallist. Career Lowe was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. He began in hockey at the age of seven and ...

* Katarina Wolfkostin / Jeffrey Chen (until May 2022) * Yu Xiaoyang / Wang Chen *

Diana Davis Diana Sergeevna Davis (russian: Диана Сергеевна Дэвис, born 16 January 2003) is an American-born Russian ice dancer who represents Russia. With her partner, Gleb Smolkin, she is the 2021 CS Warsaw Cup champion and the 2022 Ru ...

Gleb Smolkin Gleb Borisovich Smolkin (russian: Глеб Борисович Смолкин, born 27 August 1999) is a Russian ice dancer. With his partner, Diana Davis, he is the 2021 CS Warsaw Cup champion and the 2022 Russian national silver medalist. On ...

Competitive highlights

(with Gladkova)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shpilband, Igor Soviet male ice dancers American figure skating coaches American people of Russian-Jewish descent Jewish American sportspeople Figure skating choreographers Soviet defectors to the United States Living people Figure skaters from Moscow World Junior Figure Skating Championships medalists 1964 births 21st-century American Jews