Michael Seibert (figure skater)

Michael Seibert(born January 1, 1960) is an Americanfigure skatingchoreographer and former competitiveice dancer.WithJudy Blumberg,he is a three-timeWorldbronze medalist (1983–85), the1980 Skate Canada Internationalchampion, the1981 Skate Americachampion, and a five-timeU.S. nationalchampion (1981–85). They also competed at twoWinter Olympics.In 2003, Seibert was one of the winners of thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography.

Michael Seibert
Born	(1960-01-01)January 1, 1960 Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania,U.S.
Figure skating career
Country	United States
Medal record Figure skating:Ice dancing RepresentingtheUnited States World Championships 1985 Tokyo Ice dancing 1984 Ottawa Ice dancing 1983 Helsinki Ice dancing

Personal life

Seibert was born on January 1, 1960, inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania.His father was a high school principal.

Seibert moved fromWashington, PennsylvaniatoColorado Springs, Coloradoaround 1978.By the early 1980s, he was living inNew York City.He moved toPalm Springs, Californiain the 2000s but had returned to New York state by 2016.

Career

Although he started skating in the first grade, Seibert began taking formal lessons only at age 13.Seen as too old for single skating, he decided to train in ice dancing.He had one early partnership.

Partnership with Blumberg

Seibert metJudy Blumbergat the 1977U.S. ChampionshipsinHartford, Connecticut.They soon tried out successfully but delayed the partnership for a year and a half until they had both relocated toColorado Springs, Colorado.In 2014, recalling the start of their partnership, Blumberg stated, "I knew this would be the boy I would skate with. You know when you move similar to someone, when your knees work with someone."

In 1979, Blumberg/Seibert were awarded the bronze medal at their first U.S. Championships,having finished third behindStacey Smith/John SummersandCarol Fox/Richard Dalley.The following year, they passed Fox/Dalley to take the silver medal behind Smith/Summers at the1980 U.S. ChampionshipsinAtlanta.They were included in the U.S. team to the1980 Winter OlympicsinLake Placid, New York.After placing 7th at the Olympics, the two concluded their season with a 6th-place result at the1980 World ChampionshipsinDortmund,West Germany.

Blumberg/Seibert began the 1980–81 season with gold at the1980 Skate Canada International,ahead of British duoKaren Barber/Nicky Slater.They then outscored Fox/Dalley to win the first of five straight U.S. national titles, at the 1981 U.S. Championships inSan Diego,and ranked fourth at the1981 World Championshipsin Hartford.

In the 1981–82 season, the duo obtained gold at the1981 Skate Americaand the 1982 U.S. Championships inIndianapolis.They finished fourth at the1982 World ChampionshipsinCopenhagen,Denmark. At the1983 World ChampionshipsinHelsinki,they won the first of three consecutive World bronze medals. Their skating-related expenses, $50,000 per year, were mainly covered by their families until the 1983–84 Olympic season when they received funding from theUnited States Olympic Committee,U.S. Figure Skating,one corporate and several private sponsors.

Blumberg/Seibert finished fourth at the1984 Winter OlympicsinSarajevo,Yugoslavia.They had ranked third in the compulsory and original dances before being overtaken byMarina Klimova/Sergei Ponomarenkoof the Soviet Union. The Italian judge, Cia Bordogna, scored them lower in the free dance than other judges, saying later that she considered their music unsuitable for ice dancing.

Blumberg/Seibert agreed in early September 1984 to compete one more season as amateurs.They were initially coached by Bobby Thompson in London and then by Claire O'Neill Dillie inPittsburghandNew York City.The two won their fifth national title, inKansas City, Missouri,and then bronze at the1985 World ChampionshipsinTokyo,Japan.

Blumberg and Seibert performed in several Champions on Ice tours in the early 1980s.They won the 1988 World Professional title. They parted ways in 1992.Although Blumberg wanted to continue performing together, Seibert decided to end their partnership in order to pursue other interests.

Later career

Seibert decided to focus on choreography and directing for ice shows.A long-time choreographer forStars on Ice,in 2003 he won aPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreographyalong withSandra Bezic,A.C. Ciulla,Christopher Dean,and Jamie Isley. He was also an assistant choreographer forCarmen on Ice.Seibert worked onBattle of the BladesinTorontoin 2009-11 and 2013; he was involved in coaching, choreography, and the overall production.

Seibert has also worked as aninterior designerand as areal estateagent at Houlihan Lawrence.His New York and California residences, both of which he designed, were featured inElle Decor,Metropolitan Home,andInterior Design.

Programs

Season	Original set pattern	Free dance
1984–85		Fire on Ice by Joel Silverman
1983–84	Carmen byGeorges Bizet	Scheherazade byNikolai Rimsky-Korsakov choreo. by Georgina Parkinson
1982–83
1981–82		Dancing in the Dark byArthur Schwartz Puttin' On the Ritz byIrving Berlin
1980–81		Boogie disco Tango March
1979–80		Malagueña byErnesto Lecuona

Results

with Blumberg

International
Event	78–79	79–80	80–81	81–82	82–83	83–84	84–85
Olympics		7th				4th
World Champ.		6th	4th	4th	3rd	3rd	3rd
Skate America		4th		1st
Skate Canada			1st
National
U.S. Champ.	3rd	2nd	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st