But minus costume-gate, just who are these skaters?

During an interview after a recent practice at IceWorks in suburban Philadelphia, where they have trained since the summer of 2008, the reigning world champions provided a little insight into their lives on and off the ice.

They had just returned from the European Championships, where the couple had claimed their second title, but it didn't come easily and was followed by a disastrous trip back to the United States in which they were stranded nearly 24 hours in the airport in Frankfort.

Yet they were back on the ice, following the commands of coaches Natalia Linichuk and her husband Gennadi Karponosov, the 1980 Olympic ice dancing champions. They were also skating alongside of American Olympic silver medalists Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, who had just returned from a second-place finish at the U.S. Championships in Spokane, Wash. Typically, the practice session also includes the Italian team of Federica Faiella and Massimo Scali, who bested Domnina and Shabalin in the free dance at Europeans, but they were in Detroit for a pre-planned ice show.

All three teams will be competing at the upcoming Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, but Domnina and Shabalin have been considered one of the top, if not the top, contenders for the gold medal.

Domnina and Shabalin have traveled very different routes to reach this crucial spot in their careers. Domnina was six when she first started skating in her hometown of Kirov, Russia. Two years later, she was already learning ice dance. She started skating competitively with Ivan Lobanov, and the two finished eighth at Russian nationals. But when she was 15, she moved to Moscow to train with Alexei Gorshkov. Lobanov decided to stay in Kirov.

She was paired with Maxim Bolotin, and the couple made it to the Junior Grand Prix Final in 2001. They also placed seventh at World Juniors and third at Russian nationals in the junior division. But it wasn't long before they started having problems off the ice that led to their breakup.

Shabalin, meanwhile, was pushed into the sport by his parents. He grew up in Samara, a large Russian city located on the bank of the Volga River, and started skating at an age when many American kids spend their days in preschool.

"From the time I was four until I was 11, I didn't want to skate,'' Shabalin said. "It was my parents' desire. When I was 11 and moved away, I began to like skating. I did my first competition in ice dancing when I was about 11 or 12 and then I felt excited about it.''

When he was 15, he moved to Bulgaria to train with Margarita Toteva. That partnership ended after a year and a half when she suffered an injury. During that time, he represented Bulgaria in competitions. But when their partnership ended, he returned to Russia to dance, and by 2002, he was paired with Domnina in Moscow, and they were coached by Gorshkov.

"We knew each other before for some years,'' Shabalin said. "But [in 2002] when we met, we had problems with our other partners. Our first practice we felt it was comfortable, and it can happen.''

When asked about Domnina's potential at the time, Shabalin said, "My thought was, 'OK, she's my best partner.' I had a good feeling.

"I trust my first instincts,'' Shabalin said and then paused before adding, "Usually.''

His instincts proved to be correct.

The following year, they claimed the 2003 world junior title and placed 15th in the World Championships.

"It was clear that we were good,'' Shabalin said.

Domnina said she first started thinking about the couple's chances to compete in the Olympic Games after they competed in their first Junior Grand Prix.

"Skating with Maxim then,'' Domnina said. "I wanted to become Olympic champion.''

They climbed steadily through the ranks, winning the Russian title two years later and placing as high as fifth in the world in 2007. But then knee injuries started to hamper Shabalin. Despite knee surgeries, the couple went on to capture two European titles (in 2008 and 2010) and the world title in 2009.

Shabalin's knee problems prevented the couple from competing in the Grand Prix circuit this past season, but they managed to skate at Russian nationals, which they won, and at Europeans, which they also won.

When asked how his knee was feeling now, with the Olympic Games closing in, Shabalin simply replied, "Better.''

The couple began training with Linichuk and Karponosov in the summer of 2008, not long after Belbin and Agosto announced they were leaving their longtime training home in Detroit to skate in Aston.

It was a big move for them, leaving their home country, friends and relatives. Shabalin taught himself English. Domnina can speak some English and seems to understand more. When they first moved to the United States, Belbin said she would often see Shabalin putting his skates away in the locker above the rink. Frequently, he would quiz her for English help.

"The one I remember is he came up to me and said, "Tanith, what does that word you said today mean, 'freak out?'''

Initially, when both teams relocated, Belbin and Shabalin tried to explore a bit downtown. When Belbin and Agosto trained in Detroit, they maintained friendly relationships with the other skaters. Agosto mentioned playing softball games with them. Belbin recalls girls' nights out. In Philadelphia, however, the relationships between the teams is much more businesslike.

"Generally,'' Agosto said, "the conversations we have with them on a daily basis revolve around how tired we are at the end of practice.''

Indeed, Domnina and Shabalin said the biggest change they underwent came in their training. Instead of skating once in the morning, taking a break and then returning later in the day for a second practice, Domnina said now they skate "one big practice'' from 7 a.m. until about 3 p.m.

But they are after a gold medal and if it meant uprooting and undergoing marathon practice sessions to achieve that goal, then the change was worth it, both nodded simultaneously.

They have become world champions since the move, but no one in Aston could quite put a finger on how much better they are now.

"It's very difficult for me to say how much better they are now because I work with them every day,'' Linichuk said. "My job is to make them better and better and for me, it's never enough.''

Will it be enough to keep Russia on top?

Russia has domninated ice dancing ever since the sport was added to the Olympic Winter Games in 1976. Every year with the exception of two, a Russian, Soviet or Unified Team has captured the gold medal. The exceptions: Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat of France, who won in the controversial Games in Salt Lake City in 2002 when a judging scandal was uncovered, and Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean of Great Britain who won in 1984.

The pair that Domnina and Shabalin admire the most is that of Oksana Grishuk and Evgeny Platov, who captured back-to-back Olympic ice dancing crowns in 1994 and 1998.

"They skate like no other,'' Shabalin said.

Whether Domnina and Shabalin become the latest Russian team to strike gold at the Games remains to be seen. They won the European title, but the only portion of the dance competition in which they placed first was the compulsory dance. Some wonder if the costume controversy will hurt their chances in this very political sport or whether they can overcome that obstacle.

At the time of this interview, Shabalin said the team's biggest focus was improving its technical score, mainly judges pointed out flaws on step sequences at Europeans.

"We need to work on everything else,'' Shabalin said. "Speed and expression.''

Still, Domnina and Shabalin have every intention of winning in Vancouver. They are well aware that they face tough competition. After all, they practice against some of the top teams in the world every day.

"It's like a competition every day,'' Shabalin said. "It motivates us to skate better every practice. We look forward to it. Where we were before, there were no strong competitors.''

When asked about their relationship with Belbin and Agosto, Shabalin said, "We are very respectable.''

Domnina and Shabalin also are well aware of American champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White, who have dominated the skating circuit this season along with Canadian champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir.

Domnina and Shabalin will be all business when it comes to competing in Vancouver. They are not planning on heading to the Olympic Winter Games until Feb. 15, three days after the Opening Ceremony and four days before the ice dancing competition.

Asked why they were not going to attend the Opening Ceremony, Shabalin replied, "For the public, that's a very fun show. For us, this is a very serious competition.''

He added that they are "excited'' about the Games but reiterated that "it's still very serious.''

Neither Domnina nor Shabalin will have any family attending the Games.

"My family never comes to competition,'' Shabalin said. "They are too nervous, and I feel it.

"They came twice, and I fell twice.''

Domnina said her family will remain at home, in Kirov, as well.

"My mom will watch only after we skate and knows the result,'' Domnina said.

Domnina said her family will not follow results online but will try to watch on TV.

They hope to see some of the other sporting events at the Games, but only after they are done competing. Shabalin said he hopes to catch some hockey games.

"And we hope it will be a Canada-Russia final,'' he said with a grin.

The couple would not say what their plans were following the Games.

"It's too early for that question,'' Shabalin said. "First, we win it, then we can answer this question.''

Might they continue on to compete in the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, which will be held in their home country in Sochi?

"No,'' said Shabalin quickly.

Then he backpedaled a bit, saying, "We'll see. Never say never.''