~figure skating history lesson~
TODAY'S INSTALLMENT: ICE DANCERS TORVILL & DEAN
Jane Torvill, OBE (7 October 1957-) and Christopher Dean, OBE (27 July 1958- ) are British ice dancers who competed mainly in the 80's. They are widely considered to be the ~best of all time.
Medal Record
7-Time British National Champions ('78-'83, '94)
4-Time European Champions ('81, '82, '84, '94)
4-Time World Champions ('81-'84)
Olympic Bronze Medalists ('94)
Olympic Gold Medalists ('84)
Both grew up in Nottingham, England. Jayne worked as an insurance book clerk, and Christopher was a policeman.
In 1971 at age 14 Torvill became the British National Pairs Champion with her then partner Michael Hutchenson. After parting with Hutchenson, Torvill continued to skate on her own for a while before teaming up with Dean in 1975.
Torvill and Dean thrilled audiences with their passion, emotion, and complete unity. Their innovative and artistic programs combined with textbook execution made them the finest ice dancers of their day.
They had learned to choose and edit music carefully and design routines that were appealing both technically and imaginatively, and their completeness of presentation included thematically appropriate costumes.
In general, Dean would imagine the sequence he wanted to perform, and Torvill would work with him to refine it technically. They choreographed, as a team, for other ice dancers and skaters, particularly the Canadian brother-sister team Isabelle and Paul Duchesnay, who skated for France at the Albertville 1992 Winter Olympics, taking the silver medal with their West Side Story routine.
Bolero
1984 Olympic winning LP
It is the highest scoring program of all time, winning 12 perfect 6.0s overall, including unanimous 6.0s for presentation.
In a UK poll conducted by Channel 4 in 2002, the British public voted Torvill and Dean's historic gold medal winning performance at the 1984 Winter Olympics, #8 in the list of the 100 Greatest Sporting Moments.
The couple retired from amateur skating in 1984, but came back for the 1994 Winter Olympics. Turning professional in 1984, they took advantage not only of the financial but of the artistic possibilities of their new status.
They worked with Australian dance choreographer Graeme Murphy at first, and they were able to create not only routines for themselves but entire ice shows with a thematic coherence, which toured Australia, the U.S., and Europe
They retired from skating altogether in 1998, coaching and choreographing, and eventually settling down.
Dean moved to Colorado Springs, with his wife, Jill Trenary, and two sons: Jack Robert, born 17 November 1998, and Sam Colin, born 3 September 2000. Dean's agent confirmed in March 2010 the couple had separated. Between 1991 and 1993 Dean was married to skater Isabelle Duchesnay.
Torvill made her home in Surrey (UK), with her husband, Phil Christensen, and two children: Kieran, born May 2002; and Jessica, born March, 2006.
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are often called "the New Torvill and Dean."
Amateur Programs
In this OSP (Original Set Pattern), Torvill is imagined as the bullfighter's cape.
1994 Rhumba OD
Professional Programs
Cecelia
Song of India (Remind you of anyone...?)
Oscar Tango
TYFYT.
<3
Jane Torvill, OBE (7 October 1957-) and Christopher Dean, OBE (27 July 1958- ) are British ice dancers who competed mainly in the 80's. They are widely considered to be the ~best of all time.
Medal Record
7-Time British National Champions ('78-'83, '94)
4-Time European Champions ('81, '82, '84, '94)
4-Time World Champions ('81-'84)
Olympic Bronze Medalists ('94)
Olympic Gold Medalists ('84)
Both grew up in Nottingham, England. Jayne worked as an insurance book clerk, and Christopher was a policeman.
In 1971 at age 14 Torvill became the British National Pairs Champion with her then partner Michael Hutchenson. After parting with Hutchenson, Torvill continued to skate on her own for a while before teaming up with Dean in 1975.
Torvill and Dean thrilled audiences with their passion, emotion, and complete unity. Their innovative and artistic programs combined with textbook execution made them the finest ice dancers of their day.
They had learned to choose and edit music carefully and design routines that were appealing both technically and imaginatively, and their completeness of presentation included thematically appropriate costumes.
In general, Dean would imagine the sequence he wanted to perform, and Torvill would work with him to refine it technically. They choreographed, as a team, for other ice dancers and skaters, particularly the Canadian brother-sister team Isabelle and Paul Duchesnay, who skated for France at the Albertville 1992 Winter Olympics, taking the silver medal with their West Side Story routine.
Bolero
1984 Olympic winning LP
It is the highest scoring program of all time, winning 12 perfect 6.0s overall, including unanimous 6.0s for presentation.
Click to viewIn a UK poll conducted by Channel 4 in 2002, the British public voted Torvill and Dean's historic gold medal winning performance at the 1984 Winter Olympics, #8 in the list of the 100 Greatest Sporting Moments.
The couple retired from amateur skating in 1984, but came back for the 1994 Winter Olympics. Turning professional in 1984, they took advantage not only of the financial but of the artistic possibilities of their new status.
They worked with Australian dance choreographer Graeme Murphy at first, and they were able to create not only routines for themselves but entire ice shows with a thematic coherence, which toured Australia, the U.S., and Europe
They retired from skating altogether in 1998, coaching and choreographing, and eventually settling down.
Dean moved to Colorado Springs, with his wife, Jill Trenary, and two sons: Jack Robert, born 17 November 1998, and Sam Colin, born 3 September 2000. Dean's agent confirmed in March 2010 the couple had separated. Between 1991 and 1993 Dean was married to skater Isabelle Duchesnay.
Torvill made her home in Surrey (UK), with her husband, Phil Christensen, and two children: Kieran, born May 2002; and Jessica, born March, 2006.
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are often called "the New Torvill and Dean."
Amateur Programs
In this OSP (Original Set Pattern), Torvill is imagined as the bullfighter's cape.
1994 Rhumba OD
Professional Programs
Cecelia
Song of India (Remind you of anyone...?)
Oscar Tango
TYFYT.
<3