On their 40th anniversary of winning gold at the 1984 winter Olympics, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean have returned to that same sight in Sarajevo to announce, to the disappointment of many teary-eyed fans, that for one more time they will take to the ice for a final dance, in what is a cathartic ending to an immersive and successful career.  

Becoming skating partners in 1975, Torvill and Dean were already accomplished figure skaters: with Dean, the British Junior Ice Dance Champion and Torvill, the British Junior Pairs Champion. It did not take long until they became a formidable team and received their first 6.0, the highest marks awarded by a single judge in 1978, taking them into the British National Champions. Accomplished whilst simultaneously working full time, training had to be worked into their schedules as Torvill worked full time as an insurance clerk and Dean as a Police constable in Nottingham. It was thanks to a substantial financial sponsorship from the Nottingham City Council which enabled them to leave their jobs and turn their full time and attention to skating, allowing them to then clinch the victory of four consecutive World Championships in 1981, and not long after winning the World Professional Championships five times.  

However, it is the pairs’ Olympic gold free skate program that set a new standard for world class figure skaters, achieving a perfect score of 6.0s across the board in artistic impression. This program went down in the history books as the ‘Bolero.’ The Bolero captured the hearts of not just the 24 million spectators that turned in to watch the young couple back in 1984, but has continued to this day to inspire and encourage people all around the world to join in with the world of figure skating. The Bolero, known for its trademark purple, depicted the narrative of two fated lovers determined to be together in both life and death, as the couple venture up an erupting volcano “before throwing [themselves] into eternity,” as Christopher Dean stated. Yet, this program isn’t without its own challenges as the skaters were determined to fit Ravel’s 4 minute 28 second musical piece into a 4-minute program, forcing the skaters to search through the rule book for a way to maximise their music. And thus, one of the most revered pieces in the staking world was created with the pair beginning the program on their knees. According to the rules, their time only started once the first blade touched the ice and so Torvill and Dean could let their music play without eating into their skating time. In the warm up, you can even see Dean scuffing up the ice where they begin their program in order to prevent slipping when dancing on their knees!  

 Although Bolero achieved a perfect score Torvill had stated how “Nowadays with the rules of the competition it’s quite a technical thing rather than a creative thing,” implying how in the free state of 1984 there were no particular jumps, spins or sequences which were required in the programme, therefore the program would have “broken the rules” had it been performed today. However, Bolero truly took the world by storm through its passion and connection. It’s full of long sweeping lines and lyrical movements eloquently embodying their narratives, which led many fans to question the relationship between the skaters as “only friends,” perhaps only proving the emotive power of their skate and the perfect pairing of skaters themselves.   

And yet now the last chapter of Torvill and Dean’s skating life is coming to its end. With a UK tour in 2025 closing their skating time together, Torvill and Dean’s determination, skill and beauty as skaters will never be forgotten nor stop inspiring the world of staking.  

Image: Pexels