Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean are the legendary British ice dancing duo, best known for their groundbreaking performance to Boléro at the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics, where they earned perfect scores for artistic impression.
Hailing from Nottingham, England, they began skating together in 1975 and quickly rose to international fame. Their innovative choreography and emotional storytelling revolutionised ice dancing. After turning professional, they performed to audiences worldwide later returning to competition in 1994.
Torvill & Dean also became influential coaches and choreographers. Their enduring legacy continues through television appearances, notably on ITV’s Dancing on Ice, inspiring generations of skaters and fans alike. Their final performance together was in July 2025 closing their spectacular tour Our Last Dance, back where it all began in Nottingham.
7 October 1957, Nottingham, England
George & Betty Torvill
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8
Thelma Perry
Insurance Clerk
Michael Hutchinson
British Junior Pairs Champions 1970
British Senior Pairs Champions 1971
Christopher Dean
British Ice Dance Champions 1978 – 1983 & 1994
European Ice Dance Champions 1981, ’82, ’84 & 1994
World Ice Dance Champions 1981 – 84
Olympic Ice Dance Champions 1984
Olympic Ice Dance Bronze Medalists 1994
World Professional Ice Dance Champions 1984, ’85, ’90, ’95 & ‘96
Married Philip Christensen 1990
Kieran & Jessica
East Sussex, England
MBE awarded 1981, OBE awarded 2000
BBC Television Team of the Year 1982
BBC Television Team of the Year 1983
BBC Television Sports Personality of the Year 1984
Freewoman of the City of Nottingham 1985
Inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame 1989
Nottingham Trent University HonMA 1993
Honoured by the German Figure Skating Federation 1995
Honoured by the Russian Figure Skating Federation 2009
Demelza House, Vice President
The Chloe Cotton Trust, Patron
Somerset House Skate School, Patron
The Swale Youth Development Fund, Patron
27th July 1958, Nottingham, England
Colin & Mavis Dean (stepmother Betty Dean)
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10
Ken Babbington
Police Constable
Sandra Elson
British Primary Dance Champions 1972
British Junior Dance Champions 1974
Jayne Torvill
British Ice Dance Champions 1978 – 1983 & 1994
European Ice Dance Champions 1981, ’82, ’84 & 1994
World Ice Dance Champions 1981 – 84
Olympic Ice Dance Champions 1984
Olympic Ice Dance Bronze Medalists 1994
World Professional Ice Dance Champions 1984, ’85, ’90, ’95 & ‘96
Jack, born 1998 & Sam, born 2000
Colorado Springs, USA
MBE awarded 1981
OBE awarded 2000
BBC Television Team of the Year 1982
BBC Television Team of the Year 1983
BBC Television Sports Personality of the Year 1984
Freeman of the City of Nottingham 1985
Inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame 1989
Nottingham Trent University HonMA 1993
Honoured by the German Figure Skating Federation 1995
Honoured by the Russian Figure Skating Federation 2009
