Torvill & Dean gushing thread

The Path to Perfection tape was done as a preOlympics TV puff piece by the BBC, so I don't believe any of the performances are the Olympic ones. I believe the 1984 Paso Doble and Bolero are from Europeans. None of the performances are pro, because the program dates from before they were pro.

However, one caution. If you are in the US, and do not have one of those universal format tape machines, some of the T&D tapes are available in VHS/PAL format only, which will not play in your standard US VHS format tape machine.

Path to Perfection is available in the standard US format and PAL as well, so no matter where you are, you can get a copy that will play for you.

Also, if you want the 1984 Olympics LP's of the other top 5 or 6 competitors, it can probably be obtained through tape trading. I have a Beta format copy.

Doris

Torvill and Dean

Living in Australia I had wonderful opportunities to see Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean perform many times. Their shows will never be equalled. I have seen over the years, them skate 21 times! They built an incredible fan base in this country. In the city where I live, Brisbane, a quarter of the population was estimated to go and see one of their shows!

They were and are very special.
Before I saw them skate, my exposure to skating was very limited to say the least - the same is true afterwards. I have travelled to the US already a few times to see skating shows, Stars on Ice, COI, etc. And now the Grand Prix Final this year!

My favourite T and D program??? Mine is Akhnaten!!! Did anyone else see this incredible ensemble piece they did in the 1988 show??? It was amazing! Speed and power immense, but with real feeling. My other one is "I won't send Roses" - to see that performed was very special.
I am very grateful to both skaters for igniting a passion in me that has enhanced my whole life - I have new friends and a passionate interest in a sport that is always moving ahead and has things to teach us all about life.
Susan

When Torvill and Dean arrived at Sarajevo to compete at the 1984
Winter Olympics, the British press dubbed them "Their Greatnesses". Hardly surprising, as they were then three-time World champions and possessors of many, many perfect 6.0s for their outstanding competitive performances.

I remember watching "Bolero", and I thought it was wonderful.
However, T & D did limit themselves to one piece of music, and the music was, well, a bit repetitious. What I really liked was their original dance, in which Chris played the matador and Jayne was his cape. That number was superb!

I saw Torvill and Dean at a performance of Ice Capades just prior to the 1988 Winter Olympics. The number featured a chess game.
Jayne and Chris sat at one side of the rink for a few minutes, playing a make-believe game of chess, and then they took to the ice and skated around a number of chess figures. Very creative number.

However, I believe that they justly received the bronze medal at the 1994 Olympics. Their long program, in my opinion, was pretty much a recycled collection of bits and pieces from some of their past competitive programs. The number could have been titled,
"The best of Torvill and Dean". It was certainly skated well, but it wasn't their best number. Considering the competition, they needed to have, and they should have, gone back to the drawing board and come up with a brand new, fresh, creative number.
Perhaps that would have won the day.

Just my two cents, of course. Jayne and Chris certainly will be remembered as one of the finest ice dance teams of all time.

Torvill & Dean were my absolute favourites already before they won their first Worlds gold. Their "Bolero" was something which I will never forget and it is my all-time favourite ice dance programme. I really love that music, it affects me so much; takes me along and brings such a strong feeling of relaxation, LOL.

In eighties I also liked Krisztina Regoczy & Andras Sallay very much, and also Moiseeva & Minenkov during their balletic era.

Marjaana