18 nostalgic photos of Nottingham’s Torvill and Dean as ice dance legends gear up for 40th anniversary of Bolero win

The Nottingham legends won Gold at the Winter Olympics in 1984

  • 04:00, 10 FEB 2024
Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean's iconic Bolero routine at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. Christopher Dean is lifting Jayne Torvill in the picture as part of the Bolero routine
Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean’s iconic Bolero routine at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo

It’s coming up for 40 years since Nottingham’s Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean first performed their mesmerising routine to Ravel’s Bolero. The crowd at the Winter Olympics 1984 in Sarajevo, in the former Yugoslavia, were spellbound as the Nottingham duo started on their knees on the ice at the Zetra Ice Rink, in their iconic purple costumes.

It was February 14, Valentine’s Day, when the couple won gold, catapulting them to the status of the ice dance legends they are today. More than 24 million people tuned in to their performance, which won a standing ovation from the 8,500 spectators in the venue.

They went on to score a maximum of nine sixes from the judges for artistic impression – the highest score possible. The duo also scored 12 out of 18 perfect 6.0 scores for their free dance.

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The winning performance remains one of the greatest sporting moments ever in British history. With the 40th anniversary just days away it seems the perfect moment to delve into the archives. We’ve rounded up pictures from their early days on ice to the historic routine. The Nottingham Post was a broadsheet at the time and the images were in black and white.

There’s photos of their heroes’ welcome back in Nottingham, when thousands gathered outside the Council House in Old Market Square for a glimpse of them on the balcony and in 2014 when members of the public recreated the Bolero in Nottingham to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their win.

  1. A 13-year-old Christopher Dean with former ice dance partner Sandra Elson winning the Ice Dance Primary GB Championship in 19721 of 17

  2. Jayne Torvill displaying her first trophies (picture from Torvill and Dean: Our Life on Ice, The Autobiography)2 of 17

  3. Jayne Torvill and her first skating partner Michael Hutchinson (picture from Torvill and Dean: Our Life on Ice, The Autobiography)3 of 17

  4. The early years4 of 17

  5. Torvill and Dean’s first victory together, the Sheffield Trophy in 1976 (picture courtesy of Jack Holmes Photos from the Torvill and Dean book by John Hennessy)5 of 17

      • 04:00, 10 FEB 2024
      Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean's iconic Bolero routine at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. Christopher Dean is lifting Jayne Torvill in the picture as part of the Bolero routine
      Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean’s iconic Bolero routine at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo

      It’s coming up for 40 years since Nottingham’s Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean first performed their mesmerising routine to Ravel’s Bolero. The crowd at the Winter Olympics 1984 in Sarajevo, in the former Yugoslavia, were spellbound as the Nottingham duo started on their knees on the ice at the Zetra Ice Rink, in their iconic purple costumes.

      It was February 14, Valentine’s Day, when the couple won gold, catapulting them to the status of the ice dance legends they are today. More than 24 million people tuned in to their performance, which won a standing ovation from the 8,500 spectators in the venue.

      They went on to score a maximum of nine sixes from the judges for artistic impression – the highest score possible. The duo also scored 12 out of 18 perfect 6.0 scores for their free dance.

      Get the latest What’s On news straight to your phone by joining us on WhatsApp

      The winning performance remains one of the greatest sporting moments ever in British history. With the 40th anniversary just days away it seems the perfect moment to delve into the archives. We’ve rounded up pictures from their early days on ice to the historic routine. The Nottingham Post was a broadsheet at the time and the images were in black and white.

      There’s photos of their heroes’ welcome back in Nottingham, when thousands gathered outside the Council House in Old Market Square for a glimpse of them on the balcony and in 2014 when members of the public recreated the Bolero in Nottingham to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their win.

      1. Princess Anne was in the crowed at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo to cheer the couple on6 of 17

      2. Performing Bolero at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo7 of 17

      3. The score board showing nine perfect sixes8 of 17

      4. On the winner’s podium after winning the gold medal at the 1984 Winter Olympics
        • 04:00, 10 FEB 2024
        Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean's iconic Bolero routine at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. Christopher Dean is lifting Jayne Torvill in the picture as part of the Bolero routine
        Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean’s iconic Bolero routine at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo

        It’s coming up for 40 years since Nottingham’s Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean first performed their mesmerising routine to Ravel’s Bolero. The crowd at the Winter Olympics 1984 in Sarajevo, in the former Yugoslavia, were spellbound as the Nottingham duo started on their knees on the ice at the Zetra Ice Rink, in their iconic purple costumes.

        It was February 14, Valentine’s Day, when the couple won gold, catapulting them to the status of the ice dance legends they are today. More than 24 million people tuned in to their performance, which won a standing ovation from the 8,500 spectators in the venue.

        They went on to score a maximum of nine sixes from the judges for artistic impression – the highest score possible. The duo also scored 12 out of 18 perfect 6.0 scores for their free dance.

        Get the latest What’s On news straight to your phone by joining us on WhatsApp

        The winning performance remains one of the greatest sporting moments ever in British history. With the 40th anniversary just days away it seems the perfect moment to delve into the archives. We’ve rounded up pictures from their early days on ice to the historic routine. The Nottingham Post was a broadsheet at the time and the images were in black and white.

        There’s photos of their heroes’ welcome back in Nottingham, when thousands gathered outside the Council House in Old Market Square for a glimpse of them on the balcony and in 2014 when members of the public recreated the Bolero in Nottingham to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their win.

        1. How the Nottingham Evening Post reported their victory10 of 17

        2. Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean wave to crowds in the Old Market Square, Nottingham, following their return from the Sarajevo Olympics11 of 17

        3. Civic reception at Nottingham’s Council House in April 198412 of 17

        4. Meeting the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh in Nottingham13 of 17

          • Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean's iconic Bolero routine at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. Christopher Dean is lifting Jayne Torvill in the picture as part of the Bolero routine
            Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean’s iconic Bolero routine at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo

            It’s coming up for 40 years since Nottingham’s Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean first performed their mesmerising routine to Ravel’s Bolero. The crowd at the Winter Olympics 1984 in Sarajevo, in the former Yugoslavia, were spellbound as the Nottingham duo started on their knees on the ice at the Zetra Ice Rink, in their iconic purple costumes.

            It was February 14, Valentine’s Day, when the couple won gold, catapulting them to the status of the ice dance legends they are today. More than 24 million people tuned in to their performance, which won a standing ovation from the 8,500 spectators in the venue.

            They went on to score a maximum of nine sixes from the judges for artistic impression – the highest score possible. The duo also scored 12 out of 18 perfect 6.0 scores for their free dance.

            Get the latest What’s On news straight to your phone by joining us on WhatsApp

            The winning performance remains one of the greatest sporting moments ever in British history. With the 40th anniversary just days away it seems the perfect moment to delve into the archives. We’ve rounded up pictures from their early days on ice to the historic routine. The Nottingham Post was a broadsheet at the time and the images were in black and white.

            There’s photos of their heroes’ welcome back in Nottingham, when thousands gathered outside the Council House in Old Market Square for a glimpse of them on the balcony and in 2014 when members of the public recreated the Bolero in Nottingham to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their win.

            1. Jayne Torvill back at work (picture by Lesley Webster)14 of 17

            2. The couple recreated their gold-winning performance in 2014 back in Sarajevo to celebrate the 30th anniversary(Image: PA)15 of 17

            3. The crowd hold up their scores for the 30th anniversary performance16 of 17

            4. In 2014 hundreds of people took part in recreating the momentous Bolero routine – including this scene in Old Market Square as Torvill and Dean look on