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Torvill & Dean: The Autobiography of Ice Dancing's Gold Medal Winners

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Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean look and act the part on ice reminiscent to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers on ice. But off the ice, they lead separate lives and married other people probably wisely. Jayne is married to American sound engineer, Phil Christensen who they met and fell in love on one of the ice tours in 1994. Chris' relationships with French Canadian skater, Isabelle Duchesnay ended in divorce. SHe and her brother were Chris' protege in the 1992 Winter Olympics and only won a disappointing Silver Medal. Jayne is a lot less controversial and likable. Anyway Chris divorced Isabelle and married American skater and US champion ladies' Jill Trenary. They are reportedly living in America with their two children. Torvill and Dean are no longer a skating couple but their legacy is quite unforgettable. When they won their first world ice dance championships conquering the Russians, they were awarded an M.B.E.(Member of the Order of the British Empire). Their coach Betty Callaway received one in 1984 as well. During 1984, they set records and an unforgettable four minutes on the ice dancing to Ravel's Bolero. They should have been elevated to an O.B.E. then but that didn't happen until 1999 after they retired from the sport. While other athletes have become dames and knights, Torvill and Dean returned one more time in 1994 to a disappointing Olympic Bronze medal. 1994 was probably a forgettable year in figure skating for those of us who learned that the beautiful sport is filled with jealousy, rivalry, and ugly hatred that makes the sport look as brutal as any other off the ice. Anyway, Torvill and Dean are not like that. They play by the rules even though between 1992 and 1994, the ice dancing rules became so restrictive from music to moves that it is any wonder that the great era of ice dancing was between 1984 and 1992. Since then, it has been a shadow of it's old glorious self. Of course, Dean and Torvill now coach and lives far apart. They were awarded the OBE way too late. Their legacy will not be forgotten. Jayne is a classy lady and quite forgiving compared to other skaters. It's nice that Dean is creative without losing his masculinity. God bless both Jayne and Chris and their futures.