Christopher Dean facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Christopher Dean OBE
Dean on the Dancing on Ice tour in Manchester, 2010
Personal information
Country represented	Great Britain
Born	(1958-07-27) 27 July 1958 (age 66) Calverton, Nottinghamshire, England
Height	5 ft 10.5 in (1.79 m)
Former partner	Sandra Elson, Jayne Torvill
Former coach	Betty Callaway, Janet Sawbridge
Retired	1984, 1994
Medal record Figure skating Ice dancing Representing  Great Britain Olympic Games Gold 1984 Sarajevo Ice dancing Bronze 1994 Lillehammer Ice dancing World Championships Gold 1981 Hartford Ice dancing Gold 1982 Copenhagen Ice dancing Gold 1983 Helsinki Ice dancing Gold 1984 Ottawa Ice dancing European Championships Gold 1981 Innsbruck Ice dancing Gold 1982 Lyon Ice dancing Gold 1984 Budapest Ice dancing Gold 1994 Copenhagen Ice dancing

Christopher Colin Dean, also known as OBE (born 27 July 1958), is a famous British ice dancer. He won a gold medal at the 1984 Winter Olympics with his skating partner Jayne Torvill. They also earned a bronze medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics.

Early Life and Beginnings

Christopher Dean grew up in Calverton, Nottinghamshire, England. He started ice skating when he was 10 years old. This was after he received a pair of skates as a Christmas gift. His parents loved ballroom dancing, which might have inspired his love for movement.

Before becoming a full-time skater, Christopher worked as a police constable. He was part of the Nottinghamshire Police from 1974 to 1980. Balancing police training with skating practice was tough. He often had to train during his time off. This challenge helped him and Jayne Torvill become very disciplined.

Skating with Jayne Torvill

Finding a Partner

Christopher's first skating partner was Sandra Elson. They started skating together when he was 14. They even became British Junior Dance champions. However, they didn't get along well and eventually stopped skating together.

After that, Christopher teamed up with Jayne Torvill. She was another skater at the Nottingham rink. Their first coach was Janet Sawbridge. Later, in 1978, Betty Callaway became their main coach.

Becoming Full-Time Skaters

By 1980, Torvill and Dean were not only British National Dance Champions but also strong contenders in international competitions. Christopher decided he could not do both police work and skating. So, he left the police force. Jayne also left her job soon after. This was possible because they received a grant from the Nottingham City Council.

Christopher Dean was also the main choreographer for their team. This means he created all their amazing routines.

The Famous Boléro Performance

Torvill and Dean performing in 2011

Torvill and Dean became world-famous for their free program at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. They performed to the music of Maurice Ravel's Boléro. This performance was truly special. They received nine perfect 6.0 scores for artistic impression. They also got three more 6.0 scores for technical merit. This added up to twelve perfect 6.0 marks, which was the highest possible score. No one else had ever achieved an all-perfect score before.

Their performance was one of the most popular moments in British sports history. About 24 million people in Britain watched it on television. The music for Boléro was 4 minutes and 28 seconds long. However, the time limit for their routine was 4 minutes and 10 seconds. So, they started their routine on their knees. They moved their bodies to the music for 18 seconds before they even began to skate. This allowed them to fit the entire song into their performance.

Professional Career and Return to the Olympics

After their Olympic win in 1984, Torvill and Dean decided to become professional skaters. At that time, professional skaters were not allowed to compete in the Olympic Games.

In 1993, the rules changed. The International Skating Union made it possible for professional skaters to compete again. This allowed Torvill and Dean to return for the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer. There, they won a bronze medal.

Torvill and Dean were honored for their achievements. They were added to the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1989.

Dancing on Ice and Other Work

From 2006 to 2023, Torvill and Dean were part of the ITV show Dancing on Ice. They served as "judges" on the show. After the TV show, they would go on tour across the United Kingdom. The show is planned to return in 2024.

In 2012, Christopher Dean said he was willing to work with the National Ice Skating Association. He wanted to help British competitive skating. Torvill and Dean were also ambassadors for the 2012 European Figure Skating Championships in Sheffield, England.

In February 2014, they went back to Sarajevo. This was for the 30th anniversary of the 1984 Olympics. They even recreated their famous Boléro routine in the same arena where they won gold.

In 2018, Christopher Dean choreographed a winning routine. He created the free program for Aljona Savchenko and Bruno Massot. They won the gold medal in Pair skating at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. Their performance set a new world record.

Honours and Awards

On 28 April 1983, Christopher Dean was given a special honor. He was named an Honorary Freeman of the City of Nottingham. In 1999, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. This is a very high honor in the United Kingdom.

Personal Life

Christopher Dean has been married twice. From 1991 to 1993, he was married to French-Canadian ice dancer Isabelle Duchesnay. He met her while working as a choreographer for her and her brother.

On 15 October 1994, Christopher married American skater Jill Trenary. They had two sons together, named Jack Robert and Sam Colin. They lived in Colorado Springs, Colorado. In 2010, they separated, but they remain good friends.

Since 2011, Christopher has been in a relationship with Karen Barber. He also remains very close friends with his skating partner, Jayne Torvill.

In 2021, Christopher Dean appeared on a TV show called DNA Journey. On this show, he explored his family history. He also appeared on The Masked Dancer as a character called Beagle. He was the fifth celebrity to be revealed on the show.

See also

• Torvill and Dean