Torvill & Dean: The Autobiography of Ice Dancing's Greatest Stars

by Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean

Book Overview

The successful and popular ice dancers share their story, from their working-class childhoods in Nottingham to world stardom, and discuss the behind-the-scenes reality of their career, revealing the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1559723904
• ISBN13: 9781559723909
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: Carol Publishing Corporation
• Length: 362 Pages
• Weight: 1.69 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.4" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

True behind the scenes story straight from the source

I am a huge Torvill & Dean fan. I loved the format of separate and joined comments throughout the book. This book really fills in the blanks about their last Olympic journey. I thought something was fishy when they only won the bronze. What is amazing is their poker faces afterwards; no sour grapes. This books tells about their ambition, tenacity, passion, and devotion to each other and skating. The devotion to each other is more important than anything else. I saw an interview of both of them after they retired. Chris was asked what he liked about Jayne. He didn't give it much thought and said, "she is everything I want her to be." That took my breath away. The ultimate compliment. In my opinion, these two are in the same stratosphere as Astaire & Rogers. Total perfection and not at all conceited.

Wonderful Tale about a Wonderful Couple!

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.

For true fans

This book will be appreciated by true T & D addicts,although switching back and forth between their two voices made it seem mildly disjointed.Details of the unglamourous side of life on the road gave a realistic perspective.Not bad,but it somehow left me wanting more.A great deal of trivial details without alot of the substance such a book could have had.Fans will enjoy it,casual readers may not...

Finally, we find out what happened at the 1994 Olympics!

Thoroughly satisfying account of this famous ice-skating pair's beginnings and career, leading up to the 1994 Olympics and beyond. This book provides wonderfully intimate insights into how Chris and Jayne think and behave on and off the ice. Their fans will devour this long-overdue book, which answers many questions we have about Torvill and Dean: Were they ever romantically involved? What did they really think about winning the bronze medal at the 1994 Olympics? Will they retire in the near future? Newcomers to the iceskating world will learn the fascinating quirks and coincidences that paved the road to championship for this pair.