The "Fan's Corner" continues where you can find descriptions of shows or numbers that you might have missed, as well as other information pertinent to Torvill & Dean's career. As new items are added, they will be placed to the beginning of this page. Older items will remain for a while for your enjoyment. If you'd like to contribute to the "Fan's Corner," please send your comments in an email to the T & D Page. Please note that this is not a direct email contact for Jayne and Chris.

From Sarah, in the UK

For fans who were unable to see it, a UK fan has sent a review of the They Think It's All Over show that Jayne recently appeared on.

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They Think It's All Over, Friday 15th June 2001
Jayne Torvill appeared as a contestant on this programme recently. For anyone
who hasn't seen it before, here's a brief description. It's an off the wall
sports quiz, not like most of them, because they spend a lot of time telling
jokes and 2 of the regulars are comedians (Jonathan Ross and Rory McGrath).
The other two regular panellists are Gary Lineker (famous ex-England
footballer) and David Gower (ex-Cricketer). The other guest was Richie
Benaud, a cricket commentator. The host Nick Hancock introduced her in the
following way:
"With David and Jonathan is one half of Britain's greatest ice dance duo, who
shares with Brian Clough the honour of being awarded the Freedom of
Nottingham. They both got it for the amazing ability to stay on two feet
against the odds. Jayne Torvill."
She got a big reception when she was announced. Her hair is slightly longer
and more blonde, and she looked really pretty. Then Nick went on to say (as
the panellists often crack a few rude jokes):
"And just to remind everyone, we've got Richie here tonight, one of the great
elder statesmen of sport, so no swearing, no filth, no locker-room humour.
Any of that, Jayne, and you're out." (Cue laughter from Jayne and the
audience)
The first round is when the teams are shown a clip of a song (by fans) about
a certain team/person/sport etc, and they have to guess what comes next.
Jayne's team had their clip, and before they started guessing, Jonathan Ross
said:
"Jayne, it is lovely to have you on the show. May I say how lovely it is
because I know they've asked you many times over the years and you have
always, probably quite wisely, refused to come on. But I suspect now that I'm
on and I've raised the tone a bit..." (laughter because he's the dirtiest one
of them all) They then talk about how in 1994 Nick Hancock referred to ice
dancing as "twatting around on the ice in a frock" and Jonathan said "How
dare you, that's so unfair! She was twatting around in a tutu!" (Has to be
said here that none of the jokes were meant to be rude to her, it was all in
the name of fun and she laughed with it.)
Jonathan: "But it's a tough sport, cause you were injured many times, weren't
you?"
Jayne: "Yeah, you can take some falls, yeah."
Jonathan: "Because I read once, you caught your bootlace in Christopher's
ring, is that right?"
(laughter from audience)
Jayne: "Yes, it was the hook on the boot."
Jonathan: "Blimey, I'd love to have seen that! Bet that took some explaining,
didn't it?"
Then David gets the question right, and after a few more jokes, it's the end
of the round and the teams are equal. Next round is the lip-reading round,
the words sportspeople say in the heat of action. Gary's team (Not the one
Jayne's on) get a clip of the documentary when Chris made Jayne cry, and they
had to say what was said by Chris and Jayne. Jonathan  then said:
"Did you not find that when you met Jayne this afternoon, you started
hearing... (hums Bolero)"
Then he started talking about the sixes and how the music was shorter than
the actual piece. Then Rory said
"Jayne, I read somewhere that you and Christopher were quite superstitious,
and he wore the same pair of blue Marks & Spencers underpants for 16 years"
Jayne: "Apparently, yes!"
Jonathan: "16 years?! He must have had to use a chisel to get them off!" (At
which point Jayne, already laughing, has a louder burst of laughter)
They finally got back to the question, and Gary's team didn't know the
answer, and Nick wasn't going to hand it across because obviously Jayne would
get it, but then did.
Nick: "Jayne, can you be Jayne Torvill and I'll be Christopher Dean"
Jayne: "OK"
Nick: "I've said that to you before haven't I? (laughter) All you need is a
bucket of ice, I tell you, and a hotel room. (looks indignantly at the
laughing audience) You've all thought it!"
Nick (exaggerating): " 'Why have you changed it? Why have you just left it in
one place the whole time?' "
Jayne: " 'But you said don't go like that.' "
Nick: " 'It still has the round movement, doesn't it?' "
Jayne: " 'Don't look at me like that.' "
Nick: " 'Ok, Ok, hands up, eyes to the ceiling, good attitude Jayne.' What a
bastard, eh?" (Don't take offence at that, he was only joking and Jayne was
laughing a lot)
Then he went on to say "Jayne once said, 'For us, skating is as pleasurable
as sex', in other words, nothing too ambitious, avoid the damp patches, and
try and finish together." (Jayne turned her head with a disgusted look on her
face trying to hide her laughter, but gave up and laughed)
Getting back to the questions, Gary's team had a clip of the Japanese
shouting championships, and had to translate what was said.
Jayne: "It's what I said to Chris when the cameras were turned off."
Nick: "What's that?"
Jayne (putting her hands by her mouth like a megaphone): "Raaa!" (lots of
laughter)
Nick: "Did you ever swear at him?"
Jayne: "Oh no, absolutely not." (didn't look very convincing at all!)
Jonathan: "Why not?"
Nick: "She's too nice!"
Jonathan: "Jayne is very nice. So nice downstairs."
(pause, then lots of laughter)
David: "Sorry?"
Nick: "No, no, no, they have a drink before the show downstairs!"
At the end of that round, the teams are equal again.
The next round is "What's going on". Jayne's team get a clip of people
throwing something like on a catapult. After a lot of jokes about nothing to
do with the question, Jayne gets it right. (The answer was pumpkins!)
Nick: "I'll give you three points for that, just cause I like you."
At the end of that round, the teams are equal again. Next round is "feel the
sportsman" where the regulars have to identify a sportsperson blindfolded, by
touch alone. Jayne's team (not Jayne though) have the WAA Super Heavyweight
Boxing Champion. (He looks at Jayne the whole time he is walking off after).
At the end of that round, Jayne's team is in the lead. Last round is "The
Name Game" where the comedian on the team has cards with names of
teams/sportspeople on, and the other two members of the team have to guess
what it is. Jayne answered quite a few of the questions right, and after the
other team had their go, Jayne's team had won. Their team was pronounced the
winners, Jonathan Ross kissed her hand, and that was the end of the show.
Jayne didn't stop smiling all the way through!

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Can you answer all these questions that Rachel compiled? How far would you get in the game?

For £100
What are Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean best known for?
A. Solo Skating
B. Pairs Skating
C. Ice Dancing
D. Line Dancing

For £200
In which year did Jayne and Chris win the Olympic gold?
A. 1980
B. 1984
C. 1988
D. 1994

For £300
What question were Jayne and Chris asked in every interview?
A. When are you getting married?
B. When are you getting divorced?
C. Do you take any exercise?
D. How do you feel about the price of lawnmowers in today’s market?

For £500
What was Chris’s former occupation?
A. Policeman
B. Fireman
C. Binman
D. Odd-job man

For £1000
Why did Jayne first start ice skating?
A. Her best friend had a birthday party there
B. Chris persuaded her
C. Her teacher organised a school trip
D. Her parents gave her a pair of skates

For £2000
Where are Jayne and Chris from?
A. Norwich
B. Nottingham
C. Newcastle
D. Northampton

For £4000
When is Jayne’s birthday?
A. 19th January
B. 3rd March
C. 15th August
D. 7th October

For £8000
Where was Jayne when her coach first asked her to try skating with Chris?
A. Practicing her jumps
B. In the cafeteria
C. In the toilets
D. In the skate shop

For £16,000
In which year did Jayne and Chris receive their first 6.0?
A. 1977
B. 1978
C. 1979
D. 1981

For £32,000
In which country did Jayne and Chris win bronze in the Olympic Games?
A. Finland
B. Sweden
C. Norway
D. Denmark

For £64,000
Jayne and Chris achieved the Gold Star one year. Which routines did they skate
for it?
A. Bolero, Mack and Mabel, Barnum, 3 compulsories
B. Face The Music, History of Love rhumba, 4 compulsories
C. Mack and Mabel, Summertime, 6 compulsories
D. Barnum, Rock n Roll OSP, Mack and Mabel, 3 compulsories

For £125,000
Before the 1980 Olympics, what had Chris been living on?
A. Steamed vegetables and coffee
B. Boiled rice and black tea
C. Fry-ups and lager
D. Mars bars and energy drinks

For £250,000
Which of these statements is true of the 1984 Europeans?
A. Just before Bolero, Chris’s ring got caught in Jayne’s boot
B. Just before Bolero, the seam of Jayne’s sleeve popped
C. Just before Bolero, Chris spilt coffee down his top
D. Just before Bolero, Jayne fell down 3 steps

For £500,000
Which of these is NOT true?
A. At the 1984 Europeans, Jayne almost fell during the OSP
B. When coming off the ice at 1994 British Championships, Jayne almost tripped
on the edge of the floor
C. At 1982 British Championships, Jayne slipped when leaning on Chris’s back
D. Chris’s jacket came undone half way through Mack and Mabel at 1982 Worlds

For £1,000,000
Which of these did NOT happen at the 1994 Olympic Games?
A. When coming off the ice after the free dance, Chris gave Oksana Grishuk a
small wave
B. Backstage, Chris was congratulated by Petri Kokko
C. During the exhibition gala, Jayne was shown on TV applauding Oksana Baiul
D. Intelligent judging

-----------------ANSWERS BELOW!!!-----------------
100:C
200:B
300:A
500:A
1000:C
2000:B
4000:D
8000:C
16,000:B
32,000:C
64,000:C
125,000:B
250,000:A
500,000:A
1,000,000:D

From: Susan K. Hager

To: nep.editorial@dial.pipex.com

Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2001 6:18 AM

Subject: T&D and the Nottingham Ice Centre

Dear Editor

 

As one of a worldwide legion of fans of Olympic champions Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, I am very pleased to see the announcement in your paper of Nottingham’s plan to honor them in with a commemorative plaque near the new ice center.

 

I’ve also heard of plans to unveil a statue in honor of John Curry inside the Nottingham Arena. Curry, the men’s Olympic gold medallist from Birmingham, also had an undisputedly major impact on figure skating, not only in the UK but also around the world.

 

But what marks Torvill and Dean’s Nottingham roots at the Ice Center? The cafeteria’s name? Understated for sure, but surely better than that is possible. Why not name one of the skating rinks for them – for example, the “Torvill and Dean Olympic Rink”. What could be more appropriate and lasting than naming a rink to bridge their Olympic connection to future generations of Nottingham skaters?

 

Torvill and Dean are certainly Nottingham’s own -- having brought your city and country great pride and enjoyment throughout their long and successful skating careers. Their string of perfect marks still stands unchallenged in the record books, as do their reputations as innovators of skating competition, performance and choreography. They remain active in the sport as choreographers for many major professional, as well as Olympic eligible skaters.

 

Over the years, from interviews here and abroad, it is clear that Torvill and Dean continue to strongly identify with Nottingham. In story after story they share the credit for their Olympic success to the financial support from the City Council that helped make it possible. They are indeed ambassadors of Nottingham and continue to be great promoters of the city.

 

Your paper has also chronicled their work with the City Council to get the National Ice Center off the ground. As well, they are firmly committed to its future -- returning to run an ice dance camp later this month, which will attract attention from far and near, further underscoring their support for the Center.

 

Torvill and Dean fans of all ages and nationalities share an appreciation for the lasting value and impact of their contributions to this sport. I hope that those in responsible positions will understand that visitors from around the world will look forward to finding within the ice center an appropriate remembrance of their accomplishments, even as they have taken steps to honor John Curry.

 

Perhaps the city and NISA, as skating’s governing body in the UK, could arrange for this modest, yet significant gesture of naming a rink in their honor—certainly a tribute that will endure for as long as their achievements remain in that category known as legendary.

 

Sincerely,

(Mrs.) Susan Hager

Glenmont, New York

USA

May 23, 2001

A 17 year-old skating fan from the UK sent the following letter to the Arena
  Dear Sir/Miss
   I am a 17 year old beginner skater from Staffordshire. A friend recently let me know that she had written to the Nottingham Evening Post about the possibility of one of the new ice skating rinks being named after Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean. I agree that it is a wonderful idea, and so thought I should contact the National Ice Centre directly rather than the newspaper. Naming the rink after the greatest ice dancers in history would cost nothing but be of great sentimental value to them and their worldwide  legion of fans.  

Britain has not produced many top skaters in recent history. I think one problem for this is the fact that some people aren't introduced to the ice, or if they are, they can't take it up for the distance involved. I know this is true because it is true of me. I saw Torvill and Dean in the European  Championships 1994 on television, and if I had lived close to a rink, I am positive I would have taken up skating. I had just had my 10th birthday and got very excited after reading that Torvill and Dean had taken up skating at ages 9 and 10. My thoughts were "I want to be the next Jayne Torvill!" But I never had the chance to try.

  I always loved skating, watching it aswell as doing it, but could not go often because of the distance involved (it is a one-hour car journey each  way to the nearest ice rink in Altrincham). I went when I could, but it wasn't often. I have recently started taking lessons regardless of the distance because I want to try to learn to skate well. I have never met Torvill and Dean and most likely never will, but they have nevertheless had a big impact on my life. It is the same for a lot of people, not just the ones who enjoyed watching their stunning routines but the people who took up skating because they wanted to be like them. Who knows? They could be the  champions of the future, and it would all be down to Jayne and Chris.

That is why I think it would be a very fitting tribute to name one of the new  rinks after them. Jayne and Chris never lost sight of their Nottingham roots, they brought glory to the city and, if I am correct, were active in getting the National Ice Centre off the ground in the first place. Everyone in the skating world have a lot to thank them for.
   Yours Faithfully,
   RB, Staffordshire P.S. Maybe if this is carried out, it could be done during the Ice Dance Camp week coming up, so that they could both be there for it. Thankyou for reading my letter.

From the Nottingham Evening Post, May 18
Well versed in history of city

The next step in Nottingham's historic walk of fame is about to be unveiled.
A plaque dedicated to Lord Byron is to be placed on the front of Bar Centro,in Victoria Street, to mark an area once known as Swine Green. A triangle formed by Victoria Street, Pelham Street and Carlton Street, it was mentioned in the first poem he ever wrote, in 1798.

The plaque will feature the first two lines of Byron's verse:
"In Nottingham County there lives at Swine Green
"As curst an old lady as ever was seen..."

The other two lines of the poem were:
"And when she does die, which I hope will be soon,
"She firmly believes she will go to the moon."

Byron was only ten and the subject of his aggressive verse was said to be his great-aunt.

The plaque's site has been agreed by the International Byron Society, which will be represented at the unveiling — by Lord Mayor Coun Roy Greensmith — on Wednesday at 2.30pm. The 18-in diameter plaque, is in the city council's corporate green with gold lettering.

It is the first of more than 20 plaques to be sited over the next couple of months in a £5,000 project co-ordinated by the city council and Nottingham Civic Society and sponsored by the Evening Post.

The project aims to establish a city-centre walk marked by 30 plaques — some are already in place — and will also take in nine tourist centres. The walk will start and finish in the Old Market Square and will be supported by a map to guide visitors around the points of interest.

It will start at a plaque to be placed in the square in memory of ‘Tug' Wilson, the 6ft 8in PC who was a well known figure as he patrolled the city centre during the 1950s and 1960s. There will be another plaque in the square for T Cecil Howitt, designer of the Council House.

The walk will then follow a trail of markers down Hockley and through the Lace Market to sites associated with Florence and Jesse Boot; Dr John Storer, co-founder of the General Hospital; Peter Pan author J M Barrie; architect Watson Fothergill; General William Booth; Nottingham's first black entrepreneur George Africanus; cotton mill pioneer Richard Arkwright; and lace firm founder Richard Birkin. Then — on the Adams Building — plaques to Thomas Adams and also Dorothy Moore, first principal of Clarendon College, will be on show.

The walk will then go down to the National Ice Arena where a plaque is to be placed marking the achievements of skating stars Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean.

In the Low Pavement area, plaques will remember 18th Century diarist Abigail Gawtherne; public health pioneer Thomas Hawkesley; and the city's first borough engineer, Marriott Ogle Tarbotton, who designed Trent Bridge.

A number of sites have been selected in the Castle area. On the Evening Post building in Castle Wharf astronomer Thomas Bush will be remembered, and children's author Geoffrey Trease has a plaque in Castle Boulevard.

The tour will then move up past the Castle to Standard Hill with its Charles I connections, thence into St James's Street for an existing plaque on the spot where Byron stayed while being treated at the General Hospital. Other plaques in the area will recall Trent Bridge cricket ground founder William Clarke; 18th Century Baptist preacher William Carey; 18th Century dissenter Gilbert Wakefield; and Samuel Fox, founder of the Nottingham Building Society. The tour will come back via Exchange Walk to the Old Market Square to its final plaque honouring Thomas Smith, whose bank evolved into the modern NatWest.

Tourist attractions indicated on the map are the Galleries of Justice, Museum of Nottingham Lace, Caves of Nottingham, Brewhouse Yard Museum, Nottingham Castle, Robin Hood statue, Lace Centre, Costume and Textile Museum and the Tales of Robin Hood.

Maureen Crisp, of the International Byron Society, said 20 to 30 members would attend the ceremony and added: "We are thrilled that Byron will be honoured by the first of the new plaques to be put up. We are grateful to the city council and the Post for including Byron and recognising his importance as an internationally renowned son of the city and county."

Lord Mayor Coun Roy Greensmith said: "This is a wonderful idea to celebrate Nottingham's famous and less famous, but nonetheless distinguished sons and daughters."

Ken Brand, vice-president of Nottingham Civic Society, said: "I am pleased that, after years of interviews with councillors and other interested people, someone with financial clout has realised a system of plaques is an essential part of any serious tourism initiative."

Tim Saunders, the Evening Post's head of corporate affairs, said: "This is a wonderful initiative which recognises particular Nottingham people and their contribution to the fabric of the city — which is what the Post, traditionally, has always endeavoured to do."

A note with a music request of other fans:
My daughter and her partner are looking for the music T&D skated to called Barnum... if anyone can help me locate this peice of music, please e-mail me at shiningstars@usa.net
Thank you.... Jenny

ANGELA SMITH sent the following:

Congratulations on the presentation of the OBE to both Jayne and Chris. I have also heard about the reopening of the Zetra stadium in Sarajevo and I'm surprised that they will not be dancing there

Comments from: Wilkie Terry
CONGRATS ON THE EXQUISITE CHOREGRAPHY USED BY GWENDAL & MARINA TO WIN THE GOLD... (in the Grand Prix Final)

THIS ONLY SHOWS THAT THE 'BEST' TEACH ONLY THE 'BEST'...I HOPE YOU CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM...

YOU TWO RULED THE WORLD AND I'M GLAD YOU DECIDED TO STILL STAY IN THE BUSINESS AND TO SHARE YOUR TALENT WITH GWENDAL & MARINA...THIS IS DEFINITELY THEIR YEAR.

Articles about either Jayne and Chris or about each of them separately have recently been forwarded to the page. Among them was this from Nancy in Salt Lake City.
ANISSINA & PEIZERAT HAVE CHOSEN CARMINA BURANA

Translated from French [ ] signifies comments by the translator

Imagining a new program is a yearly torture for ice dancers, particularly when they are called Anissina & Peizerat. In quest of their first ordination the French, Olympic bronze medallists and vice world champions have chosen. It will be Carmina Burana

In this season, the Vercors is a region one can't refuse. The mountain is beautiful, the pathways bathed in sunlight. But it is not to admire the countryside and its tranquillity that we have asked Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat to see us three months before their official return to competition. No, it is more in order to violate the intimacy they preserve each year when they take refuge at Villard de Lans to think up their new programs.

Since their association in 1993, the flamboyant Russian and the Mozart of Lyon have punctuated their lightning fast ascension in ice dance with creative, emotionally strong programs. Their last two have, in this way permitted them to master the podiums, to be on a first name basis with glory. In 1998, their version of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet brought Anissina and Peizerat the Olympic bronze. Last year on the theme of the Man in the Iron Mask, they moved the entire world and harvested all the votes of a public that voted again in an avalanche of letters, but they didn't sufficiently seduce the judges who preferred the Russians Krylova & Ovsiannikov for the European and World titles.

An e-mail from Jayne Torvill

Vice champions of Europe and of the world Anissina & Peizerat have agonized over their choice at the beginning of their preparation. From now on the new rules authorize songs for the free program, widening the musical choice. With Muriel Zazoui their coach, they first considered an illustration of biblical slavery but couldn't find music that suited them. Until the day when the thoughts of all their little group struck the same cord.

Some time ago we put together a program using Carmina Burana confirms Gwendal Peizerat, but in the end it was never shown. Tucked away in a corner of their heads, Carl Orff's cantata dusted itself off and imposed itself naturally on the trio. "And then I received an e-mail from Jayne Torvill saying she had found some music. When I heard that it was about Carmina Burana, I told myself it was a sign!" [This happened?] because the choice of this music is accompanied by another equal innovation.

Every year Anissina, Peizerat and Muriel Zazoui like to surround themselves with outside choreographers. There was Shanti Rhuspaul, impossible to overlook in skating, and Alla Dukhova, a Russian who came out of contemporary dance. All the while though, the French hoped that one day they would work with the legendary Torvill and Dean. At the end of the World Championships in Helsinki last March Marina proclaimed it in this way; "they understood the ice, the blades. As skaters they were incomparable. Even my father always makes reference to them and coming from a hockey player..." that means something!

Olympic champions in 1984, interpreters of the sumptuous Ravel's Bolero, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean continued their career in effect as choreographers. He made the glory days of the Duchesnays. Together they composed ambitious programs (though not always understood by their occasional interpreters), for the Canadians Bourne and Kraatz (3rd in the world), or the Lithuanians Drobiazko and Vanagas (6th in the world). "Understandably, up until the present they weren't free to work with us" Explains Paizerat. This freedom regained, the British couple have agreed to join in at Villard de Lans for ten days to chisel a jeweled technique so that Anissina and Peizerat become artistically polished. And the three months that separate the French couple from their return on the occasion of the Trophee Lalique in Paris (18-21 November, 1999), won't be too much.

Worn out by a long season, caught up in the whirlwind of French team championships plus the traditional Tom Collins [tour] in the United States. Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat are nonetheless granted some vacation. She headed first for Moscow where she found her father, posed in a nightgown on a Mercedes in the center of Red Square, and gave a mountain of interviews before strutting off for a week on the coast of Marbella. He dove in the Turquoise ocean, rejuvenating on the sandy white beaches on an island of the South-East Bahamas.

Without Makeup or Spangles

Reinvigorated, Anissina and Peizerat have come back to the ice. At Villard de Lans they no longer live at "The Source", the immense barracks that each summer for more than twenty years has sheltered Muriel Zazoui's resuming training groups. "From now on they need their independence" explains their coach. So each has claimed his own duplex but meets the other at the ice rink, he by motorbike, she in this Polo [a type of car] that she'd really like to trade in, to work themselves to death on the new programs. "We owed it to ourselves to progress with respect to ourselves", says Marina responsibly, and that's why the duo no longer want to look behind, but to concentrate on the future, and in deciding to work with Torvill and Dean it seems, are heading in the best of directions.

When Gwendal Peizerat concedes that last year's program was perhaps a little too visual at certain points but lacking suppleness, he compares it to the steps that Torvill and Dean have thought up for them. "There's not a single element that sticks out but each step is part of the whole", he says. "If we succeed in transcribing their thoughts, the spectator's attention should be captivated throughout the four minutes." For the moment, without make up or spangles, Anissina and Peizerat attempt simply to keep their balance, to position the steps with the music. They have not yet reflected upon the artistic narration of this cantata that alludes to rule breaking monks, but already they reveal a very technically intense choreography.

We can't tell you much more, only that they have made up a breathtaking diagonal of little steps. Not to mention the lifts that have made this couple famous, particularly the "opposite" that they bring back each year and that they say will be even more perilous this year. "It was a very enriching experience working with Torvill and Dean" Aanissina and Peizerat say with self approval. "So different from what we usually do."

Usually their choreographers inspire a style, a way of moving, off the ice. Here, Torvill and Dean, skates on their feet, have shown them each step slowed down but in perfect manner. "They have impressed us", continue the French. For 29 years they've skated together [really?!], and even though they've past forty, Torvill and Dean keep perfectly synchronized and parallel. "Sometimes with Marina, we have trouble keeping up", admits Gwendal, "so I try with Jayne, Marina with Christopher. That allows us to record the sensation of the feeling necessary to succeed at the movement."

A Jewel at Lalique.

Since the departure of the British, Anissina and Peizerat pursue the project of the ambitious program that has been laid out. We have to add our touch to the technical elements and insert the emotional side", insists Gwendal. "In September Jayne Torvill will come back to see us at Lyon" Marina states, "to observe the evolution of the program, it's 'digestion' " by the French duo. After that it will be time to present this Jewel. At Lalique for a debut, then that the NHK trophy in Japan (1-5 December) before the French championships at Courchevel, and the European championships in Vienna (6-13 January, 2000). Only there, will the confrontation with the Russians Krylova and Ovsiannikov take place, they who deprived them of the World and continental golds last year. And this confrontation is already very much anticipated because an indiscretion has filtered from the Russian camp certifying that the students of Natalia Linicuk are at Nevogorsk right now preparing a free to... Carmina Burana! If that's true, this won't be the first time the top two contenders for a title skated to the same music. (Katarina Witt and Debbie Thomas opted for Carmen at the games of 1988), but this could simplify the job of comparison for the Judges who would not have to hide behind differences in style [style of music].

Céline Nony
Special messenger of the Team at Villard de Lans
July 1

Another fan found a collection of essays by Clive James in which he "tackles burning issues and shining personalities from Barry Humphries to Barry Manilow and Michael Jackson to Michael Foot. He discusses the nuances of Kung Fu cinema, the lyrical footwork of Torvill and Dean and the charms of the Statue of Liberty. The title of the book is "Snakecharmers in Texas".
Try one of the online bookstores if you're interested, like Blackwells.

Colorado Springs "Springs Style" magazine had an article about Chris and Jill last year, with pictures of their new home. This was a back issue but you may be able to buy back copies. If any one would like to try ordering this magazine call 719 632-6077 and talk to Sue Hinnen. I can't find a date or issue number. Just tell her it's the one from 1998 with Chris and Jill on the cover.

A recent issue of International Figure Skating had a mention of Jayne and her performance this last May in "DancePower" - where she performed with Wayne Sleep, the British Ballet star. There is a picture of her with Sleep.

A librarian fan sent the following:

In this week's (Tuesday, Aug. 10) edition of the "International Express", T&D are included in the paper's "Century" roundup of great sports stories. There isn't really an article, but there is a nice color picture of them in the final post of Bolero. According to the paper, this picture was taken in Nottingham in 1983, so it may be of the first performance of Bolero. Not too many pictures of that! T&D are included in the illustrious company of Mohammed Ali, Jesse Owens, Martina Navratilova, and ahem, Ben Johnson. Except for Martina, Jayne is the only other woman included. The "International Express" is a weekly compilation of articles from the "Express" from England. The T&D picture is actually right in the middle. There's a centrefold section called "The Express Century", and each week they cover a different topic - art, sports, etc. This week it's sports - nice to see that T&D are considered one of the major sports events of the century, isn't it?! I don't know if it's available in the US, but I do remember seeing it in San Juan a couple of years ago.

Also, I picked up a dance anthology called "Dance in the City" (edited by Helen Thomas) and found an essay on Torvill & Dean! The emphasis is on their return in 1994, but an overview of their career is also included. It's really very interesting. This book is a collection of serious academic articles on the "sociological aspects of dance". It's really neat that T&D's work is now considered worthy of serious scholarly analysis. This book was published in 1997 by St. Martin's Press in New York.

From a Canadian fan:
There was an article about Jayne in the British magazine "Woman's Weekly".early in the summer.

There's a nice picture of Jayne in her new haircut, which I must say doesn't look all that much different from her old haircut! Maybe a bit shorter, but nothing too radical. As for the color, it's more brown than red - perhaps a very dark auburn.

The most surprising thing in the article is that Jayne apparently no longer skates! :-( She said she thought it was boring to skate by herself and without something definite to work towards, like a show or competition, she just got frustrated and didn't enjoy herself, so she seems to have quit going to the rink altogether.) She did say that she goes to the gym several times a week to keep fit, and also has taken up tennis and riding. But it appears that her only connection to skating these days is occasionally working on choreography with Chris. I do hope that's not going to be a permanent state of affairs - someone like Jayne is just too valuable for skating to lose.

Monday, May 24, 1999, Colorado Springs, CO - The World Arena is proud to announce the addition of Olympic and World Champion Ice Dancer Christopher Dean and World Champion Jill Trenary to its outstanding figure skating coaching staff.

Skater/Choreographer and Artistic Director/Producer of Torvill & Dean tour productions, Christopher Dean, (along with his partner Jayne Torvill) is a legend in the world of figure skating. Four World and European Championships, seven British Championships and five World Professional Championships are just the tip of the iceberg in their long list of awards and achievements in ice dance. Besides the memorable eligible and professional programs he created for his partnership with Ms. Torvill, including four Torvill & Dean world tours and the recent U.K. tour Ice Adventures , Mr. Dean has choreographed for elite eligible and professional skaters around the world, as well as for the English National Ballet.

Mr. Dean will be implementing a new dance program at the World Arena, serving as Director of the Dance Program, Choreographer, and Dance Coach. Mr. Dean said he is looking forward to developing the new dance program and is "excited about working with young ice dancers as well as established teams who would like intense coaching in specific areas of dance." Along with Mr. Dean, Residence Coaches Patti Gottwein, Rich Griffin and Tom Dickson create a strong backbone for the burgeoning dance program.

Joining the singles resident coaching staff is 1990 Ladies World Champion Jill Trenary . A long-time resident of Colorado Springs, Ms. Trenary trained with renowned coaches Carlo and Christa Fassi at the famous Broadmoor World Arena. In addition to winning the gold medal at the 1990 World Championships, her impressive list of titles include Junior Ladies U.S. National Champion in 1985, and Senior Ladies U.S. National Champion in 1987, 1989, and 1990. Ms. Trenary turned professional in 1992 and has toured extensively with the Tom Collins Tour of Figure Skating Champions, Torvill & Dean's Face the Music Tour, and Stars on Ice.

Ms. Trenary will be coaching alongside Tom Zakrajsek, Janet Champion, Damon Alen, Jack Courtney, Shantell Autry, Catarina Lindgren, and Linda Crowley to expand the already excellent men's and ladies' freestyle program at World Arena. Ms. Trenary is happy to be able to share her expertise and to "have the opportunity to work with the excellent young skaters who train at the World Arena."

The Colorado Springs World Arena is an 8,000-seat, state-of-the-art facility. The adjacent Ice Hall houses both Olympic and NHL size ice sheets. This flexible training facility is home to up-and-coming world class skaters Ryan Bradley (1999 Junior Men's U.S. National Champion), Shelby Lyons, Ann Patrice McDonough, James Yoo, and dance team Crystal Beckerdite and Matthew Healy.

For information about training with Mr. Dean, Ms. Trenary or other World Arena coaches or the world-renowned summer skating program, call or write Carla Beaudet, Program Coordinator, World Arena, 3185 Venetucci Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80906. (719) 477-2153 or send email to: iceskate@worldarena.com

The Colorado Springs World Arena and Ice Hall is managed by Globe Facility Services (GFS), of Tampa, FL. GFS prpovides management and consulting services for arenas, convention centers and stadiums in the U.S. and the Far East.

Rebecca Tupper of the UK sends us the following about Jayne's appearance on the May 17, 1999, "A Question of Sport" show on BBC1.

The opening credits. Introduction by Sue: "This is a special Sporting Greats edition... And all our participants are members of great sporting partnerships... First we have one half of the most famous sporting partnership in history [a nice touch, I thought].. She's without Christopher Dean tonight.. It's Jayne Torvill!" Then little clips of T&D moments "They won everything.. Worlds, Olympics and Europeans.. And BBC Sports Personality of the year.." blah blah. Jayne was on John Parrott (snooker world champ)'s team with some footballer type person I'd never heard of before, and as she was the first introduced, she had the first question in each round. Oh, and hair - short and red. JT as we now know her.. And she was wearing a black jacket over a grey sweater. And she's sort of leaning away from the others towards teh edge of camera shot, and is sort of shrinking back in her chair. Basically, the look on her face is one of "Oh my God, I don't believe I'm here". Hm. Not a good start..

First game is the picture board. "And it's Jayne to start. Please pick a number Jayne" Jayne looks slightly horrified at this thought, but picks no 2. It's some footballer, which another team member tells her correctly (that's allowed in this round), so she gets the full 2 points. Yeah! Later on, somebody on the other team picks a numberh which turns out to be a skater. "Joanne Conway", I immediately think to myself. But of course they have absolutely no idea, and try to think of a Russian name, something like "Irena Popov", I think... Jayne's laughing. The question goes over to her team, and of course she gets it right. Yeah! A bonus point for our side! Then the next person on J's team picks a photo which turns out to be a young RC, which J of course correctly identifies. At which point John Virgo (opposing) says, "Sue, is this a Question Of Sport or a Question of Ice Skating?" Ha ha... Sigh. Well, it's good if you're a QOS fan.. Oh yeah, and there's a picture of a bloke witha scantily dressed girl draped around him, and they thought it was Chris!! LOL Well Ok, he was blond, but even so.. It was Eddie Irvine, I think, if you're interested..

At the end of the round, J's team lead by 8 points to 2. Next round is the one where each person gets a video clip question on their own sport. Jayne's first up. "There'll be some great memories for you here Jayne, but see if you can correctly identify the other two female skaters shown". So we get (soundtrack: "It's Got To Be Perfect", of course) lots of T&D's greatest moments, lots of sixes etc, interspersed with 2 brief glimpses of Nancy Kerrigan and Surya Bonaly, and, bizarrely, a clip of *that* argument from *that* documentary. Oh well. I think that's as famous as Bolero now.. So, Jayne gets her two points, of course (admittedly, not that difficult - I also got all of her questions right, as could any self respecting skating fan). Although, here it became apparent that she is *not* a dedicated QOS fan, as she didn't appear to be sure of what she was supposed to be doing. But she got the Q right, which is the main thing. And she's been away a lot, of course, so we'll let her off.

OK, the others have their goes, and then it's "What happened next?" Our team get a video clip. It's football. In the screen shot of the team, on the right we have the other two team members leaning towards each other, conferring. Then there's an *enormous* gap until Jayne who looks as if she wants to be as far away as possible, LOL! Then the other two turn towards her, as if to ask her what she thinks, and then she really does lean back as far as possible, with a look of mock horror on her face, and says "Don't ask me!", a sentiment I can definitely agree with! And everybody laughs. A lot. And somebody says "And then an ice skater comes on to the pitch.. ", and Jayne laughs and agrees. In the end the team get one point; they're still in the lead, but it's down to 5 points..

Home or Away. Jayne goes home, playing safe, and gets the question "Which lady skater won 4 world championships and 2 olympic titles in the 80's?" See, I told you they weren't that hard.. "Katarina Witt", says Jayne, for one point. Marvellous

Mystery person.. Not skaters, I don't think Jayne had much contribution at all.. But she's smiling a lot now; seems to be relaxing.

Picture board two,.. no more skaters. J picks #5.. We're still leading by 5 points at the end of the round..

Last round. Quick fire questions. None of them are skating, except for the last one, and you could see that Jayne was getting her finger on the buzzer, but the gong went before the end of the round, so she didn't get a chance to answer.. the answer was B&B BTW. Jayne's team win! 29 points to 17, I think, so a clear victory. The otheres had been going on about "Popov" all the way through, and they ask her if there are any skaters called that.. Jayne says "Yes, the Protopopovs, but a long time ago.." And that's that.

It was a good, amusing episode, but apart from answering her questions and the football thing and the bit at the end, she didn't really have any other contribution to make. But there were lots of shots of her smiling

Rebecca Tupper also attended the May 9th London Palladium DancePower show, and sends the following report:
{Abridged to just the Jayne and Wayne segments} The stage clears and darkens. The announcer says that "This is going to be a once in a lifetime performance. In fact, it could even be a gold medal winning performance. It's Jayne and Wayne!"

Then in the centre of the stage there's a group of guys close together. Then they open up and dance out, and Jayne and Wayne come up the middle. Yeah!!

Jayne is wearing a very simple mid-calf length black dress that is sparkly around the top, with white high heeled-ish shoes. Wayne is wearing a black and white outfit (I can't say I was paying much attention to him!). Jayne's hair looks really red under the lights, and she's smiling already. And surprise! I knew Wayne was short, but with Jayne in high heels he's even smaller than she is! This fact becomes *extremely* important later on!! The music has started - it's an instrumental version of Let's Face The Music And Dance. And do you know, for a moment I feel a twinge of disappointment - surely there're not just going to be doing some sort of Fred and Ginger thing??!! Honestly. I should have known better...

Right, all this took place in about the first five seconds. Now Jayne and Wayne are by themselves, side by side. I think to myself, those steps look quite familiar, and those arm movements, but I don't get it. Now we're maybe 20 seconds into the performance, and I still don't get it. But now they're over stage left, doing a movement, and people are laughing, they're loving it: and then I get it. It's the train step sequence from FTM and M&M. But not on ice. No. On stage. Which makes it rather different. Very funny in fact. Which is when I knew I wan't going to be disappointed. This was surely going to be the Torvill and Dean spoof to end all Torvill and Dean spoofs. And it was.

Now the music switches. It's the paso doble. They spin around together, arms outstretched. Then they turn; she's in front and he's behind; and then as she strides out accross the stage, he goes down into a kneeling position and is towed behind her...

You know how in the Paso Doble (the T&D, on ice version), when he drags the cape across the ice it's one of the ultimate, dramatic ice dance moments of all time?? Well, transfer it to stage, let Jayne play the matador for a change, and have Wayne Sleep as the cape, with such a look of solemn proudness on his face as he juts his chin, and it becomes one of the most hysterically funny things you've ever seen in your life. And it wasn't just me. All around me people were roaring with laughter, and giving gasps of recognition at each move, and clapping throughout the entire performance.

The following are my impressions from various parts of the program; I can't even be sure that they came in this order, but this is what I remember: Mack and Mabel: They do the back to back, arms around each others fronts thing, at top speed across the stage. Then the scissors steps... She turns the other way, Wayne is facing the audience, he leans on her and HE does the steps... This was another very, very funny moment. It's done at top speed again, and they kind of "beetle" (is the best description I can come up with) along. Jayne is practically running, I think, and Wayne's legs have to go *very* fast to keep up. The expression on Wayne's face is a kind of combination of mock shocked "Hey, slow down a bit missis!" and cool, nonchalant, "You know, anybody can do this T&D thing, there's nothing to it really!". - and they get to the side of the stage, and it's "OK, we're here, now watch this!" Brilliant.

Later, the music is changing. Five years of dedicated practice enable me to pick out the Bolero beat straight away, but the others aren't quite as fast! Jayne is already kneeling down, but Wayne is some way away, and looks rather put out! He has to slither along on his stomach until he reaches Jayne and pops back up again. "This is how it's meant to be, you know," says Wayne's expression! Then he glares at Jayne. the melody is starting. She glares back. You think there's going to be a row, but no, Jayne suddenly becomes all brisk and business like again, and starts the well known swaying, arm movements etc. Wayne joins in. And for a second, it's exactly right: they're perfectly in time, they're looking into each others eyes, and you could almost think yourself in Sarajevo itself...

But no!! The argument appears to be starting again! It seems to be about who should lift who... Wayne seems to win, and does the kneeling upright, arms stretched out turning thing.. But Jayne stands up completely... Wayne turns, expecting her to support him,... but she doesn't!! Ha ha, Wayne falls flat on his nose!! Hysterical. He looks totally disgusted. She doesn't. She seems quite cheerful at this point, actually..

Barnum (Not On Ice!): They pull on their trousers and then run over the stage juggling.. Jayne's juggling is perfect as ever, but Wayne could have done with those miming lessons from Michael Crawford!! His just isn't right at all!! And then they're on the high wire. Both of them seem extremely concerned about the possibility of falling off. You don't need me to describe this bit; I'm sure you can imagine it perfectly well yourselves! Finale: Back to FTM. This bit is more proper dancing, but it's still very faithful to T&D's choreography (a tribute to that in the first place, I suppose). The arm movements are all there. Jayne's great, and she and Wayne are always perfectly in time together. And Jayne does some great spins! In those high heeled shoes!! Wow! You know, I admire Jayne more and more every day! next thing we'll be reading about how she can actually DRIVE wearing high heels!!

And the finishing poses are, I think, side by side (no somersault!! Damn!). And it gets a great reception. The audience is certainly left wanting more, which is definitely the way to do it (take note please, Mr Tobias Tak!!). In fact, I think it was probably the shortest performance of the evening. Well, of course it only seemed about 30 seconds to me, but in reality I don't think it can have been any more than about 3 minutes, what do you others who were there think?

The bows: they both come to the front of the stage and bow together first, and then Wayne steps right back, leaving Jayne at the front, and applauds her. She takes another bow, and then turns her head to look at Wayne, and is smiling, laughing, and sort of shrugs as if to say, "I really don't believe I just did that! But yeah, it was great!!" And then I think they bowed together again, before leaving the stage.

Phew!! Wow. It was really a sensational performance, but looking back I realise it was really a tribute to T&D as well as a spoof, because the program really depended on people recognising their routines and moves, and they did. All however many thousand of them there were there the other night. It's amazing just how recognisable and well known their stuff is, even if we Brits don't really talk about it much. Just amazing. ........ and another T&D related bit.....
And then there was my big surprise. It was the "House Carpenter Duet from Christopher Bruce's Moonshine", by Hope Muir and Vincent Redmon from the Rambert Dance Company. I know I've read several times that Chris really admires Christopher Bruce's choreography; now I know that he really wasn't kidding: the dance was so incredibly T&Dish. Right down to the costumes, even. i really don't know how to describe it, except to say that it could very, very easily have been one of T&D's routines. The guy was wearing a very Paperback Writer ish costume, and the way he was actually *doing* things, not just supporting the girl, was very Chrisish (sorry for all these ish-es, but you know what I mean. Also, the arm movements were *extremely* reminiscent of Torvill and Dean. Oh, and the music was a song, and it was one that I could easily have imagined T&D dancing to. It was completely different to all the other performances, and as you might imagine, I rather enjoyed it!

.......And the curtain calls
Then, ... the rest of the cast (including our heroes!) came on and stood along the front of the stage. Wayne came out from the left, followed by Jayne, followed by the two dancers from BRB. So they're all lined up on the front, and Jayne and Wayne were in the middle. They're clapping along to the music, and then they're waving to the crowd. Jayne is smiling and smiling, and waving, and smiling, and waving, and did I mention that she was smiling? It was then that Wayne sort of patted her on the back, I think, and kissed her cheek. Wayne kept on pointing to people in the audience and showing Jayne, who'd kind of go "oh yeah", and look up and wave in their direction. And so it went on, for a few minutes, until they bought the curtain down in front of all the dancers, and that was the end of the show. There were no curtain calls, or individual bows or anything like that, which as it's a charity show is the right thing, I think.

Press releases May 1999

Appearing on John Parrott's team is Gordon Strachan, the outspoken manager of Coventry City and one time winner of the FA cup with Manchester United and the League title with Leeds; and Jayne Torvill, part of Britain's most famous sporting partnership. Jayne won four successive world ice dance titles with Christopher Dean and their 1984 Olympic title winning performance of 'Bolero' was awarded a perfect six for artistic impression.

But how will they fare against Ally McCoist's team which boasts snooker player John Virgo, the renowned trick shot specialist and former-UK champion; and Rodney Marsh, one of football's most talented and maverick players? John Virgo is now a household name as a presenter of Big Break while Rodney is a TV pundit and tours the country with George Best - neither of them will be short of things to say but can they provide the right answers?!

Sue Barker will be asking the questions and keeping order in what is certain to be a closely fought - and very lively - contest!

Sunday 9 May at the London Palladium
International dance acts join stars from England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland for DancePower, a spectacular royal gala evening on Sunday 9 May 19999 at the London Palladium.. They will be joining thousands of people taking part in Red Cross events across the wordl to celebrate the Power of Humanity during the same weekend.

A never to be repeated line-up of performers has been brought together by Angela Rippon for a show to be attended by HRH Alexandra, Deputy President of the British Red Cross. They include:

Rambert Dance Company - Birmingham Royal Ballet - Riverdance - Stomp - P{aco Pena - Adzido Pan-African Dance Ensemble - Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company - Sylvia YOung Theatre - world champoin ballroom dancers Karen & Marcus Hilton - world line dancing champion Chris Brockelesby - Dutch tap sensation Tobias Tak - Chickenshod - Edinburgh Tattoo Ceilid Dancers - Morris dancers Knockhundred Shuttles - Argentinian tango from Leandrou Palou & Andrea Misse - British Amateur Latin Dance champions.

Former Olympic ice champion Jayne Torvill will join Wayne Sleep, performing for the first time since hanging up her skates. Wayne has also devised a series of simple dance steps with Bryony Brind and "Mamma Mia" choreographer Anthony van Laast. Sylvia Young Theatre School and other dance schools from across the UK will perform the routine to an especially composed song by Mike Batt.

Angela Rippon has also persuated Bruce Forsyth to make a return to the Palladium, scene of many of his classic appearances, alongside Ned Sherrin and former colleagues from news broadcasting, including Martin Bell, Carole Barnes and Jon Snow.

Angela, a longstanding supporter of the British Red Cross says: "DancePower no only showcases some of the very best in international dance, but is a glorious celebration of the Power of Humanity. It is not very often that we have the chance to see so many types of dance in one event - it will be a fabulous beginning to a year of British Red Cross dance."

The Kosovo crisis highlights the continued need for humanitarian work of the British Red Cross and money raised from DancePower will be used for activities in the UK and overseas.

Tickets for DancePower start at only 10.50 pounds, rising to 75 pounds. Contact the box office and 24 hour credit hotline: 0171 494 5055.

Ticket information ande details fo the 125 pound tickets, which include a VIP recepton at Liberty, are available from Sarah Allen ONLY on 0117 935 6558.

"CCrookall" sent the following comment to the Fan's corner.
just thought i'd write and say a little bit about when Jayne was on Grandstand. Her new haircut really suits her and for those of you who haven't seen her it is really short (about an inch long) and she has died it really dark brown. Also I do think she has lost allot of weight on her face...not saying she was fat though...........and she looks really good. I was surprised that Chris didn't give an interview.

It's good to see them coaching and passing their great talent onto other brilliant skaters.

Frieda Verbaenen - in Belgium - sends this poem about Jack:

This comment from a fan in Maryland on Dean's choreography for the recent Tara Lipenski TV special:
I admit, I have not had time to watch the whole special as yet, but I did watch the "Malaguena" straight away. After only one viewing, I was stunned at how gorgeous it was! I loved the costumes -- very sleek and so you saw all the body lines. I thought both Kurt and Tara did a terrific job -- and neither are ice dancers, though I think Kurt is pretty close.

As someone said to me, "you'd have to be blind to notice this was a Dean number!" Very true -- and wasn't it wonderful! In the first moments there were those deep lunges, the spread eagle by Kurt and the interweaving footwork! Oh how I miss choreography like that! I'm SO glad we got to see some last night!

I thought the rest of the program was just great. I loved Tara's deep sit spin, I also thought Kurt and Tara really carried out some of those classic T&D moves (the leg pull, the airplane spin, the knee balance, etc.) very well. Of course, though I was very much enjoying watching Kurt and Tara do this, I was YEARNING to see this be done by T&D. But I think Kurt and Tara did a terrific job. And it was fun to see triple toes and triple salchows in the middle of a "dance" program!

I'm glad to add this to my collection and looking forward to watching it a few more times this evening. I'm also looking forward to Chris doing ALL the choreography for a future TV special...come on Tara, ASK HIM!

Sasha Ramayya from Tempe, AZ sent the following:
Here is a quote from the Salt Lake City newspaper

"Chalom and Gates, now in their fourth season together, have the benefit of being choreographed by dance pioneer Christopher Dean. The duo's sweeping moves in the Blues number reflected Dean's rhythmic style."

And here is an article on Chalom and Gates with a Dean mention.

Sasha

Audrey Monahan recently wrote about Ice Adventures :
>December 31, 1998

Of course, never having seen the show I was knocked out by it and surprised at the sheer amount of performance time put in by Jayne and Chris. As a director, it is always enlightening to see how Chris takes a concept and blocks it with such detail and wholeness in the larger numbers, and how he conceives of moves that create maximum emotional truth and force in the duets with Jayne, whether the sharpness and coyness of the Trunk Tango or the poignance of Something Stupid or the wit of Only You, or...dear God...the magnificence of Flying/Jazz Fish and the sheer sophistication of Take Five. What a joy!

No matter how much they choreograph for others, I am incapable of expressing how much I will miss their performances and how grateful I am for what they have given.

Frieda Verbaenen - in Belgium - writes....

I watched Dance Night last night. They not only showed Bolero - that magical performance from the Olympics - but also 'Face the Music' at Lillehammer and in between a very small interview with Jayne, about her first dancing steps.

She said that as a little girl she could never sit still when listening to music and had to move about to the music. Her parents listened to the radio on Sunday mornings to a programme with classical music and she would be spinning around the living room until she was so dizzy she fell and more often than not bumped her head to a shelf. This was before she started skating.

It's funny really, because my mum and grandmother used to listen to a classical music programme on sunday afternoons and after listening to it for a few minutes, I usually started waltzing my dolls around the room. Jayne saying that certainly brought back some memories. I can still hear my mum complaining: 'Can't you sit still for even 5 minutes?'. About a year later that problem was solved, she just gave me a book to read and she didn't hear me again for the rest of the afternoon. And a year after that I started to skate.

I remember those afternoons fondly, there was such an air of tranquility about it. My mum sewing and my gran knitting while they were listening to the radio.

Frieda Verbaenen - on the Ice Adventures video...

Hi everyone,

I know I've been a bit of a lurker lately, but things have been really hectic here at work. Last week I went on my yearly shopping spree in Canterbury. You know Christmas shopping and all that.

Of course Ice Adventures was top of the list and in two shops my friend and I bought the last available video. That was until we went to WH Smith where they still had about 100 of them. Anyway, it took a lot of restraint not to pop it in the VCR when I arrived home. The best argument was that it was a thursday, after midnight and I had to get to work a couple of hours later. So I watched it on Friday and again on Sunday.

The best part is that I felt transported back to that magical evening when I saw my big idols live for the first time after so many years of being a fan. Now for the video itself. Winter Express is the part that disappointed just a tiny little bit. There was so much going on that I found it a bit muddling. Don't get me wrong , I like it. The tango works better in the complete entourage, I find. It was good in SOI (of course) but here you also have what comes before and after.

Mysteries of the Deep works really well on video IMO. The movements in slow motion really give you the impression of being under water and at least now in Flying Fish I see what the other skaters were doing. The evening of the show I really couldn't say what the other skaters were doing when the whole company was on the ice. About Flying Fish, while I was watching I remembered the review in the London Evening Standard, well here you see that there is not an ounce of excess fat on Jayne's body, muscles Ok.

Winter Games was really fun. Oh those hockey boys are really quite amazing. (Maybe I should show this to our local hockey club.) But of course Jaynova and her somewhat reluctant partner stole the show. I remember feeling thrilled when the music for Bolero started, but contrary to a lady sitting behind me, I could take the joke. (She was shocked that they laughed with Bolero).

But the apotheoses of it all is the New Year's Eve Finale. Sigh, Something Stupid is so romantic. How I wish someone (a Chris - clone would do very well ) would dance like that with me. During the show my eyes always drifted to where Chris and Jayne were standing, because even if they were flirting at the bar, their feet danced.

After having seen this, it saddened me to think that this may be the last we've seen of them, but then if they keep on choreographing for others we'll still be seeing some good dancing in the competitions.

Frieda

PMer417428 sends the following:
I was a dance major in college and danced much of my life, and have always thought so much of your inventive coreography, but Stars on Ice was just fabulous tonight and in large part due to your super coreography. I feel the show has become truly classy, and definitely want to go this February when it comes here to Minneapolis. Keep up the good work and please, keep coreographing if you won't skate!!!!!

A young student (fgdfhg@hbuhsd.k12.ca.us) writes:
Chris and Jill,

Congratulations on your new baby boy. My brothers name is Jack. I just love the name!

Continue on to earlier comments in the Fan's Corner.

Last Revised 18 May 1999

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