Article and Photos by Matteo Morelli

British ice dance legends Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean have embarked on their last ever tour together. Torvill & Dean: Our Last Dance is their farewell to skating on ice, celebrating 50 years of their incredible career. During the two-hour show, the audience is transported on a journey through their competitive years and the successes that followed, featuring different stage settings and costumes that create a very entertaining experience. The iconic duo takes to the ice in many different numbers, still showcasing their talent and passion for the sport.

The tour travels across the UK, starting in London and ending in Nottingham in July, closing the circle on their skating careers where they first began skating together. Between the UK dates, they will fly to Australia for performances in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney, where they have also enjoyed considerable fame.

A stellar cast joins them: from those who have been part of the UK TV show Dancing on Ice (including Alexandra Schauman, Mark Hanretty, Andy Buchanan, Robin Johnstone, Sylvain Longchambon, and Vanessa Bauer), to retired ice dancers Misato Komatsubara and Tim Koleto, pair skaters Vanessa James and Eric Radford, and solo skater Mirai Nagasu. Phebe Bekker and James Hernandez also join the cast, showcasing their James Bond free dance and being introduced as representing the future of ice dance, something that both Torvill and Dean want to celebrate.

Their show is cleverly produced to take the audience through their career, starting with a couple of young skaters impersonating them when they were looking for a partner and she, aged 9, and he, aged 10, first got together on the ice. From there, the show follows their rise to international prominence and the successes they achieved, including how they selected some of the music of their most memorable programmes. Their collection of titles remains incredibly impressive: they won 7 national championships, 4 European championships, 4 world championships, the iconic Olympic gold in 1984 and an additional Olympic bronze medal from their comeback in 1994.

After their Olympic win in Sarajevo, their national and international fame skyrocketed and the duo enjoyed successful national and international tours, becoming skating celebrities. In 2000, they were awarded the title of Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for their services to ice dancing, one of the most prestigious honours in the UK. 

During their show, they also show clips of some of the incredible world personalities they had the privilege to meet, including Queen Elizabeth the II, Lady Diana, and Ronald Reagan during a visit to the White House.

Of course, a special place is given to Dancing on Ice, which recently concluded its 17th season in the UK, demonstrating the longevity of such a show in which the two have invested for many years. With this tour marking their skating performances, it is uncertain if Dancing on Ice will continue; however, they shared that they would consider returning as judges if more seasons are produced in the future.

Their legendary Bolero from the 1983/84 season has to be the closing piece of the entire show: the pair, in their iconic purple costumes, glide across the ice, allowing everyone to enjoy one of the most memorable programmes in the history of ice dance.

Torvill & Dean: Our Last Dance is the perfect way to close a fantastic career and celebrate their successes. Hanging up their skates after 50 years, Torvill and Dean leave an indelible mark in the history of ice dance, continuing to inspire generations of skaters to come.

To find out more: Torvill and Dean – Torvill and Dean are English ice dancers and former British, European, Olympic, and World champions.