'Happy Bolero Day' Torvill & Dean share a moment in city of their Olympic triumph

Record ID: 1766220

  • Title: 'Happy Bolero Day' Torvill & Dean share a moment in city of their Olympic triumph
  • Date: 14th February 2024
  • Summary: SARAJEVO 1984 OLYMPIC MASCOT WITH TORVILL AND DEAN BOLERO PERFORMANCE PLAYING ON TV IN THE BACKGROUND VARIOUS OF TORVILL AND DEAN GREETING PEOPLE DEAN LISTENING TO WOMAN SPEAKING TORVILL AND DEAN LOOKING AT EXHIBIT TORVILL LISTENING TORVILL AND DEAN LISTENING TORVILL AND DEAN POINTING AT EXHIBIT OF STADIUM WHERE THEY PERFORMED AT 1984 OLYMPICS VARIOUS OF TORVILL AND DEAN L
  • Embargoed: 28th February 2024 13:44
  • Keywords: Bosnia and Herzegovina Christopher Dean Ice dancing Jayne Torvill Olympics 1984 Sarajevo
  • Location: SARAJEVO, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
  • City: SARAJEVO, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
  • Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Topics: Europe,Living/Lifestyle,Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA003041514022024RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: It was a special Valentine's Day on Wednesday for the British ice-skating duo, Torvill and Dean, who are back skating in Sarajevo, where 40 years go they revolutionized their sport and won Olympic gold with their famous ice dance performance to 'Bolero'.
    "For us, it is Bolero Day," Christopher Dean told Reuters, referring to the Maurice Ravel composition that his and Jayne Torvill's triumphant 1984 routine was set to.
    "If we are not together, we call each other to say 'Happy Bolero day'."
    The routine, which began with the two swaying together on their knees in flowing blue-purple outfits, cemented their status as legends of the sport and household names in Britain. Now they are back in the city to perform with local children, many of whom are just starting out on the ice.
    "To be able to come back to Sarajevo 40 years after such a momentous event of winning the Olympics is such a wonderful feeling," Dean said in an interview at the Zetra stadium - the same location where they skated in 1984.
    "It gives us chills to think about it."
    Bosnia was part of Yugoslavia in 1984, the Berlin Wall was still up, and the Iron Curtain divided Europe. But the games are seen by Sarajevans as one of the happiest moments in the city's history.
    Hopes that it would become a recognised winter sports venue vanished during war in the 1990s. Thousands of Bosnians were killed during a 43-month siege of the city, and the Olympic facilities were destroyed.
    "I was very saddened by the war and sad to learn that Zetra stadium had been attacked, bombed and demolished," Torvill, 66, said.
    Zetra, which was the Olympic venue for ice skating competitions, was rebuilt in 1999 but Sarajevo has no year-round ice rink. On Tuesday (February 13), they trained with young athletes from Sarajevo ice skating clubs and a kindergarten.
    Torvill and Dean plan to retire the next year after 50 years of skating together and go on their final tour in the UK and possibly Australia, they said.
    In their illustrious careers they have performed millions of dances, alone thousands to Ravel's Bolero, but it is the ground-breaking 1984 performance which remains iconic in the sport's history and in their hearts.
    (Production: Branko Filipovic, Milan Pavicic)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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