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Even after 42 years, the images remain seared into the mind’s eye. Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean staring deeply into each other’s souls as Ravel’s haunting Boléro strikes up. Dean tenderly caressing his partner’s face as they dance. And the dramatic denouement as the pair collapse on the ice after four minutes and 28 seconds of perfection.
Most figure skaters would shy away from that unforgettable gold medal-winning performance at the 1984 Winter Olympics. But in late October, Team GB’s Lewis Gibson and Lilah Fear lovingly recreated it in a series of images on Instagram.
Strikingly, they were dressed in the exact same costumes that Torvill and Dean wore in Sarajevo, now a little faded. They even struck the same poses. And perhaps subconsciously, they were sending a message: we can become the first British skaters to win a Winter Olympic medal since Torvill and Dean won bronze in the 1994 Games in Lillehammer.
So how did Gibson and Fear’s Boléro homage come about? With some careful planning, it turns out, along with a 3,000-mile journey from Nottingham to Montreal, and the blessing of their idols.
“We love to do something iconic every Halloween,” says Gibson, who took up the sport aged 11 after watching the first season of Dancing on Ice in 2006. “And we thought this would be the best year to dress up as the most iconic Torvill and Dean. So we approached them to ask whether we could do it, and if it would be something they would love. And they allowed us to use the costumes, which was unbelievable.”
Fear, who at 26 is five years younger than her partner, takes up the story. “The costumes were on display in the National Ice Centre in Nottingham. So we had to take them back to Canada [where they train]. We didn’t want to break them!”
That wasn’t the only issue. “We wanted to recreate the poses as well as we could,” says Fear. “But it actually was harder than it looked in terms of the angles and the headlights. The wigs were just hilarious – I think I had a child’s wig by accident, so it was so tight on my head and didn’t look great. Jayne definitely wore it better. But Lewis somehow looked fabulous, blond with flow. Maybe that’s in his future?”
Both skaters have watched the Boléro performance countless times down the years. And, even now, they marvel at Torvill and Dean’s brilliance. “What we both just appreciate about that performance is the creativity and the strength it took to come up with something so unusual and original,” says Gibson. “It really did change the sport.”
Fear nods in agreement. “And it has stood the test of time. To this day, there’s nothing like it, and there never will be.”
Gibson and Fear also wanted the images to show their appreciation for Torvill and Dean, who helped them when they first started dancing together a decade ago. “We were actually lucky enough, right at the beginning of our career, to work with them,” says Gibson. “It is very special when we look back at it. Because we were so terrible and we had this opportunity. It was a really amazing experience just to get the chance to actually work with them.”
Perhaps they thought they might be passing the torch on to you? Fear laughs at the suggestion. “Back then, we were so horrible, I think they were like: ‘Are you sure you can hold the torch?’ But they always had faith and belief in us, and it meant a lot.”
Having dressed like Torvill and Dean, Gibson and Fear now want to emulate them by standing on an Olympic podium. Four years ago, in Beijing, they finished 10th but they have steadily improved since.
“Compared to four years ago, we’ve totally transformed,” says Fear. “We’ve become more of ourselves, more skilled skaters, and I think we’re really proud to show that product in Milan.”
The proof is in the skating. At last year’s world championships they were third, a performance they matched at the ISU grand prix in December. That certainly puts them in medal contention, even if the reigning world champions, Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States, appear well clear of the rest.
Most observers would also put the European champions, Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of France, as second favourites. But after that, the bronze medal at Milano Cortina may come down to an epic three-way shootout between Fear and Gibson, Italy’s Charlène Guignard and Marco Fabbri, who took silver ahead of the British pair at the recent European championships in Sheffield, and the Canadian pair Paul Poirier and Piper Gilles.
So how does it feel to be legitimate Olympic podium contenders? “It’s so funny, because I know that’s the narrative that’s out there, and of course it’s our goal,” Fear says. “But we’re only treating it as the next competition in our season. Because if we make it bigger than it is, then it will be a disservice to our performance and our preparation.”
There is, though, an important caveat. “We always have big goals going into any competition,” she says. “Of course, this one’s way more special. And we’re really ready.”
While Torvill and Dean were inspired by a French composer, Gibson and Fear’s routines draw on influences closer to home. Their rhythm dance features a Spice Girls medley, while their free dance is Scottish-themed and includes The Bonnie Banks o’ Loch Lomond, the Proclaimers’ I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) and Auld Lang Syne.
So what will they be thinking when they step on to the ice at Milano Cortina? “It’s now or never,” Fear says. “It’s thrilling and very stressful, but also, let’s go.”
Gibson agrees. “We both live for that moment,” he says. “And I always say to myself: ‘There’s nowhere else I would rather be right now.’ If I was sitting watching this at home, I would be so disappointed. So embrace it and enjoy this moment.”
And when the butterflies kick in and the eyes of the world are on them, they will also draw on the words of wisdom that Torvill and Dean have dispensed to them down the years. “They always say: ‘Enjoy it,’” says Fear. “And it’s so funny because it sounds like such simple advice. But that’s something that we always come back to whenever we’re feeling nervous, or we have pressure or doubt. It’s always: ‘Am I enjoying this?’
“We’re living our dream right now. So let’s make the most of it.”
