After Dinner Speakers: Christopher Dean, James Martin, Stephen Hendry

Christopher Dean has had more impact on the sport of ice dancing in the last 20 years than any other individual. Skating with his partner, Jayne Torvill, Dean revolutionized ice dancing in the early 1980s with his innovative choreography, culminating with the couple's gold medal winning performance of Bolero in the 1984 Olympics. Their free dance, which received twelve 6.0s, including all nine for artistic expression, is the most famous ice dance of all time and what many consider the greatest performance in Olympic figure-skating history. That victory remains the only Olympic ice dancing victory in which both partners were not from Russia. Torvill and Dean were unbeaten between 1981 and 1984, after which they went on to a sterling pro career touring worldwide and winning several professional competitions. Dean began skating when he was ten after receiving skates as a Christmas present and began ice dancing after breaking his leg. An avid sportsman, Dean captained his school's football team and won numerous sprint races at school sports days. His favorite sports were gymnastics, football, swimming and running. But he left school at 16 to join the police department and worked as a police officer for several years while training with Torvill. He still enjoys adventurous activities, such as motor racing, flying, white water rafting, and bobsledding. In 1981, Queen Elizabeth II awarded Torvill and Dean with the distinction of MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) after they won European and world ice-dancing titles. In 2000, Prince Charles presented Torvill and Dean with the added distinction of OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire). He is married to former World and 3-time U. S. champion, Jill Trenary. The two wed on Octobter 15, 1994 and have two children - Jack Robert Dean (5) and Sam Colin Dean (2). Since retiring from skating, Dean has continued to choreograph ice shows like Stars on Ice, ballets, individual skaters programs as well as conducting seminars and workshops