Such amazing skaters and it was really nice to see the late John Curry again. At one time skaters used to use the music as background music and John Curry was the first skater that I saw dancing in time to the music and I can remember commenting on it at the time. Torville&Dean, Cousins and Curry were quite awesome!
All these skaters were brilliant, but John Curry was far and above anyone before him or since, the man was genius on ice and if he'd been doing it today maybe he wouldn't have been so badly treated by "the establishment", who seemed to be more interested in his sexuality than his skating prowess !
Hattie wrote nine months ago that she didn't know who John Curry was. He was the Bristish version of Rudolph Nureyev (the famous Russian ballet star) of ice skating. John Curry and Nureyev were both flawless. Unfortunately, they both passed away at a young age due to the same illness. I am so glad that John Curry won his much deserved gold medal. He was my favorite skater and I am so sad that he is gone. Torvil and Dean were brilliant when they performed their flawless "Bolero" routine.
What I don't understand is that John Curry, I am assuming it's him at 0:56, spins clockwise/to the right to begin with but as I recall landed his jumps on his right foot, which would mean he should spin counter-clockwise/to the left, like the majority of skaters.
Can anyone enlighten me? DId he just spin both ways?
@Theaterfreak. Your Question if i understand ? is John Curry starts turning and mid to end it cuts to Robin Cousins, between 0.54-1:03 then cuts to Torvil an Dean. I must say i've not seen any skating like John curry since him R.i.p
You must be very young. John Curry is one of the greatest male skaters ever, He bought line and artistry to skating and raised it above a sport to an art.
Sadly he died of Aids at the age of 44. He was a remarkable and brave man and while YOuTube is here unforgetable.
I totaly agree I remember being overcome by his performances, never before had there been so much style or grace until John Curry. I was really sad when he died.Then we got the great Robin Cousins, Torville & Dean.
Torville and Dean are Amazing.. the best pair skaters in the entire world EVER! and Robin Cousins.. O.M.G! but.. and your probably all going to kill me for this.. who is John Curry? because i havnt heard of him.. :-S
He was a gold medalist in the 1976 Olympics, before Robin Cousins and Jayne & Chris. :) He was really the beginning of the spate of British Figure Skating success in the amateur field in the late 70's and early-mid 80's, which ended with Torvill & Dean.
I love this video...the music fits in soo beautifully but as the other people have said ... i think Robin Cousins is under estimated for his talent i mean common backflips and split jumps look effortless when he does them. I think maybe this video should have included these two trade marks and the russian triple spiral ... amazing man Robin.
Yep, I agree with your comments about Robin Cousins - to date I do not recall seeing a programme on prime time TV that celebrates this talent. I am a big fan of T&D but they can't do backflips - Robin Cousins was off the hook. It's really refreshing to watch him skate even today.
Thanks for putting the video together Han.
These are the successes that Britain should celebrating and using to inspire future generations because of the outstanding achievements.
Thanks for puting this vieo up - it was brilliant. Pity the powers that be don't put more resources into training, not only for our ice skaters but for all types of sport. Always remember reading about T&D doing full time jobs, then practising at all odd times as they didn't have the money to practice properly. Then the Nottingham Council (I think it was them) had the foresight to lend them some money, £15,000 springs to mind, and what happened - they went on to win their first GM.
i dont even skate and it is obvious that these skaters were amazing! i am a HUGE fan of torvill and dean, and i watch D.O.I. so i know that robin cousins was a champion. they are all the closest things to perfect<3<3<3<3
so true! T&D are living legends, and I'm so happy that they started DOI because I would never have heard of them otherwise, and would never have had the pleasure to watch their skating!
I suggest you check out TnD performances in competetion i notice loads on here. Mack and Mabel was 1982 and it shows how much they developed to their Bolero routine. Check out the set dances too like their pasa doble - amazing - purley ice dance
Skating is not producing ,investing enough in its own skaters,but also the whole training mentality needs to change.I think whilst (the show dancing on ice)is ok to watch,it is not actually using british dancers,so again even from the top T & D are more interested in promoting tv celebs and not real skaters.Please there really is something very wrong.
And why we don't produce great skaters anymore? Because the skating establishment in Britain is, and always has been, far too "test orientated". The most ridiculous example of this being when they actually failed Robin on his Gold Test in 1980 when he was reigning Olympic champion. Crazy!!
Oh yes! About 2 months after winning Olympics, Robin did his Gold Test, it was the very last amateur thing he did. And they failed him!! So, an Olympic Gold Medal was good enough, but not the Gold Test of the NSA as it was back then. And to think that the old fossils who judged him on that test probably never did more than a double salchow themselves in their lives!
I can't be 100% sure Lucy to be honest, I don't think he failed his Gold Dance. But, I did hear a story, and can't vouch for its validity, that T&D were put off from taking their Gold Star Dance Test (one notch higher than gold) because they thought the judges might fail them. But the Robin story is true, the last British man to pass his Gold Test was John Curry and they passed John a few years before he won Olympics!
I believe that he did fail it the first time but took it again and passed. Chris and Jayne skated together for their Gold Tests but they got the timing wrong on one of the dances and it was Chris who was being tested, not Jayne. They were tested as individuals, not as a couple, so had it been Jayne they were testing, she would have failed. They were both at fault but it didn't count towards Jayne's test. Hope that makes sense? It is mentioned in the Hennessy biography.
If only we could still produce skaters of their calibre in the U.K today. 70's and early 80's were golden years for British skating. From 1971 to 1984 we came back with at least one medal every year from the European & World Championships.
Such amazing skaters and it was really nice to see the late John Curry again. At one time skaters used to use the music as background music and John Curry was the first skater that I saw dancing in time to the music and I can remember commenting on it at the time. Torville&Dean, Cousins and Curry were quite awesome!
1BeeJenks 3 months ago
All these skaters were brilliant, but John Curry was far and above anyone before him or since, the man was genius on ice and if he'd been doing it today maybe he wouldn't have been so badly treated by "the establishment", who seemed to be more interested in his sexuality than his skating prowess !
StLam235 2 years ago
Hattie wrote nine months ago that she didn't know who John Curry was. He was the Bristish version of Rudolph Nureyev (the famous Russian ballet star) of ice skating. John Curry and Nureyev were both flawless. Unfortunately, they both passed away at a young age due to the same illness. I am so glad that John Curry won his much deserved gold medal. He was my favorite skater and I am so sad that he is gone. Torvil and Dean were brilliant when they performed their flawless "Bolero" routine.
AudieAsquared 2 years ago
What I don't understand is that John Curry, I am assuming it's him at 0:56, spins clockwise/to the right to begin with but as I recall landed his jumps on his right foot, which would mean he should spin counter-clockwise/to the left, like the majority of skaters.
Can anyone enlighten me? DId he just spin both ways?
Theaterfreak 2 years ago
@Theaterfreak. Your Question if i understand ? is John Curry starts turning and mid to end it cuts to Robin Cousins, between 0.54-1:03 then cuts to Torvil an Dean. I must say i've not seen any skating like John curry since him R.i.p
Drstoo1 2 years ago
no John is still spinning at 0:56 and that's clockwise, but as I said, he lands his jumps on his right foot. Indeed, he was a great skater :)
Theaterfreak 2 years ago
You must be very young. John Curry is one of the greatest male skaters ever, He bought line and artistry to skating and raised it above a sport to an art.
Sadly he died of Aids at the age of 44. He was a remarkable and brave man and while YOuTube is here unforgetable.
Euphobia1 2 years ago
I totaly agree I remember being overcome by his performances, never before had there been so much style or grace until John Curry. I was really sad when he died.Then we got the great Robin Cousins, Torville & Dean.
quay59 2 years ago
Torville and Dean are Amazing.. the best pair skaters in the entire world EVER! and Robin Cousins.. O.M.G! but.. and your probably all going to kill me for this.. who is John Curry? because i havnt heard of him.. :-S
Hattie11395 2 years ago
He was a gold medalist in the 1976 Olympics, before Robin Cousins and Jayne & Chris. :) He was really the beginning of the spate of British Figure Skating success in the amateur field in the late 70's and early-mid 80's, which ended with Torvill & Dean.
TnDmadfan 2 years ago
I love this video...the music fits in soo beautifully but as the other people have said ... i think Robin Cousins is under estimated for his talent i mean common backflips and split jumps look effortless when he does them. I think maybe this video should have included these two trade marks and the russian triple spiral ... amazing man Robin.
Thankyouu for posting!!
Peace Out x
GogglesRequired 2 years ago
Yep, I agree with your comments about Robin Cousins - to date I do not recall seeing a programme on prime time TV that celebrates this talent. I am a big fan of T&D but they can't do backflips - Robin Cousins was off the hook. It's really refreshing to watch him skate even today.
Thanks for putting the video together Han.
These are the successes that Britain should celebrating and using to inspire future generations because of the outstanding achievements.
Peace!
LaMorenaMusic 3 years ago
TNDfan, what is this beautiful music please?
ermadea 3 years ago
this truely is british ice skating at its best.
Cousins and Curry realy were something else
As for Torvill and Dean; words cannot describe!
wonderfully put together Han, as usual!
misssarajevo95 3 years ago 4
thanks :)
TNDfan 3 years ago
Thanks for puting this vieo up - it was brilliant. Pity the powers that be don't put more resources into training, not only for our ice skaters but for all types of sport. Always remember reading about T&D doing full time jobs, then practising at all odd times as they didn't have the money to practice properly. Then the Nottingham Council (I think it was them) had the foresight to lend them some money, £15,000 springs to mind, and what happened - they went on to win their first GM.
terribletwin 4 years ago
This sent shivers down my spine. ^^ Thanks for making this.
rawrdinosaur95 4 years ago
No problem, thank you for the lovely comment!
TNDfan 4 years ago
i dont even skate and it is obvious that these skaters were amazing! i am a HUGE fan of torvill and dean, and i watch D.O.I. so i know that robin cousins was a champion. they are all the closest things to perfect<3<3<3<3
fromnowtillforever 4 years ago
so true! T&D are living legends, and I'm so happy that they started DOI because I would never have heard of them otherwise, and would never have had the pleasure to watch their skating!
TNDfan 4 years ago
same!!! i love so much!!!
fromnowtillforever 4 years ago
I suggest you check out TnD performances in competetion i notice loads on here. Mack and Mabel was 1982 and it shows how much they developed to their Bolero routine. Check out the set dances too like their pasa doble - amazing - purley ice dance
trancesgirl 4 years ago
Skating is not producing ,investing enough in its own skaters,but also the whole training mentality needs to change.I think whilst (the show dancing on ice)is ok to watch,it is not actually using british dancers,so again even from the top T & D are more interested in promoting tv celebs and not real skaters.Please there really is something very wrong.
skaterlz 4 years ago
omggg so cool!!!!
LucyFigureSkates 4 years ago
thaaanks! xx
TNDfan 4 years ago
And why we don't produce great skaters anymore? Because the skating establishment in Britain is, and always has been, far too "test orientated". The most ridiculous example of this being when they actually failed Robin on his Gold Test in 1980 when he was reigning Olympic champion. Crazy!!
npe1 4 years ago
I didn't know about that! Crazy indeed!!
TNDfan 4 years ago
Oh yes! About 2 months after winning Olympics, Robin did his Gold Test, it was the very last amateur thing he did. And they failed him!! So, an Olympic Gold Medal was good enough, but not the Gold Test of the NSA as it was back then. And to think that the old fossils who judged him on that test probably never did more than a double salchow themselves in their lives!
npe1 4 years ago
didn't Christopher Dean fail his Gold Dance Test?
LucyFigureSkates 4 years ago
I can't be 100% sure Lucy to be honest, I don't think he failed his Gold Dance. But, I did hear a story, and can't vouch for its validity, that T&D were put off from taking their Gold Star Dance Test (one notch higher than gold) because they thought the judges might fail them. But the Robin story is true, the last British man to pass his Gold Test was John Curry and they passed John a few years before he won Olympics!
npe1 4 years ago
I believe that he did fail it the first time but took it again and passed. Chris and Jayne skated together for their Gold Tests but they got the timing wrong on one of the dances and it was Chris who was being tested, not Jayne. They were tested as individuals, not as a couple, so had it been Jayne they were testing, she would have failed. They were both at fault but it didn't count towards Jayne's test. Hope that makes sense? It is mentioned in the Hennessy biography.
Vienna81 4 years ago
That was wonderful, I'm all teary eyed now!
maltipom 4 years ago 2
aw bless you!
TNDfan 4 years ago
If only we could still produce skaters of their calibre in the U.K today. 70's and early 80's were golden years for British skating. From 1971 to 1984 we came back with at least one medal every year from the European & World Championships.
npe1 4 years ago
5stars that was excellent =)
im proud to be British!
LucyFigureSkates 4 years ago
thanks! that was a golden era, eh! John Curry was a genius..
TNDfan 4 years ago