Reliving the Bolero: dancing back through time with Torvill and Dean’s Olympic costumes

4 August 2025, by Tonya Outtram

In this week's blog post, Costume Society member and freelance Conservator Tonya Outtram discusses her recent work supporting the display of Torvill and Dean's Bolero costumes at Newstead Abbey.

Crinolines and bustles usually spring to mind when thinking of costume conservation and display. My most recent work could not have been further from the world of lace petticoats, bonnets and breeches. Torvill and Dean’s Bolero costumes, designed by Courtney Jones, are well known to many, especially those who follow the Olympics. It was at the Winter Olympics in 1984 that the ice-dancing duo won gold medals for their routine performed to Ravel’s Bolero. They went on to become famous professional ice dancers, and then later, as coaches on the ITV show ‘Dancing on Ice’, during which, they reprised their Bolero routine.

The costumes were donated to Nottingham City Museums in 1990, and have previously been on display in various configurations before ‘resting’ in store for the past few years, under Curator of Lace, Costume and Textiles Judith Edgar’s care. Torvill and Dean have recently embarked on their farewell tour, performing their ‘last dance’ in their home city of Nottingham in July 2025, and so it was decided that this was the ideal opportunity to display the costumes once again in celebration of their achievements.  As a freelance Textile Conservator, I leapt at the chance to assess and mount the costumes, having been a fan since watching them in 1984. I am not alone! In 2014, the city of Nottingham staged a ‘mass Bolero’ featuring cameos by the duo themselves to celebrate 30 years since their Olympic triumph.

When mounting costume, the condition report stage is essential in identifying areas of weakness, working out how the garment is held together, and an opportunity to assess the fastenings and additional work that may be required.  In the case of these costumes, they are as much a snapshot of their era as any bustle or crinoline.  The popularity of the 1980s favourite material: plastic, is evident in the zips, elastic and sequin/jewel shoulder decorations. The ‘new romantic’ style of Christopher Dean’s ‘blousey’ top immediately brings to mind the attire of the pop groups of the era such as Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet. But the real story is in the wear and tear – that’s the story of the performance itself.  

The worn right knee of Chris’s trousers shows the amount of time he spent kneeling on that side, the snagged chiffon on the right waist of Jayne’s dress is testament to Chris’ hand around her as they moved together around the ice, the zip on his cuff catching the diaphanous chiffon each time. There are previous repairs to various grazes (presumably from razor sharp skates during the acrobatics of the routine) but these are not to be ignored, as they just add to garments’ story.  

It really is a pleasure (as well as a job) to care for and work with costumes that have played a small part in my own past as well as sporting history.  

The Bolero costumes are currently on view at Newstead Abbey, aligning with Torvill and Dean's final performances together in Nottingham this summer.

To explore more of the intersection between fashion and sport, revisit our previous blog post from Paris' Olympic summer.