Ice Dancing was included at the Winter Olympics for the first time in 1976. This is a list of some famous ice dancers in Olympic figure skating history.
1. Judy Schwomeyer and Jim Sladky
Photo Courtesy Harlick Skating Boots
Jim Sladky and Judy Schwomeyer, an outstanding American ice dance team, demonstrated ice dancing at the Grenoble Olympics in 1968. That demonstration resulted in ice dancing becoming an Olympic event.
2. Colleen O'Connor and Jim Millns - 1976 Olympic Bronze Medalists in Ice Dancing
Photo Courtesy B. Stephens
Colleen O'Connor and Jim Millns won a silver medal at the 1975 World Figure Skating Championships. Before 2006, they were the only ice dance team in U.S. history to have won a medal at the Olympic Games in figure skating.
3. Judy Blumberg and Michael Seibert - 5 Time United States Ice Dance Champions
Photo Still by JO ANN Schneider Farris
At the 1984 Winter Olympics, Judy Blumberg and Michael Seibert were expected to win an Olympic medal, but finished 4th.
4. Olympic Ice Dance Champions Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean
Photo by Phil Cole - Getty Images
In 1984, British ice dancers, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, won the Olympics. They performed a free dance program to Ravel's Bolero and received nine perfect 6.0 scores. Ice dancing changed after Torvill and Dean's win. Free dance became more creative and many figure skaters decided to give ice dancing a try.
5. Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz - Canadian and World Ice Dance Champions
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Canadian ice dancers, Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz, were the first North Americans to win a World Championship in ice dancing.
6. Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon - Canadian Ice Dance Champions
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Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon won the Canadian national ice dancing title in 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007. They were known for dramatic and elegant lifts. Dubreuil and Lauzon were forced to withdraw at the 2006 Olympics. During the original dance portion of the event, they had an accident during one of the lifts. Marie-France's hip was hurt after the fall and they were not able to compete in the free dance portion of the event.
7. Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto - Olympic Silver Medalists Ice Dancing
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It has been said that Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto are the most outstanding ice dance team in United States history.
8. Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir - Olympic and Canadian Ice Dance Champions
Photo by Jasper Juinen - Getty Images
On February 22, 2010, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir became Canada's and North America's first-ever Olympic Ice Dance Champions.
