Patrick Charles Brookfield Dean
November 10, 1947-October 13, 1993
Photo courtesy Ice Theatre of New York
Patrick Dean got his start in skating during the golden age of ice dancing in England, finishing fourth in the British Junior Ice Dancing Championships in 1966 with partner Patricia Beet. The following year, he finished third in the World and British Professional Championships with Peri Horne, the inventor of the Starlight Waltz. Patrick later moved to New York and was hired to teach at the Lynah Rink and Skating Club of New York, based at Sky Rink. He formed a partnership with Moira North, who was also teaching at Sky Rink at the time. The duo finished second at the 1984 United States Professional Championships in Troy, Ohio and won the free dance at the 1984 World Professional Championships in Jaca, finishing third overall. Their free dance in Spain was the Ice Theatre of New York's first piece of repertory, a collaboration with renowned Belgian choreographer Marc Bogaerts. He passed away in Nottinghamshire, England on October 22, 1993 at the age of forty-five.
Memories of Patrick from Moira North: "Patrick was instrumentally involved in Ice Theatre of New York for many years - part of the heart and soul. When I started Ice Theatre, we got free ice time between midnight and five three days a week, and nobody was paid. We used to joke that we'd never recognize each other by the light of day. He was a major contributor in those days. True blue! He showed up and inspired people. He was absolutely joyful, just a pleasure to work with. Funny, smart, kind, talented and he kind of for me personified what Nike came with, 'Just do it!' I was saying to him, 'Well, I've never done that kind of competition' and he says, 'Oh, just do it!' And we did. That's kind of where Ice Theatre sprung from: 'Just do it!' and the free dance we did in Jaca... We were working on a piece and that's when I got some indication that he was sick, but none of us knew what it was. It was very hush, hush at that time. He went home to England in the summer of 1993 and passed away that October... He was such a wonderful person, just a prince really. Funny and very talented. He was always wanting to do new things, not just settling with having come to America, which was one of his dreams, and coaching. He wanted to keep going - 'let's just do it!'"
*Source for inclusion: "Skating's Spectre", Michael Clarkson, The Calgary Herald, December 13, 1992
