Frances Dafoe
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Frances Helen Dafoe Template:Post-nominals (December 17, 1929 – September 23, 2016) was a Canadian pair skater. She was born in Toronto, Ontario. Competing with Norris Bowden, they captured four Canadian titles and two World Figure Skating Championships. They also won the silver medal at the 1956 Winter Olympics.
Career
Pairs skating
Dafoe and Bowden won the 1954 World Championships in Oslo, with 11.014 points.[1] They retained their title in 1955, this time in Vienna.[2][3]
They also won the silver medal at the 1956 Winter Olympics.[4][5] The couple was coached by Sheldon Galbraith.[6]
In spite of offers Dafoe described as lucrative, she and Bowden did not elect to go professional.[7]
Judging
After retiring from competition in 1956, they criticized the Canadian Amateur Figure Skating Association for not doing enough to support its members at tournaments.[8] They were suspended later that year from acting as panel judges at championships, a decision they characterized as retaliation for their comments about the association.[9]
Despite this initial setback, she ultimately served as a figure skating judge in Canada and at international competitions including the Olympics.[10][11]
Costume design
Dafoe studied at the Parsons School of Design, and became a costume designer with the CBC.[12] She worked there nearly 40 years, designing costumes for various shows. She also designed the performers' costumes for the closing ceremonies at the 1988 Winter Olympics.[13]
In 1991, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada (CM) in recognition of her contributions as one of Canada's first world pair champions, as an international judge, and as a fashion designer.[14]
Personal life
Dafoe was married Norman Melnick, and had two sons.[15] She died on September 23, 2016, at the age of 86.[13]
Results
| Event | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympic Games | 5th | 2nd | ||||
| World Championships | 4th | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 2nd | |
| North American Championships | 1st | 1st | ||||
| Canadian Championships | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |
| Event | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Championships | 3rd | 3rd | 1st |
References
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- ↑ a b Olympic silver medallist and world champion pairs skater Dafoe dies at 86
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- Pages with script errors
- 1929 births
- 2016 deaths
- Canadian female pair skaters
- Figure skaters at the 1952 Winter Olympics
- Figure skaters at the 1956 Winter Olympics
- Members of the Order of Canada
- Members of the Order of Ontario
- Olympic figure skaters for Canada
- Olympic silver medalists for Canada
- Figure skaters from Toronto
- Olympic medalists in figure skating
- World Figure Skating Championships medalists
- Medalists at the 1956 Winter Olympics
- 20th-century Canadian sportswomen