Margot Fonteyn was born on the 18th of May 1919, her original name was Margaret Peggy and was born in Hookham in Reigate England. She was the daughter of an English man and Irish mother of Brazilian ancestry. Margot lived in China during her childhood and studied ballet. Upon returning to England when she was 14 years old she started studying ballet again under Olga Preobrajenskaya and Mathilde Kschessinnskaya they more among some of the greatest teachers during there time.

Margot joined the Royal Ballet which used to be called the Sadler’s Wells Theatre when she was a teenager. By 1939 she was the company’s prime ballerina at the age of only 20. Margot Fonteyn became an instant celebrity in 1949 when The Royal Ballet toured the United States. She was knighted DBE (made a Dame) in 1954 at the age of 35.

Margot Fonteyn could have retired when she was 40 but didn’t because she had medical bills to pay for her husband, despite suffering from an arthritic foot. She later retired in 1979 when she was 58 years old after 40 years of dancing as a career, an amazing achievement. On retirement the Royal Ballet honoured her with the title prima Ballerina Assolute. She ended her days in Panama on a farm and remained loyal to her husband part was because she was devoted to his children from his earlier marriage. Shortly after the death of her husband Margot was diagnosed with cancer and later died on the 21st of February 1991 from the cancer. Margot Fonteyn was one of the greatest dancers in the 20th century as she was renowned for her constant professionalism and loyalty. It is said that the power of Fonteyn’s dancing brought tears to the eyes of the audience.

Main roles

The Haunted Ballroom
Cinderella
Less Sulphides
Don Juan
Swan Lake
Sylvia
Apparitions
The Firebird
Aida
Birthday Offerings
Night Shadow
Horoscope
Pomona
The Judgement of Paris
Beauty and the Beast
The Dying Swan
Romeo and Juliet
Giselle
Garden Party
A Wedding Bouquet
In the nightly Revels
The Wanderer
The Quest
Hamlet
The Fairy Queen
The Nutcracker

Dance partners

In the 1940’s Margot Fonteyn and Robert Helpmann formed a very successful partnership and toured for several years.
In the 1950’s Margot danced with Michael Somes but her greatest partnership emerged at a time when many including The Royal Ballet Company thought Margot was going to retire in 1962 but instead partnered with Rudolf Nureyev. They first appeared on stage together in the performance of Giselle it was a great success and during the curtain call Rudolf dropped to his knees and kissed Margot’s hand. They had an on and off stage partnership which lasted to Margot’s retirement in 1979. Rudolf Nureyev said they danced with one soul.

Relationships
Margot Fonteyn had a long relationship with a composer Constant Lambert but didn’t lead to marriage. Margot marriage Dr. Roberto Arias in 1965 but he became quadriplegic when he was shot. The cost of medical care for her husband was one of the reason Margot’s career lasted until 1979. Margot and Rulfolf had a thing going on for a while but Margot denied it. Despite their differences in background and the nineteen year old age difference they became lifelong friends and where loyal to each other. They remained close after she retired on a Panama cattle farm talking one the phone several times a week even through there was no phone on her farm house. Despite Rulfolf busy schedule as a performer, choreographer and his own health problems of having HIV he still visited her often. When Margot got cancer Rulfolf payed most of Margot’s medical bills.

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Arthur Mitchell was born on the 27th of March 1934 in Harlem New York he is