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Margot Fonteyn was born May 18, 1919 in Reigate, United Kingdom
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At the age of four, Margot's mother signed her up for ballet. From a young age Margot was groomed into a dancer.
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Margot lived in Tientsin, then in Shanghai, where she studied ballet with the Russian émigré teacher George Goncharov. Her family moved when she was 8 years old due to her fathers work.
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Margot and her mother returned to the UK when she was 14. She then study under Serfina Astafieva.
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In 1934 joined Sadler’s Wells School. As a student she made her debut with Vic-Wells Ballet and made her solo debut in that same year as Young Tregennis (De Valois’ The Haunted Ballroom)
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When the main star, Alicia Markova left the company in 1935, Margot took over her many roles, including Giselle. This is when Margot became the leading danseuse and developed a great partnership with Robert Helpmann in the classical ballets. She debuted as a snowflake in the nutcracker. In later performances, she danced Aurora in the Vic-Wells production of Sleeping Beauty and many others
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After Margot's many wonderful performances at Sadler's Wells she then went with the Royal Ballet on their 1949 American tour.
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Received a CBE award and also started partnership with Michael Somes.
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Margot fell in love with Roberto "Tito" Arias. He was a Panamanian delegate to the U.N. and the son of a powerful Panamanian family that had fallen out of political favor. The couple got married at the Panamanian Consulate in Paris February 1955.
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Received the award DBE, becoming the Dame of the British Empire.
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Margot was thinking of retirement (she was 43) from ballet when she met Rudolf Nureyev, this was considered to be her greatest partnership.
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Nureyev and Fonteyn first appeared on stage together in a performance of Giselle.
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Margot performed Romeo and Juliet at Royal Ballet with partner Rudolf Nureyev.
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As a dancer she made her last appearance in Nureyev's 1979 summer season.
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At age 66 she appeared on stage for the last time, as 'The Queen' in "The Sleeping Beauty", for the Birmingham Royal Ballet in Miami.
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Margot Fonteyn passed away from cancer. She was considered the greatest dancer of her time, and had a very long career as a prima ballerina.
