Celebrate Margot Fonteyn’s 100th Birthday With 50 Rarely-Seen Photos From Our Archives

March 16, 2020

On May 18, 1919, Margot “Peggy” Hookham was born. She would grow up to become Dame Margot Fonteyn, England’s first homegrown prima ballerina. She joined the Sadler’s Wells School in 1934 and was performing principal roles with the precursor to The Royal Ballet the next year. Fonteyn was a company-defining figure, dancing Aurora for the re-opening of the Royal Opera House after World War II, creating numerous roles with Sir Frederick Ashton and forging a legendary partnership with Rudolf Nureyev.

Fonteyn and members of The Royal Ballet out swimming, circa 1957
Courtesy DM Archives
Michael Somes and Fonteyn in Sir Frederick Ashton’s
Birthday Offering (1956) Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn signing autographs for ballet students in Warsaw, Poland, May 1959
Baracz, Courtesy DM Archives
Courtesy
DM Archives
Fonteyn dancing the Rose Adagio in
The Sleeping Beauty Louis Peres, Courtesy DM Archives
Moira Shearer and Fonteyn
Canadian Pacific Railway, Courtesy DM Archives
Desmond Kelly and Fonteyn in
La Sylphide Louis Peres, Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn meeting Val Eley, Ruth Brisbane and Peggy Alston of the musical
One Mo’ Time (1979) Courtesy DM Archives
Michael Somes, Fonteyn and Georgina Parkinson in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s
Romeo and Juliet, circa 1968 Ellen Blume, Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn, visiting The Joffrey Ballet, being greeted by Francesca Corkle, who grew up to dance with the company and now teaches at the Joffrey Ballet School
Herb Migdoll, Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev in
Le Corsaire, Nov. 1975 Beverley Gallegos, Courtesy DM Archives
Rudolf Nureyev and Fonteyn at a party following their guest engagement with San Francisco Ballet, Jan. 1964
Duke Downey, Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn in
Ondine (1958) Houston Rogers, Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn accepts flowers after a performance of
Romeo and Juliet Louis Peres, Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn as Cinderella in a guest appearance with the now defunct National Ballet in Washington, D.C.
Louis Peres, Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn, circa 1962
Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev perform the Black Swan pas de deux, Oct. 1965
Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev, 1968
V. Sladow, Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn guesting with Boston Ballet for
Les Sylphides, 1970 Louis Peres, Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn signing copies of her autobiography, May 1976
J. L. Vartoogian, Courtesy DM Archives
Desmond Kelly and Fonteyn in
Cinderella Louis Peres, Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn with her husband, Dr. Roberto “Tito” Arias
Serge Lido, Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn as Cinderella in a guest appearance with the now defunct National Ballet in Washington, D.C.
Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn receiving the Handel Medallion, given by New York City for contributions to the city’s intellectual and cultural life, from Mayor Abraham Beame, 1976
J. L. Vartoogian, Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn in Sir Frederick Ashton’s
Ondine (1958) Courtesy DM Archives
Rudolf Nureyev and Fonteyn in formal dress, 1969
V. Sladow, Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn in Purcell’s
The Fairy Queen, circa 1966 Courtesy DM Archives
Courtesy
DM Archives
Fonteyn in Michel Fokine’s
The Firebird, which entered The Royal Ballet’s repertoire in 1954. Fonteyn was coached by Tamara Karsavina, Fokine’s original Firebird, in the role. Courtesy DM Archives
Still of Fonteyn from the 1972 film
I Am a Dancer Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn in Sir Frederick Ashton’s
Ondine (1958) Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn and dancers of San Francisco Ballet during a rehearsal break
Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn as The Ballerina in
Petrouchka, circa 1957


Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn as Odette
Courtesy DM Archives
Rudolf Nureyev and Fonteyn in Sir Frederick Ashton’s
Margeurite and Armand (1963) Courtesy DM Archives
Dame Ninette de Valois congratulates Fonteyn after a gala performance
Paul Wilson, Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn as Aurora in
The Sleeping Beauty, 1951
Sir Ashley Clarke, Fonteyn, Dudley Simpson and Lady Clarke arrive in Italy, 1962
Oliana, Courtesy DM Archives

Le Corsaire curtain call with Rudolf Nureyev Ron Galella, Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn with Major General Sir Guy Salisbury Jones and her husband, Dr. Roberto “Tito” Arias, before heading to Buckingham Palace, where Arias was to present his diplomatic credentials to Queen Elizabeth II, Dec. 1960
United Press International Photo, Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn, Keith Rosson and Rudolf Nureyev in
Pelléas et Mélisande Myra Armstrong, Courtesy DM Archives
Dame Adeline Genee, Phyllis Bedells and Fonteyn
Paul Wilson, Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn with Rudolf Nureyev in
Giselle Peyer, Courtesy DM Archives
Lew Christensen and Fonteyn at San Francisco Ballet
Pete Peters, Courtesy DM Archives
Rudolf Nureyev and Fonteyn take a bow after Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s
Romeo and Juliet (1965). Impresario Sol Hurok infamously insisted the star couple dance the opening night of the ballet (despite it being created on Lynn Seymour and Christopher Gable) to ensure the success of The Royal Ballet’s upcoming U.S. tour. Peter Friedrich, Courtesy DM Archives
Rudolf Nureyev and Fonteyn rehearsing
Romeo and Juliet Ron Protas, Courtesy DM Archives
With Rudolf Nureyev in Sir Frederick Ashton’s
Margeurite and Armand Courtesy DM Archives
The Royal Ballet honored Fonteyn at a special performance of
Romeo and Juliet in May 1990, which saw her frequent former partners Michael Somes (left) appear as Lord Capulet and Rudolf Nureyev (right) as Mercutio. (Jonathan Cope and Sylvie Guillem danced the leads.)
Fonteyn, with Duncan Noble and Deanna Seay, during a master class at North Carolina School of the Arts, May 1988
Courtesy DM Archives
Fonteyn in 1989
Photos from 4, Courtesy DM Archives