are there still people today willing to sacrifice so many things in order to achieve such an unnaturally high technical level of efficiency in this most difficult form of art?
Dame Margot Fonteyn must have been the one who started the Western tradition of bring both arms to fifth high after each promenade in attitude, effectively punctuating the end of each promenade and balance. I wonder why today’s Russian ballerinas haven’t adopted it; to this day, none of them attempt such a risky and theatrically effective touch.
@avesraggiana The story I read (but don't know if it's true) is that she started this at the Royal Ballet performance of Sleeping Beauty that was their debut in New York after the war, and that the RB have followed it ever since. The Russians probably didn't even know about it in those cold war days
@quillerpen That would make a lot of sense. I remember reading in Margot Fonteyn's autobiography that for months before their opening night at the old Met’ in 1949, they rehearsed all their ballets, particularly Sleeping Beauty, and made changes in some of the choreography with an eye to how much of an impact it would make in New York.
Thank God Fonteyne was born when she was and that her artistry was not destroyed by the obsession with ballarina as contortionist that has taken hold of the ballet world for far too long. We have Ballanchine to thank for a generation of bulemic dancers who were physically broken long before they developed true artistry. When I danced, many years ago I was 5"3" and weighed 94 pounds and was referred to by Balanchine as that fat girl in the corps!
@markbob120 I couldn't agree more about Balanchine. It seems to be spreading too. Which is unfortunate, because sometimes, I'm frankly too distracted by the awkward bones sticking out of the dancers' bodies to really get into the art. So sad.
My first name is actually Margot and I always whine and say that I don't like it because I can't find anybody cool who is called Margot, but I definitely found her :D I'll reconsider my opinion of my own name, Margot Fonteyn makes it work and so will I.
I love her. I love how she is an icon to all ballerinas despite all her physical atributes that today would be wrongly considered 'weak' or 'fat'. She held thousands of audiences spellbound by clearly stating "I love this, this is what I do, just TRY and look away".
Beautiful!!! I love her smile. So many people seem to neglect that nowadays... look how happy she is! And her commanding stage presence... not as challenging a variation as it is nowadays, but she makes it just as interesting!
Blame the idiot Ballanchine for a gereration of children with anorexia who contorted themselves into position that ended most of their careers at 22 or 23, long before these "dancers' maturesd enough to truely understand dance. Poor Gelsey Kirkland is but one example and documents her ordeal magnificently in her memoir, apty titled, Dancing on My Grave.
@markbob120 Ballanchine - He was the one who introduced Pilates to women. Before that, Pilates was for badly wounded men and POWs - Pilates himself was one.
@markbob120 - Balanchine certainly hastened this, but it didn't start w/ him. If one watches the progression of Ballet from St. Petersburg in the 1880's/90's (when modern-day classical technique really began w/ the Italian virtuosas), the long & flexy ballerinas of today are really the only logical result of ballet's evolution. This has everything to do with the pursuit of perfection in "pure form" at the cost of everything else that is art. 100 yrs hence, ballet will be a sport, I swear.
breath taking...she gives her self to the role and feels the song so deeply, you can't help getting envolved, she takes you with her ...magic, talent, artistry...
I love this ballet. Truly P. I. Tchaikovsky was a rare gift to this world. His music is so inspiring and beautiful. I feel so fortunate that I have had the pleasure of hearing his music all my life and it never gets stale or old. Only a truly beautiful soul could have conceived and written the music that he did. I thank Providence for his life.
Do we judge 'history' from the outside in (where we are today) or from the inside out (what was happening at the time)? 'Ballet Comique de la Reine', essentially a court entertainment is considered to be the first ballet, staged in Paris 1851 is nothing like modern ballet. Should we compare what 19th century dancers could do against 21st century dancers? Or should we compare 19th century dancers against their contemporaries? In my view its a journey of progression; abacus to computer!
Fonteyn was simply splendind!!! she shows that one doesn't need hyperextended feet and or crazy high extensions or a waif like body to take the audiences breath away and despite that, she can still show the beauty and magic of ballet...and she's one of the all time prima ballerinas...
@prn4ustat I totally agree about the high extensions -- a distortion of classical form in a ballet like this. Check out Cynthia Gregory's Aurora on YT. Somewhat more extended than Fonteyn, far less so than just about all the younger ones posted here. When she does those developees in the beginning of the Adagio, you see the beautiful form of the whole body. When the others do them, you find yourself just looking at the leg.
OMG!!! you can see Fonteyn really thought of every step and how she could convey what Aurora feels...she may not have high extensions and she could finish off some steps cleaner but i do feel connected to her when she danced! even though through a grainy YT video and from years ago!
Darlings, this prima ballerina had FLAIR in SPADES! Far more important than the hyper extensions and hyper turned out feet required in the 21st century to be considered good. When Fonteyn danced, you could feel her happiness!
@RegularJesus I have had the good fortune to see her perform with Nureyev many times. Some of the most majical nights ever spent at the Ballet. RIP Margot and Rudy.
Totally thrilling! I love her attack. Look how she gets into the attitudes -- so decisive, so boldwith lightning precipites! the finishes on the pirouettes in those classic ecarte positions, the perfect tilt of hte head, the almost imperceptible change of hte foot from retire front to retire back as she turns her head the other direction.... Wonderful punctuation, phrasing of hte whole dance....
i think that she´d always had the "bad feet" but for me that´s nothing compared to her charisma and energy on stage... just watching her makes me smile... something not a lot of ballerinas even with the perfect body, extraordinary extensions or an awesome technique have... for me that counts...
LuveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeTo see it
Ms. Fonteyn's feet here look absolutely lovely and completely classical. A good amount of the footage seen of Ms. Fonteyn has been with Mr. Nureyev. By this time, Ms. Fonteyn was a senior dancer, and I bet her feet were killing her. The "bad feet" referred to in the above commentary may have been due to all the work for decades and the natural process of maturity. In today's "market," she would have been out of City Ballet 30 years prior.
This is an excerpt form the Keith Money film of the first act made in Coventry in the 60s, with David Wall as the main suitor. I love the finish of Fonteyn's movements and the use of her eyes. The character has a sense of youthful radiance and of triumph at overcoming the challenge of the balances. Perfect, in my view. Why doesn't someone publish the whole act? There's no one to top Fonteyn in the entrance, the violin solo and the wonderful springing diagonal in the coda.
I would post the whole thing if I had it, but this is the only bit I've got. I did see the whole of Act ! broadcast on tv once, so the Beeb has got it. Here's hoping they'll show it again sometime!
@jack1951ful Well, I feel like Dracula being woken up; but, someone has just made me look at YouTube, this weekend. I didn't know my Archives bits were still up (the workers exceeding their brief, and indeed getting above their station, alas) but, anyway, I still have Beauty Act One in totally pristine condition, so I hate that people are now seeing bits of it, in such a feeble state. I'll try and construct a new dance doco ... (OH dear! Do I need this? he says.) Stay tuned! Keith Money
@keithmoneyartarchive Dear mr Money, the whole ballet world owes u big time for your dedication in documenting Dame Margot Fonteyn through photograps and film. It would be an absolute thrill to see the complete one act Sleeping Beauty film! I keep my fingers crossed that you find time & energy to spare for charing this time capsule in all its glory! Again thank you for beautiful work!!
I watched the film Margot...she could not walk at the end of her life. Truthful, good film about her life..How her husband did not ever work. She was the greatest of dancers but the people closest to here revealed the truth of her husband and his kids...
I had always heard "Margot Fonteyn had bad feet", but they aren't nearly as bad as I was expecting. I've certainly seen worse from her era. I can see why she was such a star during her dancing days!
As you can see, Ms. Fonteyn's feet were lovely and completely classical. Yes, you probably have heard that Prima Ballerina Fonteyn had bad feet. Remember, that most popular footage is with Mr. Nureyev. By this time, Ms. Fonteyn was already a mature dancer. I cannot imagine putting on shoes for all those full-lengths with Mr. Nureyev after all the foot work for years. Dance talents cannot solely be judged by the technical and physical prowess displayed around age 60.
They were labelling her feet bad from her performance footage at age 60?! Oh now that just seems unfair! The fact alone she could still walk at 60 is a miracle! Thanks for the info...puts some perspective on things!
@CordsZ -one of the UK teachers-a male-stated that she had feet like pats of butter. However to see her dance left one changed spiritually and emotionally. I think she was superb.
9415908. Absolutely agree. To me, Mme. Fonteyn is one of the "big four" in recent times, with Mme. Ulanova, Mme. Alonso and Mme. Plisetskaya. Each of the wonderful dancers had different styles but all were at the very top of their artform. Mme. Fonteyn presents such a happy picture in this clip. I also loved Mme. Plisetskaya's version for its perfection. Different styles, but both unsurpassed.
This is wonderful, I have been looking for this version for ever! I used to dance around to this in my living room as a child, seeing this took me back! thank you
THrilling! So musical -- and quite abstract, like Caroline Brown -- it's less like a singer than a violin. Of course, the camera angles tend in hte same direction, aschewing close-up details and emphasizing the perfectino of the grand design -- but it IS perfect, and it IS grand
Her smile is so extraordinarily genuine.
melchiormusician 1 month ago in playlist More videos from quillerpen
Exceptional. She was a treasure.
ostrovisky 2 months ago
She's really acting, which is something many ballet dancers I've seen struggle with!
LiltedLullaby 2 months ago
Wow, that was stunning! She always moves with such elegance! Oh, so inspired!
SackGirlie 3 months ago
I find it interesting to see the balances, but other than that her Aurora does nothing for me except looking mannered and outdated. Sorry.
oldoperafan 3 months ago
are there still people today willing to sacrifice so many things in order to achieve such an unnaturally high technical level of efficiency in this most difficult form of art?
LohengrinT 5 months ago
Dame Margot Fonteyn must have been the one who started the Western tradition of bring both arms to fifth high after each promenade in attitude, effectively punctuating the end of each promenade and balance. I wonder why today’s Russian ballerinas haven’t adopted it; to this day, none of them attempt such a risky and theatrically effective touch.
avesraggiana 6 months ago
@avesraggiana The story I read (but don't know if it's true) is that she started this at the Royal Ballet performance of Sleeping Beauty that was their debut in New York after the war, and that the RB have followed it ever since. The Russians probably didn't even know about it in those cold war days
quillerpen 6 months ago
@quillerpen That would make a lot of sense. I remember reading in Margot Fonteyn's autobiography that for months before their opening night at the old Met’ in 1949, they rehearsed all their ballets, particularly Sleeping Beauty, and made changes in some of the choreography with an eye to how much of an impact it would make in New York.
avesraggiana 6 months ago
Thank God Fonteyne was born when she was and that her artistry was not destroyed by the obsession with ballarina as contortionist that has taken hold of the ballet world for far too long. We have Ballanchine to thank for a generation of bulemic dancers who were physically broken long before they developed true artistry. When I danced, many years ago I was 5"3" and weighed 94 pounds and was referred to by Balanchine as that fat girl in the corps!
markbob120 7 months ago
@markbob120 I couldn't agree more about Balanchine. It seems to be spreading too. Which is unfortunate, because sometimes, I'm frankly too distracted by the awkward bones sticking out of the dancers' bodies to really get into the art. So sad.
helenaprice 5 months ago
She truly is the best dancer ever:)
alainag101 8 months ago
wow that was amazing!!!
i love how she does her piroettes!
they are so controlled!!!
rhythmicballet1234 8 months ago
My first name is actually Margot and I always whine and say that I don't like it because I can't find anybody cool who is called Margot, but I definitely found her :D I'll reconsider my opinion of my own name, Margot Fonteyn makes it work and so will I.
Wizlyy 9 months ago
exquisite
vjlys29 10 months ago
Wow! Sheer beauty personified. I absolutely love the beginning. An absolutely brilliant dancer.
Celticwomanfanpiano 11 months ago
I love her. I love how she is an icon to all ballerinas despite all her physical atributes that today would be wrongly considered 'weak' or 'fat'. She held thousands of audiences spellbound by clearly stating "I love this, this is what I do, just TRY and look away".
woman to be remembered right here...
icantpirrouette13 11 months ago
It's a shame that she died in poverty.
FredricEric 1 year ago
She really was the best dancer ever! She is one of my favourite ballerinas! And such a beautiful smile!
primaballerina133 1 year ago
she was beautiful...the best dancer ever.
perryperry27 1 year ago
I'm related to her! Wahooooo :))
LaurenHook8 1 year ago
Beautiful!!! I love her smile. So many people seem to neglect that nowadays... look how happy she is! And her commanding stage presence... not as challenging a variation as it is nowadays, but she makes it just as interesting!
biglittlecare 1 year ago
Blame the idiot Ballanchine for a gereration of children with anorexia who contorted themselves into position that ended most of their careers at 22 or 23, long before these "dancers' maturesd enough to truely understand dance. Poor Gelsey Kirkland is but one example and documents her ordeal magnificently in her memoir, apty titled, Dancing on My Grave.
markbob120 1 year ago
@markbob120 Ballanchine - He was the one who introduced Pilates to women. Before that, Pilates was for badly wounded men and POWs - Pilates himself was one.
SugarTomAppleRoger 1 year ago
@SugarTomAppleRoger Who cares? Balanchine was an idiot who must have truely hated women to physically and mentally abuse them as he did.
markbob120 1 year ago 2
@markbob120 - Balanchine certainly hastened this, but it didn't start w/ him. If one watches the progression of Ballet from St. Petersburg in the 1880's/90's (when modern-day classical technique really began w/ the Italian virtuosas), the long & flexy ballerinas of today are really the only logical result of ballet's evolution. This has everything to do with the pursuit of perfection in "pure form" at the cost of everything else that is art. 100 yrs hence, ballet will be a sport, I swear.
mrlopez2681 11 months ago
breath taking...she gives her self to the role and feels the song so deeply, you can't help getting envolved, she takes you with her ...magic, talent, artistry...
rqlhappy1 1 year ago
I love this ballet. Truly P. I. Tchaikovsky was a rare gift to this world. His music is so inspiring and beautiful. I feel so fortunate that I have had the pleasure of hearing his music all my life and it never gets stale or old. Only a truly beautiful soul could have conceived and written the music that he did. I thank Providence for his life.
parzifal40 1 year ago 3
2:27 to 3:08 absolutely the most breathtaking part of the whole dance
SoPhIaSPARKLES 1 year ago
I adore her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lisakirara 1 year ago
It's amazing how she danced until she was sixty. She is such a graceful and elegant woman, truly inspirational and my favourite ballerina ever.
sarahjane4eva 1 year ago
Like this play.
IndiaHicks1 1 year ago
Do we judge 'history' from the outside in (where we are today) or from the inside out (what was happening at the time)? 'Ballet Comique de la Reine', essentially a court entertainment is considered to be the first ballet, staged in Paris 1851 is nothing like modern ballet. Should we compare what 19th century dancers could do against 21st century dancers? Or should we compare 19th century dancers against their contemporaries? In my view its a journey of progression; abacus to computer!
c5869y 1 year ago
Fonteyn was simply splendind!!! she shows that one doesn't need hyperextended feet and or crazy high extensions or a waif like body to take the audiences breath away and despite that, she can still show the beauty and magic of ballet...and she's one of the all time prima ballerinas...
prn4ustat 1 year ago
@prn4ustat I totally agree about the high extensions -- a distortion of classical form in a ballet like this. Check out Cynthia Gregory's Aurora on YT. Somewhat more extended than Fonteyn, far less so than just about all the younger ones posted here. When she does those developees in the beginning of the Adagio, you see the beautiful form of the whole body. When the others do them, you find yourself just looking at the leg.
dchiapello 1 year ago
@dchiapello Agreed. Give me the likes of Dame Margot and Ulanova over Cynthia Gregory any old day.
swanningaround 1 year ago
she failed the grade Intermediate of the Royal Academy of Dance 8 times! :O And she kept on trying! thats amazing! :)
isthatmarcee 1 year ago
OMG!!! you can see Fonteyn really thought of every step and how she could convey what Aurora feels...she may not have high extensions and she could finish off some steps cleaner but i do feel connected to her when she danced! even though through a grainy YT video and from years ago!
hungryjacks 2 years ago
so beautiful and majestic
judeorel 2 years ago
Darlings, this prima ballerina had FLAIR in SPADES! Far more important than the hyper extensions and hyper turned out feet required in the 21st century to be considered good. When Fonteyn danced, you could feel her happiness!
RegularJesus 2 years ago 42
I totally agree...she is an inspiration to those of us without crazy flexibility, for sure...
bRuNn3tt3 2 years ago
@RegularJesus When and Rudy danced everything was right with the world!
edkearns 1 year ago
@RegularJesus Darling, I love you comment about out great prima ballerina assoluta.
SugarTomAppleRoger 1 year ago
@RegularJesus I have had the good fortune to see her perform with Nureyev many times. Some of the most majical nights ever spent at the Ballet. RIP Margot and Rudy.
edkearns1 10 months ago
Totally thrilling! I love her attack. Look how she gets into the attitudes -- so decisive, so boldwith lightning precipites! the finishes on the pirouettes in those classic ecarte positions, the perfect tilt of hte head, the almost imperceptible change of hte foot from retire front to retire back as she turns her head the other direction.... Wonderful punctuation, phrasing of hte whole dance....
1psoas9 2 years ago 3
She was no waif, no floating butterfly, but a strong limbed woman with a commanding air on stage.
Upstreamswimmer 2 years ago 26
The problem is, the dancers in major companies may have higher extensions and be thinner, but they do not dance better.
bang2b 2 years ago 3
This comment has received too many negative votes show
my dance teacher taught her
TwilightAddict96 2 years ago
i think that she´d always had the "bad feet" but for me that´s nothing compared to her charisma and energy on stage... just watching her makes me smile... something not a lot of ballerinas even with the perfect body, extraordinary extensions or an awesome technique have... for me that counts...
michosenpaii 2 years ago 4
LuveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeTo see it
shakirashakey 2 years ago
In response to the feet inquiry:
Ms. Fonteyn's feet here look absolutely lovely and completely classical. A good amount of the footage seen of Ms. Fonteyn has been with Mr. Nureyev. By this time, Ms. Fonteyn was a senior dancer, and I bet her feet were killing her. The "bad feet" referred to in the above commentary may have been due to all the work for decades and the natural process of maturity. In today's "market," she would have been out of City Ballet 30 years prior.
fishyfish4444 2 years ago
legendary!!! that was amazing!!
prn4ustat 2 years ago
This is an excerpt form the Keith Money film of the first act made in Coventry in the 60s, with David Wall as the main suitor. I love the finish of Fonteyn's movements and the use of her eyes. The character has a sense of youthful radiance and of triumph at overcoming the challenge of the balances. Perfect, in my view. Why doesn't someone publish the whole act? There's no one to top Fonteyn in the entrance, the violin solo and the wonderful springing diagonal in the coda.
jack1951ful 2 years ago 8
I would post the whole thing if I had it, but this is the only bit I've got. I did see the whole of Act ! broadcast on tv once, so the Beeb has got it. Here's hoping they'll show it again sometime!
quillerpen 2 years ago
@jack1951ful Well, I feel like Dracula being woken up; but, someone has just made me look at YouTube, this weekend. I didn't know my Archives bits were still up (the workers exceeding their brief, and indeed getting above their station, alas) but, anyway, I still have Beauty Act One in totally pristine condition, so I hate that people are now seeing bits of it, in such a feeble state. I'll try and construct a new dance doco ... (OH dear! Do I need this? he says.) Stay tuned! Keith Money
keithmoneyartarchive 1 year ago 2
@keithmoneyartarchive Dear mr Money, the whole ballet world owes u big time for your dedication in documenting Dame Margot Fonteyn through photograps and film. It would be an absolute thrill to see the complete one act Sleeping Beauty film! I keep my fingers crossed that you find time & energy to spare for charing this time capsule in all its glory! Again thank you for beautiful work!!
eariens 1 year ago
Margot had great phisical qualities, but the style of the era did not want high legs to sky or well arched feet.
Anyway Margot had a special softness, sense of mouvement and style and a great musicality (sorry for english)
taurusbs 2 years ago 2
I watched the film Margot...she could not walk at the end of her life. Truthful, good film about her life..How her husband did not ever work. She was the greatest of dancers but the people closest to here revealed the truth of her husband and his kids...
hillsinmontana 2 years ago
I had always heard "Margot Fonteyn had bad feet", but they aren't nearly as bad as I was expecting. I've certainly seen worse from her era. I can see why she was such a star during her dancing days!
CordsZ 2 years ago
Hello Cordz,
As you can see, Ms. Fonteyn's feet were lovely and completely classical. Yes, you probably have heard that Prima Ballerina Fonteyn had bad feet. Remember, that most popular footage is with Mr. Nureyev. By this time, Ms. Fonteyn was already a mature dancer. I cannot imagine putting on shoes for all those full-lengths with Mr. Nureyev after all the foot work for years. Dance talents cannot solely be judged by the technical and physical prowess displayed around age 60.
fishyfish4444 2 years ago
They were labelling her feet bad from her performance footage at age 60?! Oh now that just seems unfair! The fact alone she could still walk at 60 is a miracle! Thanks for the info...puts some perspective on things!
CordsZ 2 years ago
@CordsZ -one of the UK teachers-a male-stated that she had feet like pats of butter. However to see her dance left one changed spiritually and emotionally. I think she was superb.
mysticmeg111 2 years ago
she is my favorite ballerina.
she was the longest ballerina to stay on pointe
balletgirl2009 2 years ago
i love margot fonteyn because she didn't have wonderful feet, yet look how far she went. it gives hope to everyone ballet dancer.
humanordancer2971 2 years ago
wow she's so strong and delicate at the same time.
sweetpoison94 2 years ago
she is the best english ballerina ever!! and always will be!!
9415908 2 years ago 3
9415908. Absolutely agree. To me, Mme. Fonteyn is one of the "big four" in recent times, with Mme. Ulanova, Mme. Alonso and Mme. Plisetskaya. Each of the wonderful dancers had different styles but all were at the very top of their artform. Mme. Fonteyn presents such a happy picture in this clip. I also loved Mme. Plisetskaya's version for its perfection. Different styles, but both unsurpassed.
swanningaround 2 years ago
Another great dancer of our time is Darcey Bussell, she was FABULOUS!
bellcandy33 2 years ago
bellcandy. Darcey is fabulous. I am glad that you are taking an interest in Margot's dancing. :)
swanningaround 2 years ago
those attitude on pointe at the end are what keep me doing ballet
lilacsatin 2 years ago
margot is very delicate
etoiledelkirov 2 years ago
Actually she was as tough as nylon cord: most people have no idea how strenuous and demanding ballet really is. Fonteyn was mistress of her craft.
bookkeeper57 2 years ago
I agree with you
etoiledelkirov 2 years ago
Such a thrilling dancer. Thank you.
jkircher314 2 years ago
This is, to me, the best role margot fonteyn ever played. she's perfect for it. it's beautiful.
CabbyProductions 3 years ago
I just love her as Aurora really...
odile77 3 years ago
HIGH FIFTH! HIGH FIFTH!
GLORIOUS!
1psoas9 3 years ago
This is wonderful, I have been looking for this version for ever! I used to dance around to this in my living room as a child, seeing this took me back! thank you
vh87104 3 years ago
margot is aurora beatiful
seigrandeale 3 years ago
THrilling! So musical -- and quite abstract, like Caroline Brown -- it's less like a singer than a violin. Of course, the camera angles tend in hte same direction, aschewing close-up details and emphasizing the perfectino of the grand design -- but it IS perfect, and it IS grand
1psoas9 3 years ago
She's the perfect Aurora. So beautiful.
Thank you.
jkircher314 3 years ago
thank you so much - Margot remains incomparable as Aurora
nornsnornsnorns 3 years ago