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Margot Fonteyn
Margot Fonteyn began life on the 18th of May, 1919 in Reigate, Surrey, as plain Peggy Hookham. She ended it on the 21st of February, 1991, as Prima Ballerina Assoluta, Dame of the British Empire and the most legendary dancer since Pavlova. Meredith Daneman, with her own extensive background in ballet, tells Fonteyn’s story in vivid prose with insight and sensitivity.
Drawing upon extensive research, countless interviews, and exclusive access to never-before-seen letters and diaries—including those of Fonteyn’s extraordinary and devoted mother—Daneman presents firsthand remembrances of Fonteyn from a vast array of people who knew her and danced with her during the course of her lengthy career. Margot Fonteyn contains revelations not found in any other account of the ballerina, from insights into Fonteyn’s private world (especially regarding her relationship with her mother, the “Black Queen”) to her feelings about her fellow dancers and, of course, the men in her life—including choreographer Frederick Ashton, her husband Roberto Arias, and her long-time dance partner and rumored lover Nureyev.
Drawing upon extensive research, countless interviews, and exclusive access to never-before-seen letters and diaries—including those of Fonteyn’s extraordinary and devoted mother—Daneman presents firsthand remembrances of Fonteyn from a vast array of people who knew her and danced with her during the course of her lengthy career. Margot Fonteyn contains revelations not found in any other account of the ballerina, from insights into Fonteyn’s private world (especially regarding her relationship with her mother, the “Black Queen”) to her feelings about her fellow dancers and, of course, the men in her life—including choreographer Frederick Ashton, her husband Roberto Arias, and her long-time dance partner and rumored lover Nureyev.
696 pages, Paperback
First published October 7, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
January 16, 2019
This is a beautiful and impeccably researched and written biography, and ex-dancer Meredith Daneman’s insider view of the ballerina’s life (both onstage and off) delivers on so many levels. Immense, intense, witty, moving - and just plain fabulous - this is a biography of one of the 20th century’s most remarkable women that demands to be read.
September 19, 2007
I gained an enormous appreciation for this great artist when my father, after telling me about a Fonteyn/Nureyev performance he had seen in Europe, bought me this book. It's a fully-fleshed out biography and leaves no stone unturned (although I could have done without a salacious comment or two allegedly made by Constant Lambert...that taught me nothing about Margot, her artistry, or her life). Her work ethic was something for the ages, and there will never be another like her. Her simplicity, economy of movement and her adherence to truth (at least in dance) were her hallmarks. She's the Peggy Fleming (or the Michelle Kwan) of the dance world.
While reading this book, I became so fascinated that I repeatedly went to YouTube to watch taped performances of "Romeo and Juliet", "Sleeping Beauty" and "Swan Lake". (I never was able to locate "Ondine", unfortunately.) Her personal life after she marries Roberto De Arias reads like a complete reinvention, fueled by denial and some sort of self-loathing, it seems to me. Nevertheless, Daneman manages to capture the woman inside the artist (or is the artist inside the woman?), and I'm grateful to my dad for introducing me to this true icon.
While reading this book, I became so fascinated that I repeatedly went to YouTube to watch taped performances of "Romeo and Juliet", "Sleeping Beauty" and "Swan Lake". (I never was able to locate "Ondine", unfortunately.) Her personal life after she marries Roberto De Arias reads like a complete reinvention, fueled by denial and some sort of self-loathing, it seems to me. Nevertheless, Daneman manages to capture the woman inside the artist (or is the artist inside the woman?), and I'm grateful to my dad for introducing me to this true icon.
July 13, 2010
This book is like Margot's life: long and detailed. I have no idea why it took me so long to read, but it did. It just kept on going, and I had no idea when it was going to end.
Not that it wasn't a good, enjoyable read. I believe if you're going to write a biography on someone, if you truly admire and idolise that person you will present a well-rounded character. This is what Daneman did. She doesn't hold back from pointing out her faults in character, particularly during Margot's career with Rudolf Nureyev. It's not surprising that Margot felt untouched by reality during that period in her life.
I didn't know much about Margot's political side and role in Panama, and most of the latter half of the biography details that.
Overall, this is a very good piece of work, and I recommend it for those that want to read about Margot's life, both the good and bad sides. Daneman clearly interviewed numerous people, and it does seem as though it took over ten years to produce, which clearly shows.
Not that it wasn't a good, enjoyable read. I believe if you're going to write a biography on someone, if you truly admire and idolise that person you will present a well-rounded character. This is what Daneman did. She doesn't hold back from pointing out her faults in character, particularly during Margot's career with Rudolf Nureyev. It's not surprising that Margot felt untouched by reality during that period in her life.
I didn't know much about Margot's political side and role in Panama, and most of the latter half of the biography details that.
Overall, this is a very good piece of work, and I recommend it for those that want to read about Margot's life, both the good and bad sides. Daneman clearly interviewed numerous people, and it does seem as though it took over ten years to produce, which clearly shows.
September 25, 2018
This is an unauthorized biography of the British dance legend Margot Fonteyn. The author addresses the question of Margot and Rudolph Nureyev, "Did they or didn't they?" Daneman's answer is yes, and she delves into the other private loves of Fonteyn, of which there were several. All in all a pretty good biography, especially if you've read her autobiography.
Fonteyn is an interesting dancer, today known more for her phrasing and subtle interpretation of music. Her pairing with the stormy Nureyev is probably what she's most famous for; they were kind of like a princess and a lion together. She's entirely different from the dancer of today, but wonderful.
Fonteyn is an interesting dancer, today known more for her phrasing and subtle interpretation of music. Her pairing with the stormy Nureyev is probably what she's most famous for; they were kind of like a princess and a lion together. She's entirely different from the dancer of today, but wonderful.
August 22, 2022
Intersting if you are into ballet, but I have been readingthis one for a long time, and its a very long book!
February 29, 2016
This was a very good, well researched book but unfortunately the subject matter just did not engage for me. As I read the book I came to realise that really didn't like Margot Fonteyn very much if at all. She was at times self centred, rude, uppity and wholly unlikable. I knew nothing about her before and what I read did not make me warm to her at all.
However, as a biography of her life this is a good read. It is clear that the author has a deep admiration for her subject and this comes across in the writing. Perhaps a little overlong but then again Fonteyn's career could also be described in the same way.
A good read only let down by the fact that I came to dislike the subject matter!
However, as a biography of her life this is a good read. It is clear that the author has a deep admiration for her subject and this comes across in the writing. Perhaps a little overlong but then again Fonteyn's career could also be described in the same way.
A good read only let down by the fact that I came to dislike the subject matter!
September 20, 2007
This could have been a fabulous book about my favorite ballerina, but it had way too many salacious details of her life, which I think were just thrown in to sell it. There were lots of wonderful details of the dancers during World War II, along with the composers (although Constance Lambert comes across as a real cad), choreorgraphers and others. I also never really thought about the tremendous work-ethic Margot Fonteyn had to keep performing into her 60s. This book does do a good job of demonstrating that. But I still love her own demure autobiography much better.
April 16, 2008
It was a long read, but you need that many pages to tell the reader enough about Fonteyn's life. It's a hell of a story.
Reading this book also made me go searching on YouTube for Fonteyn's performances, and I was impressed by how many clips balletomanes had posted. There is a lot to explore there if you're interested, and not just Fonteyn's work either. Aren't you glad YouTube can be used for something better than clips of 14-year-old girls stripping in their bedrooms?
Reading this book also made me go searching on YouTube for Fonteyn's performances, and I was impressed by how many clips balletomanes had posted. There is a lot to explore there if you're interested, and not just Fonteyn's work either. Aren't you glad YouTube can be used for something better than clips of 14-year-old girls stripping in their bedrooms?
February 18, 2017
If you love ballet this is a book you NEED to read, she was the queen of ballet. Fantastic read.
September 21, 2011
This weekend I finished reading Margot Fonteyn: A Life by Meredith Daneman. It's a really wonderful biography. Detailed, meticulously researched, compulsively readable, full of fascinating ballet information and gossip, but not in a way that's impenetrable for a total novice like me.
Margot Fonteyn was a very interesting woman -- a devoted daughter, a bad judge of character (especially when it came to men), a self-sacrificing wife, a sometime gunrunner and participator in failed Panamanian coups (crazy stuff!), and most of all one of the greatest dancers the world has ever seen. She hit the heights of fame and glory during her career, but ended up dying nearly penniless in a ramshackle farmhouse in Panama. A great read about one of the truly iconic artists of the 20th century.
Margot Fonteyn was a very interesting woman -- a devoted daughter, a bad judge of character (especially when it came to men), a self-sacrificing wife, a sometime gunrunner and participator in failed Panamanian coups (crazy stuff!), and most of all one of the greatest dancers the world has ever seen. She hit the heights of fame and glory during her career, but ended up dying nearly penniless in a ramshackle farmhouse in Panama. A great read about one of the truly iconic artists of the 20th century.
January 6, 2023
I read half of this tome. It is a chapter per year of Margot Fonteyn's life that I found lacking in the spirit of the times. Instead, it reads like a history of facts- what she danced and who she danced with. It does highlight her relationship with certain men who influenced her dancing like Constant Lambert and Rudolf Nureyev. I enjoyed it when the Sadler Wells Ballet traveled to the US and Maria Tallchief, America's prima ballerina, and Balanchine were mentioned.
February 21, 2014
Really marvellous biography and a book that is so interesting it kept me reading into the small hours. Despite the exhaustive research and information Fonteyn remains something of an enigma as far as her personal life was concerned. Sheds much light on her ability to captivate as a performer and incidentally on Dame Ninette de Valois's ruthlessness.
October 20, 2009
I love her dancing so I read this years ago, but I recently got a DVD from Amazon and watched her ballet and a documentary of her life.
July 1, 2011
I didn't know much about the subject and although the author could belabor points at times, it was a delightful read.
August 15, 2011
Massive but very readable balletomane essential in which we learn that her offstage life was as extraordinary as her onstage one.
January 9, 2013
If you love ballet and history, this is a good read.
May 27, 2013
Perfect biography: revealing and sympathetic without ever straying into sycophancy.
June 5, 2015
Thorough and detailed. Perhaps too detailed to be a real pleasure to read but a full and fascinating account of the life of a prima ballerina assoluta none the less. What a legend!
July 16, 2022
A very detailed account of her life.
June 11, 2024
4.5 rounded up
Picked up on a whim at the library, this was a fascinating first foray into the world of ballet and the life of one of the most legendary ballerinas of all-time.
Picked up on a whim at the library, this was a fascinating first foray into the world of ballet and the life of one of the most legendary ballerinas of all-time.
February 22, 2009
If you love ballet you will love this book. She was amazing.
September 2, 2011
Wonderful biography of Fonteyn. Highly recommended.
September 29, 2016
An exciting, rich and beautiful life. I only wish I could have actually seen her perform.
November 4, 2023
I love her forever and ever. Yes I picked up this 600page book no Qs Asked and learned all about her life. Such an inspiration. My favorite ballerina <3
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews