by Margot Fonteyn ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 10, 1976
A cool, witty, abundantly illustrated autobiography, by the Prima, who after a ""carefree"" childhood seemed to glide onto center stage and at sixteen was dancing Giselle for Sadler's Wells. Dame Margot remembers her first outstanding teacher--""an indefinable mixture of the stylish with the slightly grubby that only an aristocratic personality from Czarist Russia"" could command--and the days when her ""soft"" feet were referred to as ""pats of butter."" There are other tributes to beloved teachers, mentors, and fellow-dancers: Ninette de Valois, the SW theatre school director; Frederick Ashton, who choreographed so many of her roles; Massine with his ""black holes"" of eyes; Danilova of the ""flame thrower"" charm; Ulanova (""the smooth perfection of thick cream poured from a jug""); and her beloved Nureyev, partner of her later years. Fonteyn's marriage in her thirties to Dr. Tito Arias of Panama (after a teen courtship and parting) was both joyful and tragic--her husband was paralyzed in an assassination attempt. But in the world of a great dancer the rapid plunge from warmth and glitter to the cold walk home is inescapable. She attempts the difficult task of explaining her on-stage consciousness: ""I am the character I portray. . . while an automatic device like a tape dictates my movements . . . when I can synchronize this to the music I am dancing to my satisfaction."" And she prefers pas de deux: ""I really like depending on my partner for inspiration and passion."" Throughout, Dame Margot tells her story in a rush of exquisite precision, like--as Ashton said of Pavlova--""a comet trailing everything behind her.
Pub Date: May 10, 1976
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: N/A
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1976
Categories: NONFICTION
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.