Margot Fonteyn

Peggy Hookham was always destined to be a dancer. Her Brazilian/Irish mother groomed her for stardom from almost as soon as she could walk. When she was aged 8 her father's work took the family to Shanghai. Peggy and her Mother returned to the UK when she was 14. Her father stayed in Shanghai and was interned by the Japanese for the duration of the war. Young Peggy was enrolled with the Royal Ballet School just when they were looking for a young British dancer to groom as the new Prima Ballerina. Until then all leading dancers in Britain had been Russian or French. Part of the grooming process was to change her name to Margot Fonteyn. Her most influential coach was Tamara Karsavina in London. Fonteyn also regarded her teacher Olga Preobrajenska, a disciple of George Balanchine. Fontain herself worked with George Balanchine as he staged and choreographed ballet for Sadler's Wells. She soon showed the natural talents and dedication required of a Prima Ballerina and after many wonderful p