Fonteyn:
Margot Fonteyn was born in Reigate, Surrey, England 1919, as Margaret Hookham. Joined Vic-Wells Ballet in 1934. She had quick progress and in 1939 she had already danced Giselle, Odette-Odile and Aurora. She became the world's greatest ballerina and could have retired as such when she was 40. But her meeting with Rudolf Nureyev in 1962 gave the world the magic of their great partnership and her career continued until she was 58.
http://www.ballerinagallery.com/fonteyn.htm
Nureyev:
No male dancer ever had more influence on the history, style and public perception of ballet than Rudolf Nureyev. He changed people's expectations. Starting out from inauspicious beginnings in a remote town in the Urals, he ended up changing the whole face of the art.
By indefatigably performing a uniquely wide repertoire night after night, month after month, year after year, all over the world, he reached a wider audience than any rival, to which must be added millions more who saw him only in films and on television (he was filmed more than any other dancer before or probably since). But more important than the size of his audience was the effect on them of his charismatic personality and the utter dedication with which he performed. His own idiosyncratic way of putting it was that "every step must be sprayed with your blood".
http://www.nureyev.org/biographie_introduction.php
http://www.nureyev.org/biographie_introduction.php
at this time when they were principal dancers in 'Giselle', they were the two most famous ballerinas in the industry, this would have been excellent for Ashton, as they are both great dancers, but also it would drastically increase the audience numbers that went to watch 'Giselle'. This was because they are a famous couple. Due to the fact that they were so famous, many peoples main care was of their famous partnership not the movement and story content.
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