A Dance Through Time

Graceful and mesmerizing, our enduring love affair with ballet spans the ages. Adored worldwide for its ability to tell a story and show emotion without words. The stage was set here in Britain when two former Diaghilev dancers, Marie Rambert and Ninette de Valois, carved a path for British dancers to follow.

We were captivated by Kate and Sandy’s performances as they danced through the historic corridors of Stanbrook Abbey Hotel to grace our pages with this stunning photoshoot. Today, ballet is celebrated the world over, from the glorious grandeur of The Royal Ballet at London’s Royal Opera House, to the Bolshoi Ballet, one of the oldest in the world.

Prima Ballerina

Dame Margot Fonteyn is widely regarded as the most influential figure of British Ballet. Appointed Prima Ballerina Assoluta by Queen Elizabeth II, she was instrumental in making the Royal Ballet the icon it is today. Fonteyn’s dancing was commended for its lyricism and perfect lines, most notably seen in her performances as Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty. When she was about to retire, Fonteyn began her greatest artistic partnership with Rudolf Nureyev. They made their debut in 1962, performing Giselle, for which they received “15 minutes of applause and 20 curtain calls.” She retired in 1979 at the age of 60 and still holds one of the longest careers of any ballerina.