The Magic of Dance

Margot Fonteyn discusses how the role of the male in dance evolved throughout the 20th century. Her story is illustrated by some of the world's greatest dancers performing some of the era's most enduring dances.

In the 20th century, Sergei Diaghilev brought the Ballets Russes to live and work in Western Europe. Margot Fonteyn visits Tchaikovsky's house near Moscow and talks to Marie Rambert about Diaghilev.

In almost every age, the world of dance has produced its own pioneers. Margot Fonteyn looks at the work of some of the greatest of these pioneers, from the Commedia dell'Arte in 17th century Italy to Martha Graham in 20th-century America.

The British ballet dancer Margot Fonteyn explores the world of dance from the dominance of the ballerina in the 1930s to the emergence of great male dancers later in the 20th century.

Margot Fonteyn introduces the fifth program in the series from Versailles where Louis XIV's interest in and promotion of ballet let to world-wide recognition of the art and the dance as we know it today. Ballet originally danced by amateurs-couriters but in 1669 Louis set up the first professional school company. Dancers and masters were soon traveling world-wide. Costumes became lighter so technique advanced; emotion was added to technique and ordinary stories began to take place of dances about gods etc.

Margot Fonteyn explores the dancer's life. The rigors of ballet class, the rehearsals and preparation, and finally the moment of judgment when it's out in the limelight and on with the performance.