In 1949, Margot Fonteyn traveled to New York City with the Sadler’s Wells Ballet. This was the company’s first tour in the United States. They performed at the Metropolitan Opera House. Fonteyn served as the lead dancer for the group. She was thirty years old during this visit. Her performance in “The Sleeping Beauty” made her a major star in America. The audience at the Met gave her a standing ovation that lasted for thirty minutes. She became an instant sensation in the American press.
Photographer Gjon Mili captured Fonteyn on the empty stage of the Opera House. He worked for LIFE magazine. Mili used high-speed stroboscopic lights to freeze her fast movements. These lights allowed him to show the exact position of her body in the middle of a jump. Fonteyn wore a white costume with a stiff, circular skirt. The stage was completely dark, which made her white outfit stand out in the black and white photos. She performed her routines alone under the bright flash of the camera.
The photographs show Fonteyn in various classical positions. She balances on the very tips of her toes in satin pointe shoes. In one image, she arches her back while her arms reach toward the high ceiling. In another, she holds a steady pose with one leg extended straight behind her body. Her facial expression remains calm and focused during these difficult movements. She never looks directly at the camera lens. Instead, she focuses her eyes on the edges of the dark stage.
