[Black & White Photograph of Margot Fonteyn and Rudolph Nureyev Performing in Le Corsaire].

In 1961, when Margot Fonteyn was considering retirement, Rudolf Nureyev defected from the Kirov Ballet while dancing in Paris. Fonteyn, though reluctant to partner with him because of their 19-year age difference, danced with him in his début with the Royal Ballet in Giselle on 21 February 1962. The duo immediately became an international sensation, each dancer pushing the other to their best performances. They were most noted for their classical performances in works such as Le Corsaire Pas de Deux, Les Sylphides, La Bayadère, Swan Lake, and Raymonda.

Leslie E. Spatt, one of the most distinguished and successful specialist dance and ballet photographers; her photographs have appeared in ballet magazines and the mainstream press. She worked directly with many of the world's leading ballet companies.