50 years ago in February of 1962, in their first performance of Giselle, the partnership of Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev was born and ballet became a household name. Inspired by a beautiful tribute to that legendary partnership from The Sheila Variations, titled “We only lived when we danced”, here is a collection of famous partnerings taken from the Act II pas de deux of Giselle from the past to the present day.

“I’ve found the perfect partner.” — Margot Fonteyn

“We become one body. One soul. We moved in one way. It was very complementary, every arm movement, every head movement. There were no more cultural gaps; age difference; we’ve been absorbed in characterization. We became the part. And public was enthralled.” — Rudolf Nureyev

Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev, Giselle February 1962

 

Carla Fracci and Erik Bruhn, Giselle 1969

 

Alessandra Ferri and Mikhail Baryshnikov, Giselle 1986

 

Polina Semionova and Vladimir Shklyarov, Giselle 2008

 

…and a video collection of still photographs from Giselle