was revived as part of a Royal Ballet triple-bill, starring Nureyev's protegee Sylvie Guillem and the Royal Ballet star Jonathan Cope. The Fonteyn-Nureyev partnership lasted for many years until Fonteyn's retirement from the Royal Ballet in 1979, aged 60. In 1970 after Frederick Ashton retired as artistic director of the Royal Ballet, there were many calls for Nureyev to be announced as his successor. However, Kenneth MacMillan was given the position, and Nureyev left the Royal Ballet as a Principal soon after to be a guest dancer internationally, later becoming artistic director of the Paris Opera Ballet in 1983. Fonteyn and Nureyev had a lifelong relationship both on and offstage and were close friends until Fonteyn's death in 1991. Nureyev is quoted as saying of the partnership that they danced with "one body, one soul". Notable people Dancers Carlos Acosta, CBE Leanne Benjamin, OBE Svetlana Beriosova David Blair Federico Bonelli Dame Darcey Bussell, DBE José Manuel Carreño Alina Cojocaru Lesley Collier, CBE Michael Coleman Jonathan Cope, CBE John Cranko Lauren Cuthbertson Henry Danton Sir Anton Dolin Sir Anthony Dowell, CBE Viviana Durante Alessandra Ferri John Field Dame Margot Fonteyn, DBE Christopher Gable Mara Galeazzi John Gilpin Alexander Grant Dame Beryl Grey, DBE Sylvie Guillem, CBE Francesca Hayward Sir Robert Helpmann, CBE Rowena Jackson, MBE Colin Jones Johan Kobborg Tetsuya Kumakawa Sarah Lamb Gillian Lynne, CBE Natalia Makarova David Makhateli Dame Alicia Markova, DBE Roberta Marquez Dame Monica Mason, DBE Steven McRae Irek Mukhamedov Vadim Muntagirov Nadia Nerina Marianela Nunez Rudolf Nureyev Natalia Osipova Dame Merle Park, DBE Georgina Parkinson Rupert Pennefather Sergei Polunin Ivan Putrov Samantha Raine Tamara Rojo Lynn Seymour Dame Antoinette Sibley, DBE Moira Shearer, Lady Kennedy Wayne Sleep, OBE Thiago Soares Zoltan Solymosi Michael Somes, CBE David Wall, CBE Edward Watson, MBE Miyako Yoshida Zenaida Yanowsky Guest dancers Roberto Bolle Ethan Stiefel Igor Zelensky Yvette Chauvire Nina Ananiashvili Choreographers Sir Frederick Ashton, founder choreographer David Bintley, CBE John Cranko Sir Robert Helpmann Sir Kenneth MacMillan Wayne McGregor Christopher Wheeldon Liam Scarlett Artistic directors 1931–1963, Dame Ninette de Valois 1963–1970, Sir Frederick Ashton 1970–1977, Sir Kenneth MacMillan 1970–1971, John Field (co-director) 1977–1986, Norman Morrice 1986–2001, Sir Anthony Dowell 2001–2002, Ross Stretton 2002–2012, Dame Monica Mason 2012–present, Kevin O'Hare Ross Stretton Born in Canberra, Australia, in 1952, Ross Stretton trained at the Australian Ballet School, later becoming a principal dancer with the Australian Ballet company. He then moved to