As students at Sadlers Wells we shared the dressing rooms with fully-fledged members of the company.

For some reason I was resting on a bench recovering from a sick turn when the doors burst open and Margot Fonteyn herself flew in, late for class and very flustered.

There was one mother waiting for her daugher besides me and I was struck dumb with admiration.

Margot hastily changed into her work clothes and suddenly realised that she had forgotten some lambswool for her feet.  Dancers need protection for their toes when they do pointwork.

She asked the mother if she had any spare wool but she hadn’t.  Still star-struck I stuttered hoarsely that I had some which I shyly offered to her and handed it over.  Gratefully she accepted it and we watched as Margot carefully wrapped up each toe in my lamb’s wool.

Ah the joy!

Maggie Moncrieff

As a child before studying at Sadlers Wells

Mum in her 20s (on the couch!) performing for Perth Rep – maiden name Margaret Ferguson.

Mum (and Dad!) at my sister’s wedding in October 2013 (photo by Joanna Brown)

Read my Mum’s other post about life as a Sadlers Wells’ student here – which is at the moment the most read post on my blog!

Update April 2016:  Maggie Moncrieff – 8 February 1928 to 17 April 2016