Rudolf Nureyev

He used to be my hero - partly because of his bravery at defecting. In those days, you could expect a poisoned needle in the leg as punishment.

Also, I had been doing ballet and loved it and to watch those spectacular leaps of his was breathtaking.

Wow!

In the 1960s I saw RN perform in Stratford upon Avon where I lived. The following day I saw him walk past our house I dashed out with my programme followed by my parents. He was so friendly and was happy to give me his autograph and said ‘Have you brought the whole family’ ? Happy memories.

What lovely memories you’ve evoked, Daddima, I never did see Nureyev live on stage but was lucky enough to have seen Fonteyn several times. I must watch those YouTube clips.

I was very, very lucky. I was a student in London in the early 60s, and saw Nureyev at his very best. He was in his twenties. We went without proper food if necessary to afford tickets, and sometimes queued all night. Since I was a child Margot Fonteyn had been my heroine, so it was a double treat. He usually danced with her. I have numerous autographed programmes, and best of all a (now very dead) white rose he gave me after a performance of Giselle. It was from a bouquet and he gave them to everyone - not special treatment for me!

In the bitter winter of 1963 I helped him remove snow from the roof of his car.

What a lovely memory for you Grandma70s!

I can remember my mum being overwhelmed watching him in Swan Lake when the dying swan was being performed. She was a huge fan of the ballet and also of the skating as I remember, years ago, Sonya Henie.

Amazing - he could almost fly!

Oops!! We used to sing a song in the playground in Glasgow.

"Sonya Henie skates like this".

A schoolfriend was mad about Nureyev and managed to see him when he was young. In later years we saw him twice with his Ballet Russe company performing Diaghelev ballets - Petrouchka, Spectre and Faune and he was brilliant in the all. His leaps weren't quite so good (Spectre) but his characterisation was the best I've seen.