We Just Realized These Three International Ballet Stars Share a Birthday, and We're Shook

May 17, 2018

There’s got to be something about May 18—maybe the Ballet Gods celebrate some forgotten holiday that causes them to be particularly generous. Because how else do you explain that no less than three international ballet stars all share a birthday on, you guessed it, May 18?

Maybe today should be a ballet holiday in their honor, but, regardless, we’re celebrating with clips from some of their signature roles:

Margot Fonteyn

Dame Margot Fonteyn, who at one point in her career at The Royal Ballet was reportedly more of a household name in the United Kingdom than the prime minister, would have been 99 years old today.

David Hallberg

The American Ballet Theatre/Bolshoi Ballet principal is back in action and better than ever, and today he’s celebrating his 36th birthday with a performance of Giselle for ABT’s spring season at the Metropolitan Opera House. His partner, funnily enough, is also celebrating today…

Natalia Osipova

She’s only 32, but Osipova has already been a principal dancer at the Bolshoi, the Mikhailovsky and, currently, The Royal Ballet. She’s guesting with ABT this spring specifically to reunite with Hallberg, with whom she shares an iconic, if unfortunately intermittent, partnership.

Join us in wishing all three a Happy Birthday, and a hearty merde to Osipova and Hallberg on their Giselle this evening!