Dance, a Mystery and the Library

A Fascinating Story From Round Top

It all began with a mysterious paver located in the sidewalk in front of the Round Top Family Library. The paver was engraved “Margot Fonteyn – Prima Ballerina.”

Libby Lovejoy, former ballet dancer/teacher/choreographer and producer of The Nutcracker Ballet at Round Top Festival Institute, walked past that paver many times over the years as she attended the adult yoga classes taught by Betty Melton at the RT Family Library. Curious about the paver, Libby asked everyone she knew connected with the library who might have donated the paver and why? No one seemed to know. Very few people even knew who Margot Fonteyn was (a very famous British ballerina born 1919 - died 1991. She was given the title prima ballerina assoluta by Queen Elizabeth II. Fonteyn often partnered with Rudolph Nureyev, 19 years younger.) No records could be located showing who gave the paver or when it was given. So, there sat the paver, and Lovejoy continued attending the yoga classes, but couldn’t help but notice it each week.

Time passed and Lovejoy contemplated full retirement. During her 40+ year career of teaching ballet, choreographing and performing, she had acquired about 300 books on dance – mostly ballet, but also many others on modern dance, jazz dance, tap dance, musical theatre. Although these books provided great joy, Libby began to wonder what to do with them. No one in her family wanted them and most universities don’t want book collections as they don’t have room and knowledge is available at the touch of a keyboard these days. She began giving them away to friends that were dance teachers. “It felt right to share these books with friends that were continuing to pass the torch on to young dance students,” Lovejoy said. “Dance is something that can’t be learned from a book alone. It must be taught by a caring teacher who nurtures and guides the student.” Later on, Libby began giving the books to her friends carefully selecting just the right book for the right person.

One day, while perusing the shelves in the arts section of the RT Family Library, Lovejoy discovered that there wasn’t one book on dance. How could that be? Obviously people in the area like dance. The Nutcracker sells out year after year. So Libby asked her friend Pat Cox, bookkeeper for the library, if she thought the library would like to have some of her personal books. Pat checked with library manager Keelia Barker and board member Sheila Bain. Sheila’s granddaughter Ainsley had taken ballet from Libby and had performed numerous

The mystery of the Margot Fonteyn paver in front of the Round Top Family Library still exists. If anyone know how the paver came to be placed in the sidewalk in front of the Round Top Family Library, please call the library at (979) 249-2700 and share your information.

times in performances of The Nutcracker at Festival Hill. Joanie Havlick, another board member, was also consulted about the books and how to best get the word out about Lovejoy’s donation.

The group agreed to take a look at the books and choose 15-20 for a permanent home in the library. There were so many books and so little shelf space, the decision was made to have a week-long event, open to the public, to showcase the books and perhaps get input from the patrons which books should be shelved. A reception was held at the library on March 5 with the books on display. Lovejoy spoke about each book and answered questions. The books have been chosen and are now ready to be checked out!

Please stop by the Round Top Family Library to see all Lovejoy’s books on dance. Maybe you will enjoy borrowing one or two and learning more about the world of dance. Many of the books have beautiful photos. There are biographies, true stories about life behind the scenes, and histories of several famous ballet companies. The Round Top Family Library hours are Monday 1:30-5:30 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Friday 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.2 p.m., closed on Sundays and holidays.

The mystery of the Margot Fonteyn paver still exists. If anyone knows how the paver came to be placed in the sidewalk in front of the Round Top Family Library, please call the library at (979) 249-2700 and share your information.