Of all the great 20th-century ballerinas, Tanaquil Le Clercq (1929–2000) may have been the most transcendent. Tanny was the foremost dancer of the 1940s, captivating audiences around the world. She mesmerized choreographers — her elongated, race-horse physique became the new prototype for the great George Balanchine — and ballets were produced specifically for Tanny.

Her unique style, humor and authenticity redefined ballet for all dancers who followed. Amazingly, she was the muse to not one great artist but two: Both Balanchine and Jerome Robbins loved her as a dancer and a woman. Balanchine married her, and Robbins created his famous version of Afternoon of a Faun for her.