A Photo of a Dancer Taking a Photo

Let’s take a moment to soak up the gorgeous-ness that was Tanaquil Le Clercq. Here she is in 1953 at just 24 years old. She married Balanchine the year before and was at the height of her career with New York City Ballet. It’s difficult to look at photos of such a gifted dancer and not feel a pang of “what-if.” Three years after this photo was taken she contracted polio while on tour in Cophenhagen, ending her career much too soon. Here’s to Tanaquil Le Clercq, a ballerina never to be forgotten.