Afternoon of a Faun is an ode to Tanaquil le Clercq, a Parisian-born principal dancer with the New York City Ballet in the 1940s-50s. Le Clercq was heralded by some of the greatest choreographers including George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins; the former wedded the dancer while the latter created Afternoon of a Faun, one of his best works, especially for her.
SOURCE: Dance Enthusiast at 12:00AM on February 28, 2014