George Balanchine revolutionized the vocabulary of dance. “In short, he made ballet American, and then watched as American ballet became the official dance language of the Western world. The twist is, Balanchine and his work both became so famous they faded from view. By the time he died in 1983, his streamlined style had become so pervasive worldwide that we don’t even recognize it as his style anymore: It’s just “ballet.” On the 100th anniversary of his birth, the choreographer remains an enticing enigma.”