Trivia

Early on, she preferred tap to ballet as "she liked to hear her own movements" and disliked the values of conformity and exact technique that were necessary in ballet.

Ballerina with New York City Ballet

A Prima Ballerina with the New York City Ballet, she was one of the Stars of the ballet company.

Recipient of a (USA) National Medal of Arts, 2003.

Recipient of the 2005 Kennedy Center Honors. Other recipients were Robert Redford, Tina Turner, Tony Bennett and Julie Harris.

She received the 1960 Ford Foundation Scholarship for dance.

Awards: Special Award of Merit in Creative Arts, University of Cincinnati, and Mademoiselle Merit Award, both 1965; Dance Magazine Award, 1976; Mayor Koch's Award of Merit for Arts and Culture, City of New York, 1979; Creative Arts Award Medal for Dance, Brandeis University, and the Spirit of Achievement Award, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, both 1980; Emmy Award for dance performance in "Eight by Adler," 1985; named "Lion of the Performing Arts" by the New York City Public Library, and received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement, both 1987; New York State Governor's Arts Award, and Gold Medal, American-Irish Historical Society, both 1988; National Medal of Arts, 2003; 54th Capezio Dance Award, 2005, for her contribution to dance in the United States; has also received the key to the city of Cincinnati; honorary degrees from Georgetown University, Fordham University, Yale University, Notre Dame University, and University of Cincinnati and other dance awards.

Youngest of three girls; two older sisters, Donna and Beverley

Has referred to herself as "the one who got away" from famous choreographer and New York City Ballet founder George Balanchine. Romantically and artistically in love with Farrell, Balanchine divorced his fourth wife in order to marry her, but Farrell rejected Balanchine's proposal and married fellow New York City Ballet dancer Paul Mejia.

It took her a while to finally take up Pointework as her feet grew so long and she had trouble finding toe shoes that would fit.

As a child, being the tallest in her ballet classes lead to her always being cast in the boys' roles. She was "always the prince, never the princess." This lead her to dislike ballet early on.

Her then-husband Paul Meja and her were first partnered in a production of "The Nutcracker" from George Balanchine's School of American Ballet.

By age 10, she had organized a group of girls from her dance classes to form "The New York City Ballet Juniors." Suzanne instantly became the leader as she was the tallest.

Back in career heyday, one critic referred to her as "the sexiest lady in ballet today.".

She has a clefted chin.

She had her foot crushed by a horse as a little girl. Despite all this, she managed to acquire a successful professional career as a ballerina.

George Balanchine called her his "Alabaster Princess".