The myth of losing tail rotor effectiveness  

You're right.  With a wind from the left or left-front, the tail rotor thrust can be influenced by the downwash from the main rotor.  There will result in MOMENTARY variations in t/r thrust which can easily be handled by the "dancing on the pedals" you noted.  But this is *not* LTE, although some pilots will panic and think it is.  Even with a direct-left crosswind, the t/r will not get into "sideways VRS" as some claim.  If that were to happen, the nose would start to yaw, but as soon as it did, the inflow angle of the relative wind to the tail rotor would change and...voila!...the tail rotor is back in business.  Not only that, but a left crosswind is more advantageous in helping keep the nose straight by demanding less thrust from the tail rotor.