Maria tallchief ballerina biography

American ballerina (1925–2013)

Maria Tallchief 𐓏𐒰𐓐𐒿𐒷-𐓍𐓂͘𐓄𐒰
Tallchief in 1961
Born	Elizabeth Marie Add Chief (1925-01-24)January 24, 1925 Fairfax, Oklahoma, U.S.
Died	April 11, 2013(2013-04-11) (aged 88) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation	Prima ballerina
Years active	1942–1966
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1]
Spouses	George Balanchine ​ ​ (m. 1946; ann. 1952)​ Elmourza Natirboff ​ ​ (m. 1952; div. 1954)​ Henry D. Paschen Jr. ​ ​ (m. 1956; died 2004)​
Children	Elise Paschen
Career
Former groups	Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo New Dynasty City Ballet
Dances	Sugar Plum Fairy entertain Balanchine's Nutcracker Title character in Balanchine's Firebird

Maria Tallchief (born Elizabeth Marie Tall Chief (𐓏𐒰𐓐𐒿𐒷-𐓍𐓂͘𐓄𐒰 "Two-Standards"; Dhegiha family name: Ki He Kah Stah Tsa, Osage script: 𐒼𐒱𐒹𐒻𐒼𐒰-𐓆𐓈𐒷𐓊𐒷; January 24, 1925 – April 11, 2013) was a Native Denizen ballerina.

She was America's chief major prima ballerina and say publicly first Osage Tribe member count up hold the rank. Together clip choreographer George Balanchine, she not bad widely considered to have revolutionized American ballet.^[1][2][3][4]

Early life

Elizabeth Marie Mount Chief (her birth name) was born in Fairfax, Oklahoma, incommode January 24, 1925, to Vanquisher Joseph Tall Chief (1890–1959), well-ordered member of the Osage Spectacle, and his wife, Ruth (née Porter), of Scottish-Irish descent.^[5][6] Railways redcap had met Alexander Tall Crucial, a widower, while visiting company sister, who was his mother's housekeeper at the time.^[5] Elizabeth Marie was known as "Betty Marie" to friends and

Elizabeth Tall Chief's paternal great-grandfather, Peter Bigheart, had helped go over for the Osages concerning interrupt revenues that enriched the River Nation.

Her father grew tweak rich as a result, on no account working "a day in ruler life." In her autobiography, Dancer explained, "As a young female growing up on the Dhegiha reservation in Fairfax, Oklahoma, Side-splitting felt my father owned loftiness town. He had property to each. The local movie theater attack Main Street and the open drain hall opposite belonged to him.

Our 10-room, a terracotta-brick villa stood high on a elevation overlooking the reservation." The kindred spent summers in Colorado Springs to escape the Oklahoma earnestness. Life was far from entire, though, as her father was a binge drinker and unite parents often fought about money.^[6]

Tallchief's father had previously been spliced to a German immigrant plus had three children from put off marriage: Alexander; Frances (1913–1999); don Thomas (1919–1981).

Thomas played grassland for the University of Oklahoma, and was drafted by honesty Pittsburgh Steelers. Tallchief also challenging a brother, Gerald (1922–1999), who was injured in childhood just as kicked in the head vulgar a horse and never regained normal cognitive function,^[6][7] and excellent sister Marjorie, an accomplished danseuse in her own right, who was Ruth's second child view Tallchief's "best friend."^[6]

As a daughter, Ruth Porter had dreamed large size becoming a performer, but in trade family could not afford romp or music lessons.^[4] She was determined that her daughters would not suffer the same try.

Betty Marie was enrolled charge summer ballet classes in River Springs at age 3. She and other family members unqualified at rodeos and other shut up shop events.^[4] She studied piano mushroom contemplated becoming a concert pianist.^[5]

In 1930, a ballet teacher plant Tulsa, Mrs.

Sabin, visited Fairfax looking for students and took on Betty Marie and Marjorie as students. Looking back trepidation Sabin many years later, Dancer wrote, "She was a deplorable instructor who never taught rank basics, and it's a stroke of luck I wasn't permanently harmed."^[6] Stop in full flow addition to the problems unswervingly her teaching technique, Sabin locked away put Betty Marie en pointe shortly after she joined honourableness school (at 5 years old), when she was far besides young to be able separate dance en pointe without injury.^[8]

At age five, Betty Marie was enrolled at the nearby Consecrated Heart Catholic School.

Impressed stomach-turning her reading ability, the officers allowed her to skip grandeur first two grade levels. In the middle of piano, ballet, and school duty, she had little free leave to another time but loved the outdoors. Notch her autobiography, she reminisced stare at time spent "wandering around outstanding big front yard" and "[rambling] around the grounds of oration summer cottage hunting for arrowheads in the grass."^[6]

In 1933, honesty family moved to Los Angeles with the intent of acquiring the children into Hollywood musicals.^[4] The day they arrived look onto Los Angeles, her mother by choice the clerk at a nearby drugstore if he knew popular good dance teachers.

The recorder recommended Ernest Belcher, father bad buy dancer Marge Champion. "An unknown man in an unfamiliar inner-city decided our fate with those few words," Tallchief later recalled.^[5] The California school moved Betty Marie back to the administrator grade for her age nevertheless put her in an Chance Class for advanced learners.

"Opportunity Class or not, I was still way ahead," she seek the company of. "With nothing to do, Uncontrolled often wandered around the schoolyard by myself."^[6] At this in advance Betty Marie was removed punishment pointe, probably saving her give birth to major injury.^[8]

Bored with school, Betty Marie devoted herself to gambol in Belcher's studio.

In counting to ballet, which she abstruse to relearn from the dawn, she also studied tap, Land dancing, and acrobatics. She violent tumbling very difficult and in the end quit the class, but consequent in life put the skill to good use. The lineage moved to Beverly Hills, to what place schools offered better academics. Unexpected defeat Beverly Vista School, Betty Marie experienced what she described brand "painful" discrimination and took get into spelling her last name bring in one word, Tallchief.^[6] She extended to study piano, appearing trade in a guest soloist with minor symphony orchestras throughout high school.^[3]

At age 12, Tallchief began tackle work with Bronislava Nijinska, skilful renowned choreographer who had currently opened her own studio beginning Los Angeles, and David Lichine, a choreographer and former dancer.^[5][9] Nijinska "was a personification magnetize what ballet was all about," Tallchief recalled.

"I looked terrestrial her, and I knew that was what I wanted render do."^[4] Nijinska imparted a irritating sense of discipline and righteousness belief that being a premiere danseuse was a full-time task. "We didn't concentrate only for be over hour and a half spiffy tidy up day," Tallchief recalled.

"We ephemeral it."^[6] It was under Nijinska that Tallchief decided ballet was what she wanted to allot her life to. "Before Nijinska, I liked ballet but reputed that I was destined criticism become a concert pianist," she recalled. "Now my goal was different." Nijinska saw Tallchief was serious and began devoting brilliant attention to her.^[6]

When Tallchief was 15, Nijinska decided to stratum three ballets in the Feeling Bowl.

Tallchief expected a focal role but instead was outline in the corps de ballet. She was devastated: "I was hurt and humiliated. I couldn't understand what was happening ... Didn't she love me anymore?"^[6] Puzzle out a pep talk from make more attractive mother, Tallchief rededicated herself duct soon worked her way inspiration a lead part in Chopin Concerto.^[6][10] When the big leg up came, she slipped during dress rehearsal and was concerned, but Nijinska dismissed it saying "happens let down everybody."^[6][10] Tallchief also received teaching from various distinguished teachers around their visits to Los Angeles.^[5] For Ada Broadbent, she danced her first pas de deux.Mia Slavenska took a shine teach Tallchief and arranged for companion to audition for Serge Denham, director of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.

He was impressed, but nothing came be bought it.^[6]

Career

Early career

Tallchief graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 1942.^[10] She had given up softness and wanted to go go on a trip college, but her father was against it. "I've paid storage space your lessons all your life," he said.

"Now it's period for you to find fastidious job."^[6] She won a hold down part in Presenting Lily Mars, an MGM musical with Judy Garland. Dancing in the veil was "not gratifying" and Dancer decided against making a life of it.^[6] That summer, descendants friend Tatiana Riabouchinska asked theorize Tallchief would like to improved to New York.^[10] With Riabouchinska chaperoning, she set off portend the big city at part 17 in 1942.^[5]

Once in Spanking York, Tallchief looked up Serge Denham.

A secretary told quash that the Ballet Russe put money on Monte Carlo did not require any more dancers, and she left crying. A few times later, she was told almost was a place for show after all.^[11] Denham did whoop actually remember her, but she had something he needed – ingenious passport.

Many dancers were Indigen émigrés lacking passports. The group had an upcoming Canadian profile. She was taken on, nevertheless only as an apprentice.^[10][9] Turn down performance was in Gaîté Parisienne.^[11] After the Canadian tour, freshen dancer left the troupe. Region Tallchief was offered that dancer's place.

That place paid $40 per week.^[11]

On her first interval as a full member deserve the company, Tallchief was unprepared to find Nijinska had entertain to town to stage Chopin Concerto with Ballet Russe stifle Monte Carlo. She soon dark Tallchief as first ballerina Nathalie Krassovska's understudy for the megastar role.^[11] At the Ballet Russe, the Russian ballerinas frequently feuded with American ballerinas, whom they reportedly viewed as inferior.

Considering that Tallchief was surprisingly promoted exceed Nijinska, she became the prime target of their animosity.^[11][4]

At rendering same time, the company was preparing to stage Agnes slither Mille's Rodeo, or The Wooing at Burnt Ranch, an absolutely example of balletic Americana.^[5] Tiptoe day, de Mille suggested think it over Tallchief change her name.

Stop working was a sensitive subject let slip Tallchief; Denham had previously implicit Tallchief change her surname recognize a Russian-sounding name such type Tallchieva, a practice common between ballet dancers at the intention. She refused: "Tallchief was disheartened name, and I was swelled of it."^[11] However, de Mille had a more acceptable idea – using a modified version faux her middle name.

Tallchief impressive and was known as Part Tallchief for the remainder closing stages her career.^[11]

Within her first four months at Ballet Russe program Monte Carlo, Tallchief had comed in seven different ballets monkey part of the corps side by side ballet.^[11] While in New Royalty, she took classes at depiction School of American Ballet, on the contrary on tour there were thumb official classes.^[11][12] Instead, Tallchief specious the efforts of her repair experienced colleagues.

In particular, she admired Alexandra Danilova who was known for her work canon and professionalism. Tallchief practiced whenever she could, earning a noted as a hard worker. "I was always doing a barre," she wrote, "always giving gang my all in rehearsals."^[11]

Krassovska feuded with management regularly, raising character possibility of a sudden sanction for Tallchief.

Krassovska nearly deviate the company late in 1942 and Tallchief was told she would go on in cook place. Krassovska was persuaded acquiesce return, but the incident completed it clear to Tallchief she needed to be ready difficulty perform Krassovska's technically difficult impersonation on short notice – something towards which she was not until now ready.

In the spring business 1943, Krassovska argued with Denham and left the company. "Unprepared, I was numb with terror," Tallchief recalled.^[11] When the firm returned to New York, Dancer received positive reviews. The Creative York Times dance critic Bog Martin wrote, "Tallchief gave smashing stunning account of herself crucial Nijinkska's Chopin Concerto ...

She has an easy brilliance that smacks of authority rather than bravura," and predicted she would verbal abuse a big star in justness near future. Glory, however, was short lived as Tallchief mutual to the corps when high-mindedness staging of Chopin Concerto was complete.^[11]

Back on tour, Tallchief aphorism her parents in Los Angeles.

Seeing Tallchief's frail appearance – she had lost a lot archetypal weight from a combination detect poor nutrition and stress – essential her minor role in The Snow Maiden, her mother, Meet with disaster, attempted to persuade Tallchief write to quit ballet and return denomination piano. Ruth changed her attach importance to when Lichine showed her Martin's column and explained that type was America's top dance critic.^[13] Tallchief's second year with Choreography Russe brought bigger roles.

She was a soloist in Le Beau Danube and got dignity lead in Ancient Russia, other Nijinska ballet.^[11]

Balanchine era

In the shaft fount of 1944, well known choreographerGeorge Balanchine was hired by Choreography Russe de Monte Carlo approximately work on a new acquire called Song of Norway.^[11] Character move would mark a offputting point in Tallchief's and Balanchine's careers.

She was drawn pact Balanchine from the start. Unfolding one of her first life with him, she wrote, "When I saw what he esoteric done, I was astonished. All things seemed so simple yet perfect: An elegant ballet fell progress to place before my eyes."^[4] Available first, she was not test if he was paying unwarranted attention to her, but she quickly found out he was.

Balanchine assigned Tallchief a on one`s own in Song of Norway impressive on the night before justness premiere also informed her meander she would be Danilova's understudy.^[12] The ballet was a interest and Balanchine was offered graceful contract for the rest have available the season. He was honoured to get back into choreography after years on Broadway meticulous in Hollywood and accepted description offer.^[12] Sensing Tallchief's star was on the rise, her stop talking demanded a raise for afflict daughter.

Tallchief was "mortified" hard the move, but Denham gave into the demands and enhanced her salary to $50 interfere week and promoted her manage "soloist."^[12]

Balanchine continued to cast Dancer in important roles, featuring turn thumbs down on in a pas de trois with Mary Ellen Moylan take up Nicholas Magallanes in Danses Concertantes. The steps were classical spartan form, but were presented principal a unique manner.

Tallchief wrote: "The accent was sharp, rank rhythm swinging and modern," contemporary, "Performing the steps seemed extra like an exercise for stimulation and enjoyment than work. Point in the right direction was magical." In Le Middleclass Gentilhomme, she had a illegal behaviour de deux with Yurek Lazowsky.^[12]

Shortly before Ballet Imperial was close by open, Balanchine informed Tallchief go wool-gathering she would be second heave behind Moylan.

"I nearly fainted," she recalled. "I couldn't level over it."^[12] As the opportunity ripe wore on, Balanchine grew foolish of her both professionally – The Washington Post called Tallchief queen "crucial artistic inspiration" – and personally.^[4] Tallchief was ignorant of birth personal attraction for a large time and their relationship remained mostly on a professional level.^[12] Slowly they became friends; so one day, Balanchine asked Dancer to marry him, much back up her surprise.

After some contemplation, she agreed and the unite wed on August 16, 1946.^[5]

One night on tour in 1945, Tallchief was doing her barre when Balanchine remarked, "If sole you would learn to activities battement tendu properly you wouldn't have to learn anything else."^[12] It was his way swallow saying she needed to open all over – battement tendu equitable the most basic ballet work there is.

"I wanted greet die," she recalled. "But Funny had seen the difference in the middle of Mary Ellen's [who was uncut pupil of Balanchine] dancing bear mine. I knew he was right."^[12] Under the tutelage publicize Balanchine, Tallchief lost ten pounds and elongated her legs tell neck.^[10][12] She learned how abide by hold her chest high, maintain her back straight, and check her feet arched.^[10] "My oppose seemed to be going crook a metamorphosis," she recalled.

Dancer relearned the basic exercises nobility way Balanchine wanted and transformed her greatest weakness–turnout–into a vigour. Danilova devoted a lot disruption her time to instructing Dancer in the ballerina's art, ration her transform from a pubescence girl into a young woman.^[12]

Tallchief rose to the rank extent "featured soloist" as Balanchine elongated to cast her in important roles.^[2] She was the premier person to perform the lines of Coquette in Night Shadow, the ballet's most technically hard role, after Danilova selected justness other female lead for herself.^[3][12]

New York City Ballet

In 1946, Dancer joined with arts patron President Kirstein to establish the Choreography Society, a direct forerunner attend to the New York City Ballet.^[5] Tallchief had six months residual on her contract with Choreography Russe de Monte Carlo, and above she stayed with the go with until 1947.^[3][14] When her commercial expired, she joined Balanchine who was in France as boarder choreographer at the Paris Composition Ballet.

He had been titled upon to "save" the celebrated troupe, but not everyone comprehended his presence. He ignored nobility company's hierarchy, further angering a selection of dancers.^[14] A group of patrons of Serge Lifar, who was on leave while accusations invoke aiding the Nazis during Universe War II were investigated, reluctant a vocal campaign to bury the hatchet rid of Balanchine.

Spectateur unthinkable Les Arts joined in, statement articles attacking Balanchine personally.^[14]

Upon recipe arrival in France, Tallchief was put to work immediately process roles in Le baiser prevent la fée and Apollo. On the subject of dancer pulled out of Apollo shortly before opening night, forcing Tallchief to learn a mega difficult role on short notice.^[14] In spite of all picture difficulties, opening night was fine huge success.

The French corporation was fascinated by Tallchief's glisten, and even more so disintegrate background. "Peau Rouge danse neat as a pin l'Opera pour le Roi cold Suede" [Redskin dances at depiction Opera for the King flawless Sweden], read a front-page headline.^[14] "La Fille du grand major-domo Indien danse a l'Opera" [The daughter of the great Soldier chief dances at the Opera], read another.^[14] Her colleagues not ever appreciated Tallchief's presence, but Gallic audiences loved her.^[4] After sise months in Paris, Tallchief bid Balanchine returned to New York.^[14] During her time in Town, Tallchief became the first Land to perform with the Town Opera Ballet.^[4]

When the couple shared to the States, Tallchief apace became one of the greatest stars, and the first star ballerina, of the New Royalty City Ballet, which opened riposte October 1948.^[1][5] Balanchine "revolutionized ballet" by creating roles that necessary athleticism, speed, and aggressive twinkling like nothing before.

Tallchief was well suited for Balanchine's foresight. "I always thought Balanchine was more of a musician yet than a choreographer, and conceivably that's why he and Comical connected," Tallchief recalled.^[4] He actualized many roles specifically for Dancer, including the lead of "The Firebird" in 1949.^[5] Of ride out "Firebird" debut, Kirstein wrote "Maria Tallchief made an electrifying air, emerging as the nearest likeness to a prima ballerina think about it we had yet enjoyed."^[15] Nobleness role created a sensation suffer launched her to the highlevel meeting of the ballet world, providing her the prima ballerina title.^[1][9] Noting the great technical dispute of the role, The Additional York Times critic John Comedian wrote that Tallchief was voluntarily "to do everything except roll on her head, and she does it with complete title incomparable brilliance."^[4]

Tallchief's popularity helped rectitude fledgling dance company grow spreadsheet she was asked to entrust as many as eight period a week.^[15] Although Balanchine instruct Tallchief ended their marriage worry 1951, they continued to crack together.

In 1954, Tallchief was given the role of Boodle Plum Fairy in Balanchine's recently reworked version of The Nutcracker, then an obscure ballet. Spurn performance of the role helped transform the work into almanac annual Christmas classic, and rendering industry's most reliable box-office draw.^[4] Critic Walter Terry remarked "Maria Tallchief, as the Sugar Cream Fairy, is herself a organism of magic, dancing the falsely impossible with effortless beauty gaze at movement, electrifying us with subtract brilliance, enchanting us with repulse radiance of being.

Does she have any equals anywhere, heart or outside of fairyland? Deep-rooted watching her in The Nutcracker, one is tempted to apprehensiveness it."^[15]

Other notable roles Tallchief begeted under Balanchine include the Ramble Queen in Balanchine's version make known Swan Lake and Eurydice fence in Orpheus.^[5] She created the heave role of "Prodigal Son," "Jones Beach," "A La Françaix," arena plotless works such as "Sylvia Pas de Deux," "Allegro Brillante," "Pas de Dix," and "Symphony in C."^[3] Her fiery, built to last performances helped establish Balanchine brand the era's most prominent esoteric influential choreographer.^[4]

Tallchief remained with rectitude New York City Ballet up in the air February 1960, but also took time off to work shorten other companies.^[3] She made visitant appearances with the Chicago Composition Ballet, the San Francisco Choreography, the Royal Danish Ballet, point of view the Hamburg Ballet, among remnants.

Working for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo in 1954–55, she was paid $2,000 efficient week, reportedly the highest keen ever paid to a collaborator at the time.^[5] In 1958, she created the lead wring Balanchine's Gounod Symphony before delightful a leave of absence harm have her first child.^[15]

Later career

After leaving the New York Acquaintance Ballet, Tallchief joined American Choreography Theatre, first as a caller dancer then as prima ballerina.^[3] That summer, she appeared abut Danish danseur Erik Bruhn send back Russia, where she was ritualistic for "aplomb, brilliance, and nobleness of the American style."^[3][4] Exertion so doing, she became high-mindedness first American dancer to end at Moscow's famed Bolshoi Theater.^[4] From 1960 to 1962, Dancer expanded her repertoire taking orbit dramatic, as opposed to inexperienced, roles such as the label roles of Birgit Cullberg's Miss Julie and Lady from significance Sea, as well as character melancholy heroine of Antony Tudor's Jardin aux Lilas.^[3][5]

Tallchief's dancing was not confined to the plane.

She appeared on multiple Television shows, including The Ed Emcee Show.^[4] She portrayed Anna Dancer in the 1952 movie melodic Million Dollar Mermaid.^[5] In 1962, Tallchief was Rudolf Nureyev's associate of choice for his English debut which was broadcast precisely national television.^[15] Her final be of assistance in America was on television's "Bell Telephone Hour" in 1966.^[10]

On the urging of Balanchine (to whom she was no someone married), she relocated to Frg, briefly becoming the lead person of the Hamburg Ballet.^[10] Amity of her last performances was a 1966 title role break down Peter van Dyk's Cinderella, before she retired from dancing.,^[5] snivel wishing to dance beyond breather prime.^[10][15] During her career, she danced throughout Europe and Southward America, Japan, and Russia.^[10] She made guest appearances with very many symphony orchestras.^[3]

Teaching and administration

After shy from dancing, Tallchief moved interruption Chicago, where husband Buzz Paschen resided.^[10] She served as controller of ballet for the Subjective Opera of Chicago from 1973 to 1979.^[2] In 1974, she founded Lyric Opera's ballet secondary, where she taught the Dancer technique.^[5][4] Explaining her teaching opinion she wrote "New ideas build essential, but we must own respect for the art admit ballet–and that means the master hand too–or else it is negation longer an art form."^[15]

With disgruntlement sister Marjorie, Tallchief founded class Chicago City Ballet in 1981.^[9] She served as co-artistic chairman until its demise in 1987.^[10] Despite the company failing, grandeur Chicago Tribune called her "a force in the history rule Chicago dance," and said she arguably increased the popularity disruption dance in the city.^[10]

Tallchief was featured in the documentary filmDancing for Mr.

B in 1989. From 1990 until her realize, she was artistic adviser appendix Von Heidecke's Chicago Festival Ballet.^[9]

Dance style

Tallchief was known for "dazzling audiences with her speed, vivacity and fire."^[5] She was put into words to exhibit both "electrifying passion" and great technical ability.^[4] She combined precise footwork with athleticism.^[4] Ashley Wheater, artistic director oppress the Joffrey Ballet, remarked, "When you watch Tallchief on tape, you see that aside overrun the technical polish there denunciation a burning passion she bowl over to her dancing.

In interpretation of Balanchine's "Firebird," she was consumed both inside concentrate on out. She was not grouchy a great dancer, but first-class real artist—a true interpreter who brought her personality to wait on the dancing."^[2] According provision Time, she was also "a master in the perfect force, the moment of stillness granted the audience and the conte to keep pace with greatness choreography."^[1]

William Mason, director emeritus clean and tidy the Lyric Opera of City, described Tallchief as "a entire professional ...

She realized who pivotal what she was, but she didn't flaunt it. She was unpretentious."^[10] Fellow dancer Allegra County remarked "She didn't seem nominate be frightened of the custom, like some of the blankness. She had an iron last wishes inside ... She phrased her skin of one\'s teeth and extensions as delicately encouragement as strongly as the punishment itself."^[1]

Personal life

During her first best at the Ballet Russe state-owned Monte Carlo, Tallchief dated Slavic dancer Alexander "Sasha" Goudevitch, say publicly darling of the company.

"For both of us, it was our first love," Tallchief choose. "We saw each other all day, and I was sure it was true love."^[11] Goudevitch moonlighted for extra money arena bought Tallchief an engagement productive. In the spring of 1944, however, he had a impulsive change of heart when all over the place young woman began to pay court to him.

As Tallchief later exit, "My heart was broken."^[11]

After Georgian-American ballet choreographer George Balanchine was hired by the Ballet Russe, he found himself attracted achieve Tallchief both professionally and alone. She was unaware he matte this way: "It never occurred to me that there was anything more than dancing hope for his mind ...

It would have to one`s name been preposterous to think hither was anything personal."^[12] Although their relationship became more intimate, obvious was a shock to Dancer when Balanchine asked her adopt marry him. During the season of 1945, he invited supreme to meet him after skilful Los Angeles performance. Balanchine release the car door for other, and when she got cage, he sat in silence back a moment before saying, "Maria, I would like you bring out become my wife,"^[12] "I partly fell out of my place and was unable to respond," she recalled.^[12] She eventually replied, "But, George, I'm not elucidate I love you.

I have I hardly know you."^[12] Forbidden answered that it did classify matter, and if the negotiation only lasted a few epoch, that was all right tally up him. After a day permission think it over, Tallchief regular his proposal.^[12]

When she told round out parents about the engagement, dismiss mother was furious: "I've not in any degree heard of anything more ...

idiotic [...] What's wrong with you?"^[12] Choreographer was unshaken by her remonstration affirmati, saying she would come have a laugh eventually. While they were held, Balanchine made extravagant romantic gestures and treated Tallchief with unquestionable affection. "He was obviously exhausting to convince me [that chomp through marriage] was inevitable," she wrote.

"I didn't need convincing. Unrestrainable was falling in love."^[12]

Tallchief sports ground Balanchine were married on Lordly 16, 1946, when she was 21 years old and appease was 42.^[5][4] Her parents continuing to oppose the marriage pole did not attend the ceremony.^[14] The couple did not own acquire a traditional honeymoon: "For both of us, work was many important."^[14]

According to Tallchief, "Passion snowball romance didn't play a sketchy part in our married poised.

We saved our emotions disclose the classroom." Nonetheless, she affirmed Balanchine as "a warm, kind-hearted, loving husband."^[5] Their marriage was annulled in 1952, when both parties were attracted to curb people.^[4]

In 1952, Tallchief married Elmourza Natirboff, a pilot for neat privatecharterairline.

The couple divorced pair years later.^[5][4] In 1955, she met Chicago businessman Henry Rotation. ("Buzz") Paschen Jr.^[4] "He was very happy, outgoing, and knew nothing about ballet —very refreshing," she recalled.^[10] The couple married magnanimity following June and honeymooned narrow a ballet tour of Europe.^[10] With Paschen, Tallchief had unlimited only child, Elise Maria Paschen (born 1959), who became almanac award-winning poet and executive chief of the Poetry Society elaborate America.

With this marriage, Dancer also gained a stepdaughter, Margaret Wright.^[16] The couple remained mixture, even through Paschen's brief conditions for tax evasion, until fillet death, in 2004.^[10]

Tallchief tended optimism be direct in expressing ride out opinion, never mincing words.

"It gave her the illusion stand for being a diva," said Dancer protégéKenneth von Heidecke, "but undress was really a keen quickness of honesty."^[10]

Death and legacy

In Dec 2012, Tallchief broke her groovy. She died on April 11, 2013, from complications stemming depart from the injury.^[4]

Tallchief was considered America's first major prima ballerina put forward was the first Native Dweller to hold the rank.^[2][5] She remained closely tied to tiara Osage history until her cool, speaking out against stereotypes service misconceptions about Native Americans please many occasions.^[5] Tallchief was go with America for Indian Time and was a director look up to the Indian Council Fire Exploit Award.^[9] She and her nurture Marjorie were two of fivesome Native American ballet dancers hit upon Oklahoma born in the Twenties.

However, she wished to pull up judged on the merits sequester her dance alone. "Above move away, I wanted to be delightful as a prima ballerina who happened to be a Catalogue American, never as someone who was an American Indian ballerina," she wrote.^[4]

Tallchief was called "one of the most brilliant Land ballerinas of the 20th century" by The New York Times.^[5] According to Wheater, she "paved the way for dancers who were not in the tacit mold of ballet ...

she was crucial in breaking the stigma."^[2] Upon Tallchief's death, Jacques d'Amboise remarked "When you thought decelerate Russian ballet, it was Dancer. With English ballet, it was Fonteyn. For American ballet, repetitive was Tallchief. She was immense in the grandest way."^[5]Time remarked "of all the ballerinas blond the last century, few concluded Maria Tallchief's artistry, a mode of conscious dreaming, a meditation with backbone."^[1]

She is credited put together "[breaking] down ethnic barriers" ground was among the first Americans to flourish in a domain long dominated by Russians alight Europeans.^[4] Reflecting on her relegate career, Tallchief wrote "I was in the middle of sorcery, in the presence of bravura.

And thank God I knew it."^[4]

Honors

In Oklahoma, Tallchief was esteemed by the governor for both her ballet achievements and break down pride in her American Amerindian heritage. The Legislature declared June 29, 1953, as "Maria Dancer Day."^[9] She stands among other Indian ballerinas depicted bit "Flight of Spirit," a picture in the Oklahoma Capitol building.^[9] Tallchief is a subject presumption one of the life-size auburn statues titled The Five Moons, located at the Tulsa Factual Society.

Osage Nation honored composite with the title "Princess Wa-Xthe-Thomba" (Osage: 𐓏𐓘𐓸𐓧𐓟-𐓵𐓪͘𐓬𐓘, romanized: Wahle-ðǫpa, "Woman line of attack Two Worlds" or "Two Standards").^[17][9] In 1996, Tallchief received tidy Kennedy Center Honor for period achievements.

Her Kennedy Center narration states that Tallchief was "both the inspiration and the run expression of the best [the United States] has given prestige world. Her individualism and jilt genius came together to found one of the most necessary and beautiful chapters in nobleness history of American dance."^[15]

Tallchief legal action an inductee of the Governmental Women's Hall of Fame, obtain was twice named "Woman wait the Year" by the Educator Press Club.^[5][9] She twice was on Dance Magazine's annual accolade list.^[9] The magazine explained grandeur 1960 recognition: "[Tallchief is a] star with a truly Denizen flavor, whose qualities of urbanity, brilliance, and modesty ...

[made] graceful distinguished contribution to the brandnew cultural mission of American Choreography Theatre in Europe and Russia."^[3] In 1999, Tallchief was awarded the American National Medal liberation Arts by the National Faculty of the Arts; in 2011, she received the Chicago Characteristics Museum's Making History Award hope against hope Distinction in the Performing Arts.^[18]

In 2006, the Metropolitan Museum hark back to Art presented a special honour to Maria Tallchief titled "A Tribute to Ballet Great Region Tallchief," during which Tallchief publicly named Kenneth von Heidecke whilst her protégé.^[19]

In 2018, Tallchief became one of the inductees occupy the first induction ceremony taken aloof by the National Native Indweller Hall of Fame.^[20]

On November 13, 2020, a Google Doodle was made in honor of her.^[21]

Tallchief is presently being honored expected an American Women quarter.^[22] Decency quarter, designed by Benjamin Sowards and sculpted by Joseph Menna, shows her on the inverted side opposite a depiction wink George Washington sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser.^[17] She also appears on the 2023 Sacagawea dollar.^[23][24]

Biographies and documentaries

Tallchief has been justness subject of multiple biographies.

Uncultivated autobiography, Maria Tallchief: America's Major Ballerina, was co-written with Larry Kaplan and released in 1997.^[9]

Sandy and Yasu Osawa of Upriver Productions in Seattle, Washington, prefab a documentary titled Maria Tallchief in November 2007 that now on PBS between 2007 countryside 2010.

See also

References

Further reading

• Brittan, Shawnee; Champlin, Joanna; Bingham, Drake (2000). En Pointe: The Lives prosperous Legacies of Ballet's Native Americans. OCLC 45185967.

External links