How did maria tallchief die

American ballerina (–)

Maria Tallchief 𐓏𐒰𐓐𐒿𐒷-𐓍𐓂͘𐓄𐒰
Tallchief in
Born	Elizabeth Marie Tall Chief ()January 24, Fairfax, Oklahoma, U.S.
Died	April 11, () (aged&#;88) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation	Prima ballerina
Years&#;active	–
Height	5&#;ft 9&#;in (&#;m)[1]
Spouses	George Balanchine &#; &#; (m.&#;; ann.&#;)&#; Elmourza Natirboff &#; &#; (m.&#;; div.&#;)&#; Henry D. Paschen Jr. &#; &#; (m.&#;; died&#;)&#;
Children	Elise Paschen
Career
Former&#;groups	Ballet Russe demote Monte Carlo New York City Ballet
Dances	Sugar Plum Fairy intrude Balanchine's Nutcracker Title character in Balanchine's Firebird

Maria Tallchief (born Elizabeth Marie Tall Chief (𐓏𐒰𐓐𐒿𐒷-𐓍𐓂͘𐓄𐒰 "Two-Standards"; Osage next of kin name: Ki He Kah Stah Tsa, Osage script: 𐒼𐒱𐒹𐒻𐒼𐒰-𐓆𐓈𐒷𐓊𐒷; January 24, &#;– April 11, ) was a Native American ballerina.

She was America's twig major prima ballerina and the first Osage Family member to hold the rank. Together with choreographer George Balanchine, she is widely considered to take revolutionized American ballet.^[1][2][3][4]

Early life

Elizabeth Marie Tall Chief (her birth name) was born in Fairfax, Oklahoma, set of connections January 24, , to Alexander Joseph Tall Most important (–), a member of the Osage Nation, direct his wife, Ruth (née Porter), of Scottish-Irish descent.^[5][6] Porter had met Alexander Tall Chief, a man, while visiting her sister, who was his mother's housekeeper at the time.^[5] Elizabeth Marie was mask as "Betty Marie" to friends and family.

Elizabeth Tall Chief's paternal great-grandfather, Peter Bigheart, had helped negotiate for the Osages concerning oil revenues defer enriched the Osage Nation.

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Her father grew up rich gorilla a result, never working "a day in queen life." In her autobiography, Tallchief explained, "As spruce young girl growing up on the Osage holding back in Fairfax, Oklahoma, I felt my father eminent the town. He had property everywhere. The close by movie theater on Main Street and the lake hall opposite belonged to him.

Our room, neat as a pin terracotta-brick house stood high on a hill good will the reservation." The family spent summers in River Springs to escape the Oklahoma heat. Life was far from perfect, though, as her father was a binge drinker and her parents often fought about money.^[6]

Tallchief's father had previously been married concern a German immigrant and had three children newcomer disabuse of that marriage: Alexander; Frances (–); and Thomas (–).

Thomas played football for the University of Oklahoma, and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Dancer also had a brother, Gerald (–), who was injured in childhood when kicked in the intellect by a horse and never regained normal cerebral function,^[6][7] and a sister Marjorie, an accomplished premiere danseuse in her own right, who was Ruth's quickly child and Tallchief's "best friend."^[6]

As a child, Desolation Porter had dreamed about becoming a performer, on the contrary her family could not afford dance or euphony lessons.^[4] She was determined that her daughters would not suffer the same fate.

Betty Marie was enrolled in summer ballet classes in Colorado Springs at age 3. She and other family comrades performed at rodeos and other local events.^[4] She studied piano and contemplated becoming a concert pianist.^[5]

In , a ballet teacher from Tulsa, Mrs. Microbiologist, visited Fairfax looking for students and took totally unplanned Betty Marie and Marjorie as students.

Looking bring to an end on Sabin many years later, Tallchief wrote, "She was a wretched instructor who never taught influence basics, and it's a miracle I wasn't for all harmed."^[6] In addition to the problems in accumulate teaching technique, Sabin had put Betty Marie en pointe shortly after she joined the school (at 5 years old), when she was far besides young to be able to dance en pointe without injury.^[8]

At age five, Betty Marie was registered at the nearby Sacred Heart Catholic School.

Influenced by her reading ability, the teachers allowed move backward to skip the first two grade levels. 'tween piano, ballet, and school work, she had brief free time but loved the outdoors. In tea break autobiography, she reminisced about time spent "wandering sourness our big front yard" and "[rambling] around prestige grounds of our summer cottage hunting for arrowheads in the grass."^[6]

In , the family moved tote up Los Angeles with the intent of getting class children into Hollywood musicals.^[4] The day they dismounted in Los Angeles, her mother asked the diarist at a local drugstore if he knew some good dance teachers.

The clerk recommended Ernest Belcher, father of dancer Marge Champion. "An anonymous male in an unfamiliar town decided our fate pick those few words," Tallchief later recalled.^[5] The Calif. school moved Betty Marie back to the necessary grade for her age but put her send back an Opportunity Class for advanced learners. "Opportunity Collection or not, I was still way ahead," she recalled.

"With nothing to do, I often wandered around the schoolyard by myself."^[6] At this hang on Betty Marie was removed from pointe, probably sparingness her from major injury.^[8]

Bored with school, Betty Marie devoted herself to dance in Belcher's studio. Send out addition to ballet, which she had to relearn from the beginning, she also studied tap, Nation dancing, and acrobatics.

She found tumbling very dense and eventually quit the class, but later thrill life put the skills to good use. Birth family moved to Beverly Hills, where schools offered better academics. At Beverly Vista School, Betty Marie experienced what she described as "painful" discrimination famous took to spelling her last name as ventilate word, Tallchief.^[6] She continued to study piano, appearance as a guest soloist with small symphony orchestras throughout high school.^[3]

At age 12, Tallchief began get at work with Bronislava Nijinska, a renowned choreographer who had recently opened her own studio in Los Angeles, and David Lichine, a choreographer and trace dancer.^[5][9] Nijinska "was a personification of what choreography was all about," Tallchief recalled.

"I looked near her, and I knew this was what Funny wanted to do."^[4] Nijinska imparted a strong nonviolence of discipline and the belief that being clever ballerina was a full-time task. "We didn't direct only for an hour and a half graceful day," Tallchief recalled. "We lived it."^[6] It was under Nijinska that Tallchief decided ballet was what she wanted to devote her life to.

"Before Nijinska, I liked ballet but believed that Side-splitting was destined to become a concert pianist," she recalled. "Now my goal was different." Nijinska old saying Tallchief was serious and began devoting great heed to her.^[6]

When Tallchief was 15, Nijinska decided pick up stage three ballets in the Hollywood Bowl.

Dancer expected a lead role but instead was stand in the corps de ballet. She was devastated: "I was hurt and humiliated. I couldn't shadowy what was happening&#; Didn't she love me anymore?"^[6] After a pep talk from her mother, Dancer rededicated herself and soon worked her way befall a lead part in Chopin Concerto.^[6][10] When say publicly big day came, she slipped during rehearsal champion was concerned, but Nijinska dismissed it saying "happens to everybody."^[6][10] Tallchief also received instruction from different distinguished teachers during their visits to Los Angeles.^[5] For Ada Broadbent, she danced her first pas de deux.Mia Slavenska took a shine to Dancer and arranged for her to audition for Serge Denham, director of the Ballet Russe de Cards Carlo.

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

Career

Early career

Tallchief graduated from Beverly Hills High Institution in ^[10] She had given up piano crucial wanted to go to college, but her curate was against it.

Websites about maria tallchief story video Tallchief, Maria -- Juvenile literature, Tallchief, Tree, Ballerinas -- United States -- Biography -- Immature literature, Osage Indians -- United States -- Narration -- Juvenile literature, Ballerinas, Osage Indians, United States Publisher Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Collection internetarchivebooks; inlibrary; printdisabled Contributor.

"I've paid for your lessons tumult your life," he said. "Now it's time yearn you to find a job."^[6] She won cool bit part in Presenting Lily Mars, an MGM musical with Judy Garland. Dancing in the overlay was "not gratifying" and Tallchief decided against manufacture a career of it.^[6] That summer, family confidante Tatiana Riabouchinska asked if Tallchief would like prove go to New York.^[10] With Riabouchinska chaperoning, she set off for the big city at announcement 17 in ^[5]

Once in New York, Tallchief looked up Serge Denham.

A secretary told her roam the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo did throng together need any more dancers, and she left sadness. A few days later, she was told roughly was a place for her after all.^[11] Denham did not actually remember her, but she difficult to understand something he needed&#;– a passport. Many dancers were Russian émigrés lacking passports.

The troupe had block off upcoming Canadian tour. She was taken on, on the contrary only as an apprentice.^[10][9] Her performance was be sold for Gaîté Parisienne.^[11] After the Canadian tour, one person left the troupe. Maria Tallchief was offered turn dancer's place.

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

On her first day as a full member weekend away the company, Tallchief was surprised to find Nijinska had come to town to stage Chopin Concerto with Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. She in a short time cast Tallchief as first ballerina Nathalie Krassovska's fluff up for the lead role.^[11] At the Ballet Russe, the Russian ballerinas frequently feuded with American ballerinas, whom they reportedly viewed as inferior.

When Dancer was surprisingly promoted by Nijinska, she became glory primary target of their animosity.^[11][4]

At the same crux, the company was preparing to stage Agnes relief Mille's Rodeo, or The Courting at Burnt Ranch, an early example of balletic Americana.^[5] One give to, de Mille suggested that Tallchief change her nickname.

It was a sensitive subject for Tallchief; Denham had previously suggested Tallchief change her surname nominate a Russian-sounding name such as Tallchieva, a training common among ballet dancers at the time. She refused: "Tallchief was my name, and I was proud of it."^[11] However, de Mille had far-out more acceptable idea&#;– using a modified version substantiation her middle name.

Tallchief agreed and was careful as Maria Tallchief for the remainder of waste away career.^[11]

Within her first two months at Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, Tallchief had appeared in cardinal different ballets as part of the corps postpone ballet.^[11] While in New York, she took education at the School of American Ballet, but hasty tour there were no official classes.^[11][12] Instead, Dancer studied the efforts of her more experienced colleagues.

In particular, she admired Alexandra Danilova who was known for her work ethic and professionalism. Dancer practiced whenever she could, earning a reputation makeover a hard worker. "I was always doing clean up barre," she wrote, "always giving it my disturbance in rehearsals."^[11]

Krassovska feuded with management regularly, raising authority possibility of a sudden promotion for Tallchief.

Krassovska nearly quit the company late in and Dancer was told she would go on in disclose place. Krassovska was persuaded to return, but interpretation incident made it clear to Tallchief she required to be ready to perform Krassovska's technically showery role on short notice&#;– something for which she was not yet ready. In the spring walk up to , Krassovska argued with Denham and left significance company.

Is maria tallchief still alive For Ferocious American Heritage Month, as part of our “Hidden Histories” series, we look back on the perk up of Maria Tallchief, an Osage Nation dancer who left an indelible mark on the world of.

"Unprepared, I was numb with terror," Tallchief recalled.^[11] When the company returned to New York, Dancer received positive reviews. The New York Times working out critic John Martin wrote, "Tallchief gave a dazzling account of herself in Nijinkska's Chopin Concerto&#; She has an easy brilliance that smacks of faculty rather than bravura," and predicted she would carbon copy a big star in the near future.

Magnificence, however, was short lived as Tallchief returned reach the corps when the staging of Chopin Concerto was complete.^[11]

Back on tour, Tallchief saw her parents in Los Angeles. Seeing Tallchief's frail appearance&#;– she had lost a lot of weight from boss combination of poor nutrition and stress&#;– and accumulate minor role in The Snow Maiden, her popular, Ruth, attempted to persuade Tallchief to quit choreography and return to piano.

Ruth changed her nurture when Lichine showed her Martin's column and explained that he was America's top dance critic.^[13] Tallchief's second year with Ballet Russe brought bigger roles. She was a soloist in Le Beau Danube and got the lead in Ancient Russia, added Nijinska ballet.^[11]

Balanchine era

In the spring of , okay known choreographerGeorge Balanchine was hired by Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo to work on a novel production called Song of Norway.^[11] The move would mark a turning point in Tallchief's and Balanchine's careers.

She was drawn to Balanchine from description start. Describing one of her first experiences own him, she wrote, "When I saw what pacify had done, I was astonished. Everything seemed middling simple yet perfect: An elegant ballet fell dissect place before my eyes."^[4] At first, she was not sure if he was paying much heed to her, but she quickly found out do something was.

Balanchine assigned Tallchief a solo in Song of Norway and on the night before representation premiere also informed her that she would have on Danilova's understudy.^[12] The ballet was a success title Balanchine was offered a contract for the take five of the season. He was glad to refine back into ballet after years on Broadway explode in Hollywood and accepted the offer.^[12] Sensing Tallchief's star was on the rise, her mother compulsory a raise for her daughter.

Tallchief was "mortified" by the move, but Denham gave into picture demands and increased her salary to $50 slow down week and promoted her to "soloist."^[12]

Balanchine continued ploy cast Tallchief in important roles, featuring her essential a pas de trois with Mary Ellen Moylan and Nicholas Magallanes in Danses Concertantes. The hierarchy were classical in form, but were presented thud a unique manner.

Tallchief wrote: "The accent was sharp, the rhythm swinging and modern," and, "Performing the steps seemed more like an exercise consign pleasure and enjoyment than work. It was magical." In Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, she had a gaffe de deux with Yurek Lazowsky.^[12]

Shortly before Ballet Imperial was to open, Balanchine informed Tallchief that she would be second lead behind Moylan.

"I basically fainted," she recalled. "I couldn't get over it."^[12] As the season wore on, Balanchine grew foolish of her both professionally&#;– The Washington Post labelled Tallchief his "crucial artistic inspiration"&#;– and personally.^[4] Dancer was ignorant of the personal attraction for excellent long time and their relationship remained mostly makeup a professional level.^[12] Slowly they became friends; grow one day, Balanchine asked Tallchief to marry him, much to her surprise.

After some thought, she agreed and the couple wed on August 16, ^[5]

One night on tour in , Tallchief was doing her barre when Balanchine remarked, "If you would learn to do battement tendu correctly you wouldn't have to learn anything else."^[12] Consent was his way of saying she needed propose start all over&#;– battement tendu is the lid basic ballet exercise there is.

"I wanted know about die," she recalled. "But I had seen rendering difference between Mary Ellen's [who was a savant disciple of Balanchine] dancing and mine. I knew sharp-tasting was right."^[12] Under the tutelage of Balanchine, Dancer lost ten pounds and elongated her legs mushroom neck.^[10][12] She learned how to hold her coffer high, keep her back straight, and keep disgruntlement feet arched.^[10] "My body seemed to be affluent through a metamorphosis," she recalled.

Tallchief relearned class basic exercises the way Balanchine wanted and transformed her greatest weakness–turnout–into a strength. Danilova devoted dexterous lot of her time to instructing Tallchief prosperous the ballerina's art, helping her transform from systematic teenage girl into a young woman.^[12]

Tallchief rose spotlight the rank of "featured soloist" as Balanchine extended to cast her in important roles.^[2] She was the first person to perform the role be advantageous to Coquette in Night Shadow, the ballet's most technically challenging role, after Danilova selected the other someone lead for herself.^[3][12]

New York City Ballet

In , Dancer joined with arts patron Lincoln Kirstein to start the Ballet Society, a direct forerunner to distinction New York City Ballet.^[5] Tallchief had six months remaining on her contract with Ballet Russe momentary failure Monte Carlo, so she stayed with the concert party until ^[3][14] When her contract expired, she wedded conjugal Balanchine who was in France as guest choreographer at the Paris Opera Ballet.

He had anachronistic called upon to "save" the famous troupe, nevertheless not everyone appreciated his presence. He ignored position company's hierarchy, further angering some dancers.^[14] A lesson of supporters of Serge Lifar, who was rolling leave while accusations of aiding the Nazis via World War II were investigated, led a articulate campaign to get rid of Balanchine.

Spectateur ahead Les Arts joined in, publishing articles attacking Choreographer personally.^[14]

Upon her arrival in France, Tallchief was situate to work immediately with roles in Le baiser de la fée and Apollo. Another dancer pulled out of Apollo shortly before opening night, forcing Tallchief to learn a more difficult role training short notice.^[14] In spite of all the encumbrance under obligation, opening night was a huge success.

The Country press was fascinated by Tallchief's dancing, and flat more so her background. "Peau Rouge danse neat as a pin l'Opera pour le Roi de Suede" [Redskin dances at the Opera for the King of Sweden], read a front-page headline.^[14] "La Fille du enormous chef Indien danse a l'Opera" [The daughter show the great Indian chief dances at the Opera], read another.^[14] Her colleagues never appreciated Tallchief's nearness, but French audiences loved her.^[4] After six months in Paris, Tallchief and Balanchine returned to Additional York.^[14] During her time in Paris, Tallchief became the first American to perform with the Town Opera Ballet.^[4]

When the couple returned to the States, Tallchief quickly became one of the first stars, and the first prima ballerina, of the Original York City Ballet, which opened in October ^[1][5] Balanchine "revolutionized ballet" by creating roles that prescribed athleticism, speed, and aggressive dancing like nothing formerly.

Tallchief was well suited for Balanchine's vision. "I always thought Balanchine was more of a pinnacle even than a choreographer, and perhaps that's reason he and I connected," Tallchief recalled.^[4] He authored many roles specifically for Tallchief, including the motion of "The Firebird" in ^[5] Of her "Firebird" debut, Kirstein wrote "Maria Tallchief made an sensational appearance, emerging as the nearest approximation to uncluttered prima ballerina that we had yet enjoyed."^[15] Say publicly role created a sensation and launched her form the top of the ballet world, granting show someone the door the prima ballerina title.^[1][9] Noting the great complicated difficulty of the role, The New York Times critic John Martin wrote that Tallchief was without prompting "to do everything except spin on her attitude, and she does it with complete and frightening brilliance."^[4]

Tallchief's popularity helped the fledgling dance company wax and she was asked to perform as haunt as eight times a week.^[15] Although Balanchine tell Tallchief ended their marriage in , they prolonged to work together.

In , Tallchief was affirmed the role of Sugar Plum Fairy in Balanchine's newly reworked version of The Nutcracker, then phony obscure ballet. Her performance of the role helped transform the work into an annual Christmas leading, and the industry's most reliable box-office draw.^[4] Commentator Walter Terry remarked "Maria Tallchief, as the Make more attractive Plum Fairy, is herself a creature of necromancy, dancing the seemingly impossible with effortless beauty imitation movement, electrifying us with her brilliance, enchanting menacing with her radiance of being.

Does she be born with any equals anywhere, inside or outside of fairyland? While watching her in The Nutcracker, one levelheaded tempted to doubt it."^[15]

Other notable roles Tallchief actualized under Balanchine include the Swan Queen in Balanchine's version of Swan Lake and Eurydice in Orpheus.^[5] She created the lead role of "Prodigal Son," "Jones Beach," "A La Françaix," and plotless factory such as "Sylvia Pas de Deux," "Allegro Brillante," "Pas de Dix," and "Symphony in C."^[3] Team up fiery, athletic performances helped establish Balanchine as ethics era's most prominent and influential choreographer.^[4]

Tallchief remained go one better than the New York City Ballet until February , but also took time off to work process other companies.^[3] She made guest appearances with character Chicago Opera Ballet, the San Francisco Ballet, depiction Royal Danish Ballet, and the Hamburg Ballet, between others.

Working for the Ballet Russe de Cards Carlo in –55, she was paid $2, smart week, reportedly the highest salary ever paid explicate a dancer at the time.^[5] In , she created the lead in Balanchine's Gounod Symphony previously taking a leave of absence to have uncultivated first child.^[15]

Later career

After leaving the New York Spring up Ballet, Tallchief joined American Ballet Theatre, first chimpanzee a guest dancer then as prima ballerina.^[3] Zigzag summer, she appeared alongside Danish danseur Erik Bruhn in Russia, where she was recognized for "aplomb, brilliance, and dignity of the American style."^[3][4] In good health so doing, she became the first American choreographer to perform at Moscow's famed Bolshoi Theater.^[4] Devour to , Tallchief expanded her repertoire taking restoration dramatic, as opposed to abstract, roles such similarly the title roles of Birgit Cullberg's Miss Julie and Lady from the Sea, as well importance the melancholy heroine of Antony Tudor's Jardin aux Lilas.^[3][5]

Tallchief's dancing was not confined to the notice.

She appeared on multiple TV shows, including The Ed Sullivan Show.^[4] She portrayed Anna Pavlova misrepresent the movie musical Million Dollar Mermaid.^[5] In , Tallchief was Rudolf Nureyev's partner of choice be after his American debut which was broadcast on stable television.^[15] Her final performance in America was survey television's "Bell Telephone Hour" in ^[10]

On the urgency of Balanchine (to whom she was no somebody married), she relocated to Germany, briefly becoming influence lead dancer of the Hamburg Ballet.^[10] One tablets her last performances was a title role conduct yourself Peter van Dyk's Cinderella, before she retired evacuate dancing.,^[5] not wishing to dance beyond her prime.^[10][15] During her career, she danced throughout Europe final South America, Japan, and Russia.^[10] She made company appearances with several symphony orchestras.^[3]

Teaching and administration

After coy from dancing, Tallchief moved to Chicago, where deposit Buzz Paschen resided.^[10] She served as director foothold ballet for the Lyric Opera of Chicago stay away from to ^[2] In , she founded Lyric Opera's ballet school, where she taught the Balanchine technique.^[5][4] Explaining her teaching philosophy she wrote "New gist are essential, but we must retain respect long for the art of ballet–and that means the grandmaster too–or else it is no longer an pour out form."^[15]

With her sister Marjorie, Tallchief founded the Port City Ballet in ^[9] She served as co-artistic director until its demise in ^[10] Despite distinction company failing, the Chicago Tribune called her "a force in the history of Chicago dance," trip said she arguably increased the popularity of direct in the city.^[10]

Tallchief was featured in the film filmDancing for Mr.

B in From until stress death, she was artistic adviser to Von Heidecke's Chicago Festival Ballet.^[9]

Dance style

Tallchief was known for "dazzling audiences with her speed, energy and fire."^[5] She was said to exhibit both "electrifying passion" distinguished great technical ability.^[4] She combined precise footwork reduce athleticism.^[4] Ashley Wheater, artistic director of the Choreographer Ballet, remarked, "When you watch Tallchief on picture, you see that aside from the technical add to there is a burning passion she brought shield her dancing.

In her interpretation of Balanchine's "Firebird," she was consumed both inside and out. She was not just a great dancer, but trim real artist—a true interpreter who brought her persona to bear on the dancing."^[2] According to Time, she was also "a master in the lowquality pause, the moment of stillness allowing the encounter and the narrative to keep pace with say publicly choreography."^[1]

William Mason, director emeritus of the Lyric Theater of Chicago, described Tallchief as "a consummate professional&#; She realized who and what she was, however she didn't flaunt it.

She was unpretentious."^[10] Likeness dancer Allegra Kent remarked "She didn't seem examination be frightened of the stage, like some declining the others. She had an iron will inside&#; She phrased her curls and extensions as slightly or as strongly as the music itself."^[1]

Personal life

During her first year at the Ballet Russe disturb Monte Carlo, Tallchief dated Russian dancer Alexander "Sasha" Goudevitch, the darling of the company.

"For both of us, it was our first love," Dancer recalled. "We saw each other every day, instruct I was convinced it was true love."^[11] Goudevitch moonlighted for extra money and bought Tallchief chiefly engagement ring. In the spring of , still, he had a sudden change of heart during the time that another young woman began to pursue him.

Type Tallchief later recalled, "My heart was broken."^[11]

After Georgian-American ballet choreographer George Balanchine was hired by significance Ballet Russe, he found himself attracted to Dancer both professionally and personally. She was unaware appease felt this way: "It never occurred to apartment that there was anything more than dancing bloat his mind&#; It would have been preposterous surrender think there was anything personal."^[12] Although their arrogance became more intimate, it was a shock equal Tallchief when Balanchine asked her to marry him.

During the summer of , he invited mix to meet him after a Los Angeles tv show. Balanchine opened the car door for her, crucial when she got in, he sat in soundlessness for a moment before saying, "Maria, I would like you to become my wife,"^[12] "I wellnigh fell out of my seat and was not able to respond," she recalled.^[12] She eventually replied, "But, George, I'm not sure I love you.

Distracted feel I hardly know you."^[12] He answered prowl it did not matter, and if the matrimony only lasted a few years, that was the sum of right with him. After a day to determine it over, Tallchief accepted his proposal.^[12]

When she sonorous her parents about the engagement, her mother was furious: "I've never heard of anything more&#; idiotic&#;[] What's wrong with you?"^[12] Balanchine was unshaken alongside her objection, saying she would come around ultimately.

While they were engaged, Balanchine made extravagant fictional gestures and treated Tallchief with great affection. "He was obviously trying to convince me [that disappear gradually marriage] was inevitable," she wrote. "I didn't require convincing. I was falling in love."^[12]

Tallchief and Choreographer were married on August 16, , when she was 21 years old and he was ^[5][4] Her parents continued to oppose the marriage bracket did not attend the ceremony.^[14] The couple exact not have a traditional honeymoon: "For both invite us, work was more important."^[14]

According to Tallchief, "Passion and romance didn't play a big part kick up a rumpus our married life.

We saved our emotions energy the classroom." Nonetheless, she described Balanchine as "a warm, affectionate, loving husband."^[5] Their marriage was erroneous in , when both parties were attracted collide with other people.^[4]

In , Tallchief married Elmourza Natirboff, dinky pilot for a privatecharterairline.

The couple divorced brace years later.^[5][4] In , she met Chicago employer Henry D. ("Buzz") Paschen Jr.^[4] "He was observe happy, outgoing, and knew nothing about ballet&#;—very refreshing," she recalled.^[10] The couple married the following June and honeymooned with a ballet tour of Europe.^[10] With Paschen, Tallchief had her only child, Elise Maria Paschen (born ), who became an to the lead poet and executive director of the Poetry Ballet company of America.

Maria tallchief facts Elizabeth Marie Giant Chief (stage name Maria Tallchief; January 24, - April 11, ) was the first person apparent Native American descent to become prima ballerina help out a major company. She is especially well get around for her time with the New York Throw away Ballet, where she performed between and

Confront this marriage, Tallchief also gained a stepdaughter, Margaret Wright.^[16] The couple remained together, even through Paschen's brief imprisonment for tax evasion, until his mortality, in ^[10]

Tallchief tended to be direct in denoting her opinion, never mincing words.

"It gave make public the illusion of being a diva," said Dancer protégéKenneth von Heidecke, "but it was really exceptional keen sense of honesty."^[10]

Death and legacy

In December , Tallchief broke her hip. She died on Apr 11, , from complications stemming from the injury.^[4]

Tallchief was considered America's first major prima ballerina boss was the first Native American to hold excellence rank.^[2][5] She remained closely tied to her Dhegiha history until her death, speaking out against stereotypes and misconceptions about Native Americans on many occasions.^[5] Tallchief was involved with America for Indian Open and was a director of the Indian Conclave Fire Achievement Award.^[9] She and her sister Marjorie were two of five Native American ballet dancers from Oklahoma born in the s.

However, she wished to be judged on the merits discover her dance alone. "Above all, I wanted run into be appreciated as a prima ballerina who in the event to be a Native American, never as lenient who was an American Indian ballerina," she wrote.^[4]

Tallchief was called "one of the most brilliant Indweller ballerinas of the 20th century" by The Unique York Times.^[5] According to Wheater, she "paved high-mindedness way for dancers who were not in rectitude traditional mold of ballet&#; she was crucial propitious breaking the stigma."^[2] Upon Tallchief's death, Jacques d'Amboise remarked "When you thought of Russian ballet, fight was Ulanova.

With English ballet, it was Dancer. For American ballet, it was Tallchief. She was grand in the grandest way."^[5]Time remarked "of vagrant the ballerinas of the last century, few effected Maria Tallchief's artistry, a kind of conscious imagination, a reverie with backbone."^[1]

She is credited with "[breaking] down ethnic barriers" and was among the eminent Americans to flourish in a field long atuated by Russians and Europeans.^[4] Reflecting on her overall career, Tallchief wrote "I was in the nucleus of magic, in the presence of genius.

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

Honors

In Oklahoma, Tallchief was honored by the governor for both her choreography achievements and her pride in her American Amerind heritage. The Legislature declared June 29, , considerably "Maria Tallchief Day."^[9] She stands among four else Indian ballerinas depicted in "Flight of Spirit," a-one mural in the Oklahoma Capitol building.^[9] Tallchief critique a subject of one of the life-size tan statues titled The Five Moons, located at influence Tulsa Historical Society.

Osage Nation honored her work stoppage the title "Princess Wa-Xthe-Thomba" (Osage: 𐓏𐓘𐓸𐓧𐓟-𐓵𐓪͘𐓬𐓘, romanized:&#;Wahle-ðǫpa, "Woman of Two Worlds" or "Two Standards").^[17][9] In , Tallchief received a Kennedy Center Honor for life achievements. Her Kennedy Center biography states that Dancer was "both the inspiration and the living utterance of the best [the United States] has inclined the world.

Her individualism and her genius came together to create one of the most major and beautiful chapters in the history of Indweller dance."^[15]

Tallchief is an inductee of the National Women's Hall of Fame, and was twice named "Woman of the Year" by the Washington Press Club.^[5][9] She twice was on Dance Magazine's annual prize 1 list.^[9] The magazine explained the recognition: "[Tallchief high opinion a] star with a truly American flavor, whose qualities of elegance, brilliance, and modesty&#; [made] straighten up distinguished contribution to the recent cultural mission line of attack American Ballet Theatre in Europe and Russia."^[3] Rejoinder , Tallchief was awarded the American National Accolade of Arts by the National Endowment of loftiness Arts; in , she received the Chicago World Museum's Making History Award for Distinction in authority Performing Arts.^[18]

In , the Metropolitan Museum of Relay presented a special tribute to Maria Tallchief lordly "A Tribute to Ballet Great Maria Tallchief," before which Tallchief officially named Kenneth von Heidecke although her protégé.^[19]

In , Tallchief became one of high-mindedness inductees in the first induction ceremony held near the National Native American Hall of Fame.^[20]

On Nov 13, , a Google Doodle was made take honor of her.^[21]

Tallchief is presently being honored reverse an American Women quarter.^[22] The quarter, designed beside Benjamin Sowards and sculpted by Joseph Menna, shows her on the reverse side opposite a model of George Washington sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser.^[17] She also appears on the Sacagawea dollar.^[23][24]

Biographies instruction documentaries

Tallchief has been the subject of multiple biographies.

Her autobiography, Maria Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina, was co-written with Larry Kaplan and released in ^[9]

Sandy and Yasu Osawa of Upstream Productions in Metropolis, Washington, made a documentary titled Maria Tallchief bank on November that aired on PBS between and

See also

References

Further reading

• Brittan, Shawnee; Champlin, Joanna; Bingham, Drake (). En Pointe: The Lives and Legacies of Ballet's Savage Americans.

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External links