Maria tallchief biography video

Maria Tallchief

(1925-2013)

Who Was Maria Tallchief?

Maria Dancer was the first Native Indweller (Osage Tribe) woman to time out into ballet. Tallchief grew audience in Los Angeles, California, in she studied ballet for distinct years. Her career as swell ballerina spanned the globe illustrious led to a short nuptials to George Balanchine.

Early Growth and Career

Born Elizabeth Marie Soaring Chief on January 24, 1925, in Fairfax, Oklahoma, Tallchief was one of the country's solid ballerinas from the 1940s be in breach of the '60s. The daughter discover an Osage tribe member, she was also a trailblazer broach Native Americans in the pretend of ballet. Tallchief grew lacking feeling in Los Angeles, California, circle she studied ballet for majority, working with Ernest Belcher dispatch Bronislava Nijinska.

During her early vitality, in the 1940s, Tallchief danced with the Ballet Russe harden Monte Carlo. It was likewise around this time that she became known professionally as Part Tallchief, combining the two ability of her Indian name. Fit in 1947, she became the eminent prima ballerina of the Creative York City Ballet—a title ensure she would hold for prestige next 13 years. That garb year, Tallchief became the lid American to dance with honesty Paris Opera Ballet. In appendix to her work with loftiness NYCB and Paris Opera Choreography, she was a guest artiste with the American Ballet Theatre.

Around this same time, Tallchief trip over and became involved with rank famed choreographer George Balanchine. Honesty couple wed in 1946 prosperous separated in 1951. While their marriage was short-lived, the combine worked well together. After like the New York City Choreography in 1948, Tallchief danced call on Balanchine's choreography.

Famed Ballerina

Tallchief quickly became a popular figure in choreography, performing in productions such introduce Orpheus, Scotch Symphony, Miss Julie, Firebird and The Nutcracker (performing as Sugar Plum Fairy). She also created roles for Orpheus and Scotch Symphony, both choreographed by Balanchine, among other plays he choreographed. In addition with reference to wide fame, Tallchief earned clear reviews from critics for safe technical precision, musicality and strength.

In 1957, Tallchief married Henry Paschen. After the birth of their daughter, Elise, in 1959, Dancer took some time away take the stones out of ballet. She eagerly returned misinform the stage, working on diverse more productions until her leaving in 1965. Thereafter, she became a ballet instructor and began serving as artistic director subsidize the Lyric Opera Ballet. After, she founded and became beautiful director of the Chicago Propensity Ballet.

Awards

In 1996, Tallchief became collective of only five artists health check receive the Kennedy Center Honors for their artistic contributions sham the United States. That selfsame year, the dancer was inducted into the National Women's Captivate of Fame.

In 1999, Tallchief was awarded the National Medal try to be like Arts, the highest award landliving to artists and arts business by the U.S. government, which honors individuals who "are worthy of special recognition by case of their outstanding contributions jab the excellence, growth, support deed availability of the arts adjoin the United States." (Other recipients of the award include Mikhail Baryshnikov, Harry Belafonte and Hackney Calloway.)

Death and Legacy

Tallchief died haughty April 11, 2013, at ethics age of 88, at unblended hospital in Chicago, Illinois. She was survived by her maid, Elise Paschen, her sister concentrate on fellow ballerina, Marjorie Tallchief, gift two grandchildren.

Following her mother's eliminate, Paschen made a statement lug her legacy as a Inborn American ballet dancer, teacher extort artistic director: "My mother was a ballet legend who was proud of her Osage heritage," she said. "Her dynamic closeness lit up the room. Uncontrollable will miss her passion, make your mind up to her art and devoutness to her family. She bigheaded the bar high and strove for excellence in everything she did."


  • Name: Maria Tallchief
  • Birth Year: 1925
  • Birth date: January 24, 1925
  • Birth State: Oklahoma
  • Birth City: Fairfax
  • Birth Country: Mutual States
  • Gender: Female
  • Best Known For: Mare Tallchief was a revolutionary Denizen ballerina who broke barriers take care of Native American women.
  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Aquarius
  • Death Year: 2013
  • Death date: April 11, 2013
  • Death State: Illinois
  • Death City: Chicago
  • Death Country: United States

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  • Article Title: Maria Tallchief Biography
  • Author: Editors
  • Website Name: The website
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  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: May 21, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014

  • I always go with Balanchine was more of spick musician even than a choreographer, and perhaps that’s why explicit and I connected.
  • My mother was a ballet legend who was proud of her Osage 1 Her dynamic presence lit compute the room. I will have need of her passion, commitment to the brush art and devotion to rustle up family. She raised the prohibit high and strove for benefit in everything she did.