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This tenth issue in the new American Women Quarter program is the final release for 2023. Honored is Maria Tallchief who is widely considered the first American prima ballerina. She broke barriers as a Native American ballet dancer, exhibiting strength and resilience both on and off the stage.
Born in 1925 on the Osage reservation in Oklahoma, Tallchief excelled at dance and playing piano. At the age of 17, she moved to New York City to pursue her dreams and was selected as an apprentice in the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, the premier Russian ballet company in the United States.Her performances were applauded by critics and captured the attention of dance professionals.
In 1946, Maria Tallchief married famed choreographer George Balanchine. With Tallchief's exceptional technique and energy and Balanchine's expertise and innovation they transformed classical ballet, both in America and around the world. When the couple's marriage ended, she remained at the forefront of Balanchine's works.
Tallchief later remarried and gave birth to a daughter. Family life ultimately drew her to Chicago. She retired as a performer in the late 1960s and founded the ballet school of the Lyric Opera. She also served as artistic director at the Chicago City Ballet.
Maria Tallchief died in 2013, leaving a legacy that includes numerous honors, such as being named Woman of the Year by the National Women's Press Club, receiving the National Medal of the Arts Award and being inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.
The Osage Tribal Council gave Maria Tallchief a name selected by her grandmother, "Wa-Xthe-Thonba," which translates to "Two Standards." It reflects Tallchief's life in two worlds - as an accomplished dance professional and as a member of the Osage Nation, two identities that she proudly represented throughout her life.
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