Maria Tallchief
Description:... The great American ballerina, Maria Tallchief, was born in 1925 in Fairfax, Oklahoma. Her mother was White and her father was a full-blood Osage. Her younger sister, Marjorie, also became a famous dancer. The Osage originally lived in western Missouri. They lived in lodges or tepees and were farmers and hunters. The U.S. Government moved them to Oklahoma in 1808. The new land was not good for farming, but oil was found there and the Osage managed the wealth from oil wisely, sharing with one another. Maria's grandmother introduced her to Osage dance, and later Maria took piano and ballet lessons. She studied under one of the greatest ballet teachers, Bronislava Nijinska, and toured with the Ballet Russe. She became the prima ballerina for the New York City Ballet Company and the American Ballet Theater, and cofounded the Chicago City Ballet with her sister. Maria was given an honor name by the Osage tribe, was awarded the Indian Achievement Award by the Council of Fire, became a member of the Council of Fire, spoke to American Indian groups about Indians and the arts, and took part in programs at various universities to educate students about Native Americans. Contains many illustrations and a timeline of Maria's life. (TD)
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