Maria Tallchief in George Balanchine's Firebird

Edited interview with Maria Tallchief about George Balanchine's "Firebird" which he choreographed for her and the New York City ballet in 1949. Music by Igor Stravinsky. Choreography by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust. From the DVD "Dancing for Mr B - Six Balanchine Ballerinas / Moylan, Tallchief, Ashley, Kistler, Hayden, Kent."

[@mariaellis2882]

She’s so beautiful. Her hands, her arms, everything is so fluid and expressive. I miss these dancers from another time.

[@Frostgrl681]

This has to be one of the most exquisite ballet dances I have seen,

[@lynnanncastle77]

I agree with you. I have NEVER seen a ballerina dance like this. Beautiful!

[@MyTimeOutt]

She was a living legend...only I missed her by a couple of generations!

[@elizabethgaspodnetich9676]

I could watch her dance forever. She was so beautiful and when ever I think of Ballet I always think of her beautiful dance. So beautiful.

[@talkindurinthemovie]

Those arms r giving me life!!!!!!!

[@deathcabrocks13]

she deserves so much credit!!! she was amazing.

[@larryjohnson452]

Magnificent! Such a humble superstar. This lady was an inspiration to many young ballet dancers, Native American and regular young girls who love ballet. Certainly worth searching her bio on Wikipedia for the whole story; a very moving bio indeed. Great work and thanks for the interview and video.

[@kathyking3205]

Would love to see a movie of her life !

[@AmandaFromWisconsin]

"...Native American and regular young girls..." lol

[@Nancy-fm1ie]

@@kathyking3205 Check w your library for the wonderful documentary made by Sandy Osawa, a Seattle Native American. Ask your library to buy it. Has the Reign of Terror info too.

[@VerilyForsoothEgads]

My ballet teacher trained under her... proud of our legacy, and the lineage of my studio!

[@sonjagraves4903]

I have always loved this woman's arm movements. After watching her and Tanaquil Leclerqc you really do not want to watch anyone else.

[@paulettebilly5941]

Wow, she really was a wonderful dancer. I had always heard of her.

[@artistphx]

I went to school at the University of Oklahoma. She was a legend at the School of Ballet there!

[@Frostgrl681]

Exquisite. I wish I had been able to see her dance in The Firebird. Her armwork and legwork are elegant in the extreme.

[@mythtree]

She was like the sun that sets fire to the rain revealing such color. It's incredulous, all that was expected, and delivered such perfection, & no one thought to capture. Well some, & grateful for that!

[@juliaalexander5788]

I love that set fire to see colour in the rain

[@geraldjohnson848]

Jan.24: Happy birthday Dancer Maria Tallchief, first great Native American prima ballerina (1925-2013) Thank you and God bless. Thanks for the upload, Neryssa Paige. Blessings

[@NeryssaPaige]

Thank you!

[@barbaralemere5183]

Maria Tallchief, such beautiful dancer and teacher. She inspired many many young dancers and then and now.

[@rca6576]

I was fortunate enough to be able to have several classes with her in the 1970's. Her classes were brutal and absolutely enthralling. I'd have done anything for her. Her presence was electric. My time with her is one of the most satisfying memories of my life.

[@jonnarobinson7541]

She was a wonderful dancer and was actually married to George Balanchine for a few years. She was proud of the fact never spoke negatively about him.

[@NeryssaPaige]

Neither did any of his former wives.

[@slefthandbull]

Epitome of grace!

[@kaythomas8521]

Exquisite... Poetry in motion.......she was one of the few tall ballerinas (5'9"). Where she was so fluid ,. Elegant .... beautiful dancer...

[@Nancy-fm1ie]

She was definitely tinier than that. I worked for her a day in Chicago and I was surprised when she came to the door. I expected someone taller due to her name. Her father was tall. Her mother was tiny.

[@kaythomas8521]

@@Nancy-fm1ie Where in Chicago??? The Drury Lane Theatre, perhaps?? I'm originally from Chicago but was Not into Ballet at all back then, so never even heard of her then .... ..their. Heights were rather deceiving ,. Can't really tell. Unless they were next to the men,. And assuming the "men," were much taller??? But I wonder,. I suppose the guys were all in the short side too???? Did you see any of the famous male. Danceurs by chance?

[@91Kingscrib84]

I can't fathom someone stealing her commemorative bronze statue & selling it for scrap - as happened in Tulsa OK May 6th, 2022. Thankfully, there were cameras installed and police have the surveillance footage. I will never understand the motivation behind that kind of vandalism, but I hope they catch the perpetrators and give them time in the crowbar hotel to consider their life's path.

[@Nancy-fm1ie]

Kingscrib, that was the statue of her sister, Marjorie Tallchief, also a great ballerina. I have read the original artist will repair it, fortunately.

[@usmcholmans]

No one has ever, or likely shall ever, dance The Firebird like Elizabeth Marie Tallchief. RIP Wa Xthe Thomba. #MariaTallchief

[@Nancy-fm1ie]

Oh, Neryssa, I am so glad you have shown here how very exquisitely Maria Tallchief danced! You have shown what I have seen in Sandy Osawa's documentary: where Maria glides across the room en pointe and flutters her arms in The Firebird. Gorgeous! Here is an update on what I posted 11 months ago in 2021: Maria Tallchief was America's FIRST prima ballerina, and an Osage Indian. I worked for her at her home in Chicago for a day as she developed the Chicago Lyric Opera Ballet concept. She was tiny, energetic, beautiful w long raven black hair. I discovered eventually that she was an exquisite dancer, the best of the best. The Osage Nation was forced to move several times, then the oil strikes on their purchased land making them the world's richest people group, and then the murders of innocents, called the Reign of Terror. Maria Tallchief was the living legacy of God's love for the Osage Nation. She was born during the Reign of Terror. She is God's triumph. The phoenix who rose from the ashes. This is how I characterize The Firebird in retrospect, choreographed by Balanchine for his bride Maria Tallchief. The Reign of Terror is the focus of Martin Scorsese's upcoming film Killers of the Flower Moon. Meanwhile see if your library will purchase the great documentary about her and the Osage Nation. Called "Maria Tallchief'' and made by Sandy Osawa, a Seattle Native American. The Reign of Terror history is given in this film. It was one of the FBI's first major cases. A more kid-friendly film starring Jimmy Stewart included the Reign of Terror. Film is "The FBI Story" from 1959. i own the 1930 film "Cimarron" about the Oklahoma oil rush which includes a bit about the Osage Indians. Based on Edna Ferber's book, it's generally available in libraries. Also see the Google Doodle on Maria Tallchief. Of the many books about her, I love her autobiography as a children's book, with its watercolor illustrations.

[@amymeier7325]

She's a sweetheart

[@bobnuheart8804]

stuff you missed in history class brought me here.

[@32OJMAYO]

Same here, absolute beauty.

[@claressawilcox7241]

Bob Nuheart Me too!

[@MsXizan]

This generation thinks that Misty Copeland is the FIRST ballerina of color. They don't know a damned thing about Maria or Marjorie Tallchief. I also know there's a Chinese-American ballerina, but I forgot her name. Technically she too is a ballerina of color.

[@bobbiegoodman3601]

Same

[@NeryssaPaige]

@@MsXizan There were African American dancers before Misty Copeland. And several Native American ballerinas during this time: Marjorie Tallchief, Rosella Hightower, Yvonne Chouteau, and Moscelyne Larkin.

[@gryffynda1]

Beautiful!

[@kaurivanvalkenburgh1697]

she's wonderful

[@rwsmith29456]

I should be more familiar with her. I'm 59 but I guess it's better late than never.

[@shellyortiz1977]

so beutiful yet hard work it took to get hear

[@Nancy-fm1ie]

Maria Tallchief was the living legacy of God's love for the Osage Nation. She was America's FIRST prima ballerina. Her people were forced to move several times, then the oil strikes on their purchased land making them the world's richest people group, and then the murders of innocents. She was born during the Reign of Terror. She is God's triumph. The Phoenix who rose from the ashes. The Reign of Terror is the focus of Martin Scorsese's upcoming film Killers of the Flower Moon. Meanwhile see if your library will purchase the great documentary about her and the Osage Nation. Called Maria Tallchief and made by Sandy Osawa, a Seattle Native American.

[@Yoliplanting]

They were both exquisite incomparable union. Oh, to have witnessed that opening night in person❤

[@kathymyers7279]

"The first time George ever said anything nice about my dancing". What was wrong with that man?

[@Gingerblaze]

R.I.P Betty Marie!

[@stellaizzy1886]

my teacher at MBA dancer wih her!!!

[@Frostgrl681]

How many Maria Tallchiefs died in the trail of tears ?

[@kathymyers7279]

Oh give me a break.

[@h.calvert3165]

I am white, & I support your comment. A persecution of any people always destroys gifts which could have been given to the whole world. 🔥

[@LuvFearlessly]

Yeah but are you getting at?

[@Nancy-fm1ie]

Maria Tallchief was the living legacy of God's love for the Osage Nation. She was America's FIRST prima ballerina. Her people were forced to move several times, then the oil strikes on their purchased land making them the world's richest people group, and then the murders of innocents. She was born during the Reign of Terror. She is God's triumph. The Phoenix who rose from the ashes. The Reign of Terror is the focus of Martin Scorsese's upcoming film Killers of the Flower Moon. Meanwhile see if your library will purchase the great documentary about her and the Osage Nation. Called Maria Tallchief and made by Sandy Osawa, a Seattle Native American.

[@RetroFan]

I learned she's a 6th cousin.

[@michelledillman6381]

I’m related to her also…… and also a dancer and my favorite is ballet !

[@alexisadancer154]

it was intersting

[@alyssasartuche3913]

anyone know the exact part of stravinksys firebird is used for that one clip?

[@NeryssaPaige]

In her memoir, Tallchief recalled that she was ill and a high fever.

[@candyart5067]

Native American history is seldom brought up. There should be a Native American History month.

[@theladyfromplanetx2847]

Native Heritage Month is every November.

[@candyart5067]

@@theladyfromplanetx2847 Thanks for the info. You wouldn't know it by how little coverage they get as a matter of fact I had no idea this is Native American History month.

[@Nancy-fm1ie]

Check w your library for the wonderful documentary made by Sandy Osawa, a Seattle Native American. Ask your library to buy it. Has the Reign of Terror info too.

[@bobloblaw9679]

dance students only care about the impressive now--the poetry is being lost

[@Frostgrl681]

Warning: at :25 you will get addicted to ballet whether you want to or not.

[@emilymushko9561]

This is a clip from a wonderful documentary I watched YEARS ago, I can’t find it. Does anyone know the name? It was about Balanchine’s best ballerinas

[@FreckleToe-lq6rc]

"Dancing for Mr. B: Six Balanchine Ballerinas." It features some of his greatest ballerinas (Maria Tallchief, Allegra Kent) but is also missing some of his greatest (Suzanne Farrell, Tanaquil Le Clercq, etc.).

[@carlosdomincanos]

shmoney dance 0:52