The Firebird Ballerina-Maria Tallchief

[@tessaqg589]

We need her and more Indigenous Peoples/Native American/Alaskan Natives included in our American history!!!!

[@sarahdesjardinsfamily]

Well Done. Best short video about this amazing woman. Really enjoyed it.

[@voraciousreader3341]

One of my favorite ballet dancers of all time, and the very first ballet dancer I ever saw, in the iconic portrait included here with Tall Chief en pointe and Balanchine on the floor in front of her. I never had the opportunity to see her live, however.

[@cathyennon5530]

Beautiful and inspirational for everyone who dares to honor talent and giftedness.🥰

[@mandyprescott2279]

I bought a book about her at our schools Book Fair in 1979. I had never heard of her before, but she quickly became a role model for me. Someone that I really looked up to. This video was great!

[@scasey1960]

Good for people to know that hard work is the key to success. All the rest of that doesn’t matter much.

[@neebeeshaabookwayg6027]

thank you... I loved her very much-- but never found much info on her... thank you, with all my heart, for sharing this.., I am very picky, who watch, as to ballet, and grace and spirit, ... SHE has what is special... thank you again!

[@maxineoliver7404]

Beautiful!!

[@mariab3084]

Her sister’s name was Marjorie not Majorie. I studied with her and her husband George Skibine at the Dallas Ballet Academy.

[@elaineparker1458]

Maria, It says that on the sign Fairfax home of Maria and Marjorie Tallchief! Such a great story I’ve never heard before!

[@chiefeaglefeather5307]

This is the best video on Maria TallChief I've seen so far. And thank you for the old pictures as well.......

[@Nancy-fm1ie]

Maria Tallchief, an Osage Indian, was America's FIRST prima ballerina. I worked for her for a day. Tiny, energetic, beautiful w long raven black hair. Sandy and Yasu Osawa in Seattle "made a documentary titled Maria Tallchief in November 2007 that aired on PBS between 2007 and 2010." An outstanding film. Ask your library to order it. See the Google Doodle on her also. Her children's book, illustrated in watercolors, is beautiful.

[@briansmall4644]

Great commentary and great in general good job😃😃😃😃😃😏😏😁😁

[@RoZita870]

She was gorgeous...was she ever in movies?

[@roadrunner381]

Yes she was,!

[@maryhayes7063]

Thank you for sharing, nicely done.

[@user-hr4jo2eu2b]

Have a good day from productions 😊

[@olive3700]

In some pictures she looks like Mary Tyler Moore, another great lady of beauty and talent. I love Maria Tallchief's modesty and the way she wanted to be known as a prima ballerina who happened to be Native American rather than the Native American ballerina.

[@StevenOsburnHollywood]

Olive Mary Tyler more once told me she was Mvskogee Creek.

[@Imhere4761]

Nicely done. I imagine you didn't know that Maria's sister was MaRjorie (stated on last billboard shot) and the two ran Chicago Ballet for a number of years until costs overruns forced it to close. Thanks for the piece!

[@Nancy-fm1ie]

Maria Tallchief, an Osage Indian, was America's FIRST prima ballerina. I worked for her for a day. Tiny, energetic, beautiful w long raven black hair. Sandy and Yasu Osawa in Seattle "made a documentary titled Maria Tallchief in November 2007 that aired on PBS between 2007 and 2010." An outstanding film. Ask your library to order it. See the Google Doodle on her also. Her children's book, illustrated in watercolors, is beautiful.

[@shayjones5099]

This was outstanding 💖

[@RetroFan]

I discovered through my Geni dna relationship that Elizabeth Tallchief and her sister Marjorie are 6th cousins, 2x removed.

[@andressalazar9135]

Thanks!

[@famousoklahomans3197]

Great video!

[@StevenOsburnHollywood]

Her sister is Marjorie not Majorie. Last name is Tall Chief, not Tal Chief.

[@clicktock]

Nice!

[@Nancy-fm1ie]

Allyson, you put together a good pictorial of Maria Tallchief. At 1:25, the photo is of Maria's great grandfather, Chief Peter Bigheart, not her father. I am updating my posting from a year ago here to provide a better bio on Maria Tallchief than I did a year ago. 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 years later 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 personally 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 in 2022, 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 also 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.

[@annasavva1926]

I born the same day 24 January

[@richardstephens3052]

I can get stared

[@ddharter]

Her name is pronounced TALL-chief, not TAL-chief. And her sister's name is pronounced MAR-jorie, not MAY-jorie.

[@gypsygirl9]

She doesn't look at all Native American to me.

[@eyesofstonee6813]

Her father was Fullblood Osage, and her mother was White :)

[@gypsygirl9]

@@eyesofstonee6813 oh wow. A true beauty she was.