American prima ballerina Maria Tallchief dies at 88

[olivia]

American prima ballerina Maria Tallchief dies at 88 - Chicago Sun-Times


At a time when most ballerinas arrived onstage bearing a Russian name, whether genuine or assumed, Maria Tallchief, widely considered the first major American prima ballerina, insisted on holding fast to her roots.
Born Elizabeth Maria Tallchief in Fairfax, Oklahoma in 1925, her mother was Scots-Irish, but her father, Alexander Tallchief, was a chief in the Osage Nation, and her great-grandfather, Peter Bigheart, was crucial in negotiating oil revenues for the Osage tribe.
Tallchief, a leading figure in 20th century dance, whose career spanned the years 1942-1965, and who at one time was both wife and muse to choreographer George Balanchine, died of pancreatic cancer at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago on April 11. She was 88.

The rest of the obit is at the link.

Here is a segment from a documentary about her life which shows some clips from her extraordinary Firebird performances which was her great Balanchine role-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y_tWR07F7Y

[Bluebonnet]

Aw! Bless her.

[McJag]

So graceful and she was a true beauty. Made the best of what she had with grace and confidence.

[Brookie]

My, she was so so lovely.

[Catty]

She is so lovely to watch.

[Lalasnake]

She was so graceful! RIP.