Tallchief, Maria (1925–)

Native American ballerina. Name variations: Betty Marie Tall Chief. Born Elizabeth Marie Tall Chief, Jan 24, 1925, in Fairfax, Oklahoma; dau. of Alexander Tall Chief (real estate investor) and Ruth (Porter) Tall Chief; sister of Marjorie Tallchief (b. 1927, dancer); m. George Balanchine (choreographer), 1946 (annulled 1950); m. Elmourza Natirboff (charter plane pilot), 1952 (div. 1954); m. Henry D. Paschen Jr. (construction company executive), 1956; children: (3rd m.) Elise Maria Paschen (b. 1959).

World-renowned Osage dancer, noted for many roles with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and New York City Ballet, who was the 1st Native American to achieve the stature of prima ballerina in the US; made 1st appearance as a soloist in Chopin Concerto, in Los Angeles (1940); toured with corps de ballet of Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, then joined the company (1942); premiered 2 roles with Ballet Russe (1946); joined husband George Balanchine at Paris Opera, where she danced Terpsichore in premiere of Apollo to stunning success (1947), the 1st American to dance with Paris Opera Ballet since 1839; joined Ballet Society, soon renamed New York City Ballet (1947); clothed in the flame-colored costume of the Firebird, stunned both audiences and critics with her technique and fire in premiere of Balanchine's Firebird (1948); danced with Andrè Eglevsky (1951), creating a dazzling new partnership for Balanchine's pas de deux roles; appeared in film The Million Dollar Mermaid (1952); became prima ballerina (1954); retired from New York City Ballet (1965); after period as artistic director for Chicago Lyric Opera Ballet, co-founded Chicago City Ballet with sister (1980); other notable roles include ice-fairy queen in Le Baiser de la Fée and Coquette in Night Shadow, for Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, and Eurydice in Orpheus, Swan Queen in Swan Lake, and Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker for Ballet Society—New York City Ballet. Commemorated for lifetime achievement by President Bill Clinton at Kennedy Center Honors (1996).

See also autobiography (with Larry Kaplan) Maria Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina (Holt, 1997); Olga Maynard, Bird of Fire: The Story of Maria Tallchief (Dodd, 1961); Tobi Tobias, Maria Tallchief (Crowell, 1970); and Women in World History.