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Maria Tallchief Facts & Worksheets

Maria Tallchief made history as America's first major prima ballerina. She was a Native American ballet dancer who moved to New York City to pursue her dreams. She put the New York Ballet on the map and became the first American ballerina to dance with the Paris Ballet.

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Maria Tallchief made history as America’s first major prima ballerina. She was a Native American ballet dancer who moved to New York City to pursue her dreams. She put the New York Ballet on the map and became the first American ballerina to dance with the Paris Ballet. “The Nutcracker” has risen to prominence because of Maria’s stellar performance as the Sugar Plum Fairy in 1954. Maria was among the leading ballerinas in the United States from the 1940s to the ’60s.

See the fact file below for more information about Maria Tallchief, or you can download our 26-page Maria Tallchief worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE AND FAMILY

  • Elizabeth Marie Tallchief was born on an Osage Indian reservation in Fairfax, Oklahoma, on January 24, 1925.
  • She was the eldest child of Alexander Joseph Tall Chief, a tribe member of the Osage Nation, and Ruth Porter, a woman of Scottish-Irish descent.
  • Her family had nicknamed her “Betty Marie”.
  • Her younger sister, Marjorie, also became a professional dancer.
  • Growing up, Maria’s mother did not have the financial means to take dance lessons, so she made sure not to let her daughters suffer the same fate. 
  • Maria and her sister enrolled in dance lessons at a young age.
  • Maria began her dance lessons at the age of three; she also took piano lessons.
  • In 1933, their family moved from Oklahoma to California, so Marie and Marjorie could pursue advanced training and more opportunities for dancing in Hollywood.

TRAINING AND EARLY CAREER

  • By the time Maria was 12 years old, she was training under renowned dancer and choreographer Bronislava Nijinska.
  • In 1942, soon after she graduated high school, Maria became an apprentice at the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, a leading Russian ballet company based in New York City.
  • She began using Maria Tallchief as her professional stage name, which was derived from the two parts of her Indian name.
  • Her superiors suggested that she use the Russian-sounding name “Tolchieva” as her stage name to avoid discrimination from dance companies, but Maria refused.
  • She appeared in seven different ballets within the first two months of her apprenticeship at Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.
  • In 1943, she got the opportunity to perform her first solo in Chopin Concerto, which was choreographed by her previous teacher Nijinska.
  • Maria impressed with her performance and became an instant success.

RISE TO FAME

  • In the spring of 1944, she met master choreographer George Balanchine, and they were drawn to each other.
  • Over the following years, Maria rose to prominence in the works of Balanchine, such as “The Nutcracker”, “Firebird”, “Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme”, “Le Baiser de La Fée”, Danses Concertantes”, and “Night Shadow”.
  • Maria originated the role of Sugar Plum Fairy in “The Nutcracker”, which she has become famous for.
  • Maria and George married in August 1946 and subsequently left the Ballet Russe to relocate to Paris, France.
  • In 1947, she made history as the first American ballerina to debut at the Paris Opera Ballet.
  • She spent a few months as a guest artist with the Paris Opera before joining the new Ballet Society, which was later renamed the New York City Ballet.
  • She then became the first prima ballerina of the New York City Ballet and remained as such for the next 18 years. 
  • One of Maria’s most famous sayings goes, “I wanted to be appreciated as a prima ballerina who happened to be a Native American, never as someone who was an American Indian ballerina.”
  • She also added to her impressive work by being a guest performer with the American Ballet Theatre from 1960 to 1962.
  • Maria and George separated in 1951, but they continued to work well together in ballet.

FAMOUS WORKS

  • Maria’s talent and George Balanchine’s complex choreography revolutionized the world of ballet.
  • Maria’s fame in ballet was well-earned and quickly growing, as her performances were acclaimed in “The Four Temperaments” (1946), “Symphonie Concertante” (1947), “Orpheus” (1948), “Caracole” (1952), and “Scotch Symphony” (1952).
  • She originated the lead roles for Balanchine’s reworked versions of “Sylvia Pas de Deux” (1950), “Swan Lake” (1951), “The Nutcracker” (1954), “Allegro Brillante” (1956), and “Gounod Symphony” (1958).
  • She gained international fame with her performance in the titular role in the Russian ballet “Firebird” (1949).
  • Maria displayed precision in movement, elegance in style, and peak athleticism.
  • Another notable lead role of Maria was in the 1954 production of “The Nutcracker” by Balanchine.
  • Her role as Sugar Plum Fairy in that production was one of the most challenging roles in classical ballet.
  • Balanchine’s version has become really popular in the United States, especially during the holiday season.
  • Prima ballerinas were either French or Russian before Maria came along and earned international acclaim.
  • She stayed with the New York City Ballet until February 1960.
  • She was also a guest performer with the Chicago Opera Ballet, the San Francisco Ballet, the Hamburg Ballet, and the Royal Danish Ballet.

LATER CAREER

  • As a guest performer at the American Ballet Theatre, she danced with Danish danseur Erik Bruhn in Russia and became the first American dancer to perform at Moscow‘s famed Bolshoi Theater.
  • Not only did Maria take to the stage to show her talent, she also appeared on screen, as in TV shows and movies.
  • She performed in the 1952 movie musical “Million Dollar Mermaid”.

PERSONAL LIFE

  • In 1957, she married Henry Paschen, the chairman and chief executive of one of Chicago’s biggest construction companies.
  • Maria took a hiatus from ballet after she gave birth to their daughter, Elise, in 1959.

AFTER RETIREMENT

  • Maria retired from dancing in 1965.
  • She then worked as a teacher and director of ballet for the Lyric Opera of Chicago from 1973 to 1979.
  • In 1974, she founded the ballet school of Lyric Opera.
  • In 1980, Maria and her sister Marjorie opened the Chicago City Ballet, a ballet school and dance company, where she served as the artistic director until 1987.

HONORS AND AWARDS

  • In 1953, the State of Oklahoma honored Maria by declaring June 29, 1953, Maria Tallchief Day.
  • The Osage Tribe Nation celebrated Maria in 1953 by giving her the name Wa-Xthe-Thomba, which means “Woman of Two Worlds”.
  • In 1996, she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and received the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor for her artistic contribution to the United States. 
  • In 1999, she was presented with the National Medal of Arts award, which is the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the National Endowment for the Arts in the United States.
  • Her autobiography “Maria Tallchief: America’s Prima Ballerina” was co-written with Larry Kaplan and published in 1997.

DEATH

  • At 88 years old, Maria Tallchief died on April 11, 2013, in Chicago, Illinois.
  • She was survived by her daughter Elise, her sister Marjorie Tallchief, and her two grandchildren. 

Maria Tallchief Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Maria Tallchief across 26 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Maria Tallchief. Maria was a Native American ballet dancer who moved to New York City to pursue her dreams. She put the New York Ballet on the map and became the first American ballerina to dance with the Paris Ballet. “The Nutcracker” has risen to prominence because of Maria’s stellar performance as the Sugar Plum Fairy in 1954.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Maria Tallchief Facts
  2. A Prima Ballerina’s Biography
  3. Ballet ABCs
  4. Career Timeline
  5. Is It True?
  6. Because of Balanchine
  7. Inspiration from Maria
  8. Brilliant Ballerinas
  9. Watch and React
  10. The Ballerina Life
  11. Reflect and Recap

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Maria Tallchief?

Maria Tallchief was a famous American ballerina, widely considered one of the most influential dancers in the history of American ballet. She was born on January 24, 1925, in Fairfax, Oklahoma, and passed away on April 11, 2013.

What is Maria Tallchief best known for in the world of ballet?

Maria Tallchief is best known for her groundbreaking contributions to the world of ballet, particularly her association with the New York City Ballet and her role as the first American prima ballerina. She was celebrated for her impeccable technique, grace, and artistry.

What are some of Maria Tallchief’s notable roles or performances?

Maria Tallchief performed many iconic roles in ballet, including the lead in George Balanchine’s “The Firebird” and “Swan Lake.” She also played prominent roles in Balanchine’s choreography for “The Nutcracker” and “Orpheus.”

How did Maria Tallchief impact the world of ballet?

Maria Tallchief’s impact on ballet was profound. She helped establish American ballet as a significant and respected art form on the international stage. Her partnership with George Balanchine was instrumental in shaping the development of ballet in the United States.

What was Maria Tallchief’s cultural significance?

Maria Tallchief was of Osage Nation heritage, and her success in the world of ballet helped break down barriers for Native American performers. She became a symbol of cultural pride and inspiration for many aspiring dancers from diverse backgrounds, proving that talent knows no racial or ethnic boundaries.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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