Tallchief, Maria, 1925-2013

Maria Tallchief was born Berry Marie Tall Chief on January 24, 1925 to Alex Tall Chief and Ruth Porter Tall Chief. Later she changed the spelling of her last name to Tallchief. She grew up in Fairfax, Oklahoma on the Osage Indian reservation until the family moved to Los Angeles in 1930. The family also included a sister Marjorie (also a ballerina who danced mostly in Europe) and a brother, Jerry. Her early life consisted of both piano and dance lessons, and Maria later chose between ballet and career as a concert pianist.

In 1942, when she was 17 and just graduated from the Beverly Hills High School, Tallchief joined the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and was dancing principal roles within a few years. George Balanchine, who was associated with the Ballet Russe, was enchanted with the young American dancer when he first saw her. They were married in 1946. In 1947, Balanchine brought his wife home to the New York City Ballet. The couple’s marriage was annulled in 1952.

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