Have you ever heard of Maria Tallchief, the first Native American prima ballerina, one of America's ballerinas to ever claim that title? Born in 1925, Maria danced her way into history with her performance of Firebird, opening the Chicago City Ballet with her sister Marjorie, and becoming known throughout the world as one of the "Five Moons." Maria paved the way for Native American artists of all kinds to be recognized for her work, and today we celebrate that accomplishment by celebrating her with these books!
The She Persisted series is amazing at highlighting the challenges women in history have faith and Maria Tallchief is no different. In a time where Americans weren't considered "good enough" to become prima ballerinas compared to their Russian sisters, Maria broke every expectation by soaring to become one of the world's most recognized performers, inspiring millions to dance just like her.
In Maria Tallchief we learn all about Maria's life, including her marriage to famous ballet choreographer George Balanchine, and how he created special roles just for her, including the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker!
Who Was Maria Tallchief? dives deeper into Maria's early life before her famous career, beginning with her life on the reservation, learning to dance in a time where Osage men hid their dancing, and Osage women didn't dance at all. Find out about her struggles and successes becoming a beacon for others like her.
The Ballet Book is the place to start if you're wanting to learn more about the beautiful art Maria practiced. From plies to grand jetes, this book has the information you need to start your ballet journey.
Interested in other famous Chicago dancers that broke barriers? Alicia Alonso Dances on tells the story of Alicia Alonso, a dancer from Cuba who, when her vision began to fail, had to find a new way to save her dreams of becoming a prima ballerina like Maria.
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