Day 14 of 84 Days of 84 Ribbons: Maria Tallchief

In 84 Ribbons I use a photo of Maria Tallchief to connect Marta to Harry, the janitor at the end of the book. I selected her because I admire her career and tenacity. As one of the most celebrated ballerinas of the past 1oo years, Maria was considered daring, brilliant and possessing great musicality (the ability to interpret the music through her movements). She was the daughter of an Osage Native American and a Scotch-Irish mother who began dancing before she was ten. Balanchine’s style attracted her. She reported to have said that it made her feel like a musician: “I was  in the middle of magic.”

Tallchief danced for over twenty years and performed for the New York City Ballet, Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and The American Ballet Theatre. She directed the Chicago Lyric Opera ballet school after she retired. Her physical impact as a superb ballerina will continue on as dancers work to emulate her magical presence on the stage. Elizabeth Marie Tall Chief (1925-2013).

Tomorrow my guest blogger, Nicole, will share her story synopsis which once again shows the part tenacity plays in all that we do. Dance on in to read what she has to say.