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.

Tallchief then married Elmourza Natirboff and they divorced in 1954. Her third marriage was to Chicago-based construction magnate Henry “Buzzy” Paschen, Jr. in 1956. They have one daughter Elise Paschen.

Maria Tallchief was teacher and artistic director of the Chicago Lyric Opera Ballet from 1975 to 1980 and artistic director of its successor company, the Chicago City Ballet, from 1981 to 1987. Although both companies folded for lack of funds, Tallchief is still associated with the Chicago Lyric Opera.

In 1996, Tallchief was presented with the Kennedy Center Honors. She also received the National Medal of the Arts and Humanities from President Bill Clinton.

Tallchief is the author of an autobiography, co-written with Larry Kaplan, entitled, Maria Tallchief, America’s Prima Ballerina, 1996.