Maria Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina (Hardcover)

by Maria Tallchief (Author), Larry Kaplan (Author) "MY FATHER, ALEXANDER Joseph Tall Chief, was a full-blooded Osage Indian..." (more)
Key Phrases: leading ballerina, resident choreographer, new ballet, New York, Ballet Russe, Ballet Theatre (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
She was George Ballanchine's muse for 20 years and his wife for 6; together they made the New York City Ballet an essential part of American culture with his choreography and her dazzling, technically bravura dancing in "Firebird," "Swan Lake," and other modern classics. Maria Tallchief's dignified autobiography describes their groundbreaking artistic collaboration with satisfying thoroughness. She is reserved about their personal relationship but candid about the increasing favor Ballanchine showed to younger dancers, which led to her departure from the company in 1966. Her story captures a key moment in ballet history.

From Booklist
Tallchief, the daughter of a full-blooded Osage Indian father and a mother of Scotch-Irish descent, was the queen of American ballet in its glory years; and her life story reads like a fairy tale, but one in which the princess must pay a high price for her magical gifts. Tallchief devoted herself to ballet at an early age, achieving instant recognition when she went to New York in 1942 at age 17. Immediately accepted as a member of the Ballet Russe, she caught the fervent attention of the controversial and brilliant choreographer George Balanchine. He made Tallchief not only his prima ballerina--creating unforgettable roles for her that called for "pyrotechnical virtuosity and limitless stamina" --but also his wife. Tallchief, adeptly assisted by coauthor Larry Kaplan, who also cowrote Edward Villella's autobiography, Prodigal Son (1991), is modest about her own stupendous talent but expresses undiminished awe for Balanchine's genius. Her descriptions of working with Balanchine and Stravinsky are fascinating and exhilarating, but her accounts of the terrible strain of 14-hour days of practice and performance are sobering. At the height of her career, Tallchief suffered from "perpetual exhaustion" and a fractured personal life, but she has no regrets--only sterling memories and much to be proud of. Donna Seaman

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (April 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805033025
• ISBN-13: 978-0805033021
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #967,680 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very interesting account of a dancer's life, June 22, 2000

By	Elana Nelson "roundrug" (Gyeonggi-do, South Korea) - See all my reviews

I had not taken ballet lessons for several years when I picked up this book, but just by reading it, I was inspired to sit up straight, pull my shoulder blades together, and even (occasionally) point my toes. The book is especially intriguing because it integrates Ms. Tallchief's private and professional lives so closely, and because it contains many pages of beautiful photos. I cannot say, however, that this book is impossible to put down; I read a bit of it every few months.

7 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Wyoming Ballet Students, April 10, 2000

By	Maria A. Clark (Afton Wyoming) - See all my reviews

My 6th grade reading group read this story (excerpt) from the book and we throughly enjoyed the segment. We used the internet to find more information about Maria Tallchief. They found the story helpful especially the two girls who find studying ballet in Wyoming is a less recognized pursuit than elk hunting and snowmobiling. Maria Tallchief's story is timeless and inspiring even 35 years away from her peak fame years. Our group enjoyed reading about a Native American who has made an impact on the arts world. Thanks. Mrs. Clark's 6th grade reading group, Afton Wyoming.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Engaging read, March 9, 2008

By	Susan Miles "smiles1021" (VA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Maria Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina (Paperback)

The nature of an autobiography is the intensity of emotion in telling one's own story. You will not miss that in this book. It is the autobiography of an adult written for adults, so the word choice and content in places reflect that. I did let my daughter (10) use it for a project-- but I preread entire sections and post-it noted paragraphs for her to use.

All in all, she is a facinating woman with a story of colliding cultures, competing lives, and a passion for life.