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Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina
Growing up on the Osage Indian reservation, Maria Tallchief was a gifted pianist and dancer. According to Osage tradition, women are not permitted to dance, but Maria's parents recognized her gifts and allowed her to break the rule. Then when Maria reached the age of twelve, her father told her it was time to choose between her two loves. Maria chose ballet. It was a decision that would change not only the course of her life, but the face of classical ballet in America. The fascinating story of Maria Tallchief's rise to become America's prima ballerina will captivate young readers.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
October 21, 2021
In lyrical prose, Maria Tallchief tells us about her childhood with the assistance of the iconic Rosemary Wells. Why Rosemary Wells? Her mother was once a ballerina who danced with the legendary Anna Pavlova and considered Maria Tallchief to be the one great American dancer. Tallchief was born in Oklahoma on the Osage Indian Reservation. Her parents moved the family to California in the 1930's to get a better education for their two girls. It was there that Tallchief chose ballet over piano and saw the Russian ballet for the first time. Soon she would be performing around the world. The gorgeous watercolor illustrations by Gary Kelley are in and of themselves enough of a reason to open this book. Fabulous!
August 16, 2010
Love, love, love this book! Rosemary Wells' mother knew Maria Tallchief and Rosemary, inspired by her mother's love of dance and dancing career, wanted to write a picture book biography of Tallchief so she spoke with Tallchief about her memories of ballet, starting as a very young dancer up to the beginning of her professional career. The result is this beautiful and inspiring book. (It is told in first person, and though I'm sure Welles added her own literary nuances, I think the first person aspect is a nice touch.) I was deeply touched by Maria's love for dance-and surprised to discover that she also shared a love of music since I only knew of her as a ballerina. When it comes time for her to choose whether she wanted to pursue music or dance full-time, it was a difficult choice and I could feel her sacrifice at having to choose only one, but I love her reason behind choosing dance and it shows that she never really gave up the music that sang within her. More than just a story about a ballerina or a musician, though, this is a wonderful glimpse into the 1930s and early 1940s, when Maria was growing up. She was born to a father of the Osage Native American tribe and a mother of Scots-Irish descent; there is some interesting history and culture here, like how the Osage people got rich when the oil fields were discovered on their lands so Maria's family was fairly well-to-do for the era. Maria's family moves to Los Angeles so she and her sister (also a dancer) can receive better training. I love the description of LA at the time, when the sky was clear and blue (ah, those were the days!) and the little city was surrounded by orange groves! There are also some really great insights into the dancer's life, from bad teachers (who made Maria and her sister dance en pointe when they were too young, a big no-no!) to the beautiful moment when the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo comes to LA and Maria sees her first professional ballet performance and knows that she wants to be among the company. She has truly found her bliss! Highly recommended to any young dancer (or artist of any kind) or anyone seeking a lovely picture book biography of one of America's greatest talents.
August 25, 2010
This book is a real gem. I was surprised how much it emotionally touched me. It’s an outstanding book in every way.
The potential reader needs to know that even though this book is only 28 pages long, it is very long for a picture book. There is a lot of text, too much for a quick read or the very youngest children.
This is a very inspiring biography of a true artist, a ballet dancer. She had also been talented at piano. She had wonderful parents who encouraged her to follow her dream.
The story is told in such a poetic manner, befitting describing an artist’s life and outlook, so I feel I can’t write a worthy review. I can’t match the beauty of the language used in this story.
I love that Tallchief is Native American on her father’s side and enjoyed reading about her younger years, when she lived on a reservation. But mostly, the way she describes what it’s like to have music and dance in her heart, as an integral part of her being. Artists of all kinds will identify with this description. Other readers will appreciate the heart of a true artist.
The secondary author has a personal family connection to Maria Tallchief, and I think this helped make this collaboration on this story so wonderful. I love the first person narrative by Tallchief, even though the secondary author must have written some of her own words into the biography.
The illustrations are wonderful, very reminiscent of their time and places.
The potential reader needs to know that even though this book is only 28 pages long, it is very long for a picture book. There is a lot of text, too much for a quick read or the very youngest children.
This is a very inspiring biography of a true artist, a ballet dancer. She had also been talented at piano. She had wonderful parents who encouraged her to follow her dream.
The story is told in such a poetic manner, befitting describing an artist’s life and outlook, so I feel I can’t write a worthy review. I can’t match the beauty of the language used in this story.
I love that Tallchief is Native American on her father’s side and enjoyed reading about her younger years, when she lived on a reservation. But mostly, the way she describes what it’s like to have music and dance in her heart, as an integral part of her being. Artists of all kinds will identify with this description. Other readers will appreciate the heart of a true artist.
The secondary author has a personal family connection to Maria Tallchief, and I think this helped make this collaboration on this story so wonderful. I love the first person narrative by Tallchief, even though the secondary author must have written some of her own words into the biography.
The illustrations are wonderful, very reminiscent of their time and places.
March 18, 2020
Narrated in the first-person, this picture-book biography sets out the story of ballerina Maria Tallchief's childhood, from her early years on an Osage Indian reservation in Oklahoma - her father was Osage, her mother Scots-Irish - through her family's move west, to an as-yet-undeveloped Los Angeles. The importance of music and dance, in her development, is beautifully and amply explored, as Tallchief, aided by veteran children's author Rosemary Wells, explains how it effected her - how it would "course through her body." Prompted by her father, she chose to concentrate on ballet, rather than try to pursue both ballet and piano, and studied under Madame Nijinska in L.A. The story closes as Tallchief, inspired by the skill and grace of the dancers of the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo, leaves to study and dance in New York City...
The narrative voice in Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina is strong, giving the reader the feeling that she is really getting a glimpse into Tallchief's heart and mind. I know very little about the history of the Osage people, so I was fascinated to learn how wealthy they were, as a result of the discovery of oil on their lands. This contrasted so sharply with the cultural oppression they experienced, as their traditional dancing and ceremonies were banned. I was also fascinated by the progression of Tallchief's studies, as she went from a small-town dance instructor who wasn't very good, to a world-class teacher like Nijinska. What a difference that must have been! Although I think I would have preferred the story to continue, and follow Tallchief as she became a ballerina, I liked what was there, and was particularly moved by her emotionally rich descriptions of what music and dance meant to her.
All in all, an engaging biography of one of America's most celebrated ballet dancers, one I recommend to all young readers who are themselves dancers, who are interested in the arts, or who just appreciate a good biography!
The narrative voice in Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina is strong, giving the reader the feeling that she is really getting a glimpse into Tallchief's heart and mind. I know very little about the history of the Osage people, so I was fascinated to learn how wealthy they were, as a result of the discovery of oil on their lands. This contrasted so sharply with the cultural oppression they experienced, as their traditional dancing and ceremonies were banned. I was also fascinated by the progression of Tallchief's studies, as she went from a small-town dance instructor who wasn't very good, to a world-class teacher like Nijinska. What a difference that must have been! Although I think I would have preferred the story to continue, and follow Tallchief as she became a ballerina, I liked what was there, and was particularly moved by her emotionally rich descriptions of what music and dance meant to her.
All in all, an engaging biography of one of America's most celebrated ballet dancers, one I recommend to all young readers who are themselves dancers, who are interested in the arts, or who just appreciate a good biography!
November 8, 2019
Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina is a children's picture book written by Maria Tallchief with Rosemary Wells and illustrated by Gary Kelley. It is an autobiographical picture book of Maria Tallchief – a prima ballerina.
November, at least in my part of the world is Native American Heritage Month, which I plan to read one children's book, preferably a biography, which pertains to the subject everyday this month. Therefore, I thought that this book would be apropos for today.
Elizabeth Marie "Betty" Tallchief was an American ballerina. She was considered America's first major prima ballerina, and was the first Native American to hold the rank.
Tallchief and Wells' text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. The text itself is poetic, almost like a fairy tale in its scene-setting. The language can be abstract, but the story is gripping. Kelley's softly focused paintings underscore the lyrical tone, enveloping the characters and settings in gauzy, dreamlike light and concentrating, provocatively, on stillness as opposed to movement.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Despite its subtitle, this picture-book biography focuses on the childhood and adolescence of Maria Tallchief, not on her groundbreaking career. In metaphorical language, Tallchief and Wells describe young Betty Marie's twin passions for music and dance, and her mother's role in developing them.
All in all, Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina is a wonderful cursory autobiographical picture book about Maria Tallchief – the first Native American prima ballerina.
November, at least in my part of the world is Native American Heritage Month, which I plan to read one children's book, preferably a biography, which pertains to the subject everyday this month. Therefore, I thought that this book would be apropos for today.
Elizabeth Marie "Betty" Tallchief was an American ballerina. She was considered America's first major prima ballerina, and was the first Native American to hold the rank.
Tallchief and Wells' text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. The text itself is poetic, almost like a fairy tale in its scene-setting. The language can be abstract, but the story is gripping. Kelley's softly focused paintings underscore the lyrical tone, enveloping the characters and settings in gauzy, dreamlike light and concentrating, provocatively, on stillness as opposed to movement.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Despite its subtitle, this picture-book biography focuses on the childhood and adolescence of Maria Tallchief, not on her groundbreaking career. In metaphorical language, Tallchief and Wells describe young Betty Marie's twin passions for music and dance, and her mother's role in developing them.
All in all, Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina is a wonderful cursory autobiographical picture book about Maria Tallchief – the first Native American prima ballerina.
January 31, 2017
Beautiful picture book about ballerina Maria Tallchief. The text by Rosemary Wells carries the voice of co-author Maria Tallchief. The art is expressive and colorful. Though Osage women didn't dance, Alexander Tallchief and his wife encourage their daughters to pursue piano and ballet. So much so that they moved their family to California in 1933 to find better teachers. Joining the Russian ballet at 18, Maria became one of the greatest dancers of her time, the first American to dance with the Paris Opera Ballet, and the first prima ballerina for the New York City Ballet. While the book was thorough and full of personal touches, I was disappointed there was no back matter or additional information.
June 14, 2019
A beautiful partnership -- Rosemary Wells, who, if the link is correct, is THAT Wells who writes tons of sweet critter books for kids -- and Maria Tallchief, a legendary daughter of Oklahoma, and a prima ballerina. AND Garry Kelley, the illustrator, adds so much with his ethereal pastels.
Wells explains in the Author's Note (yes, I read author's notes, and end notes, and forwards, and epilogues. They are there for a reason!) that Tallchief speaks of her first visit to watch the Ballets Russe de Monte Carlo being the real inspiration to risk everything for a career in ballet. Wells' mother was in the corps de ballet when Tallchief first saw them. That link, in 1999, led to this little masterpiece.
The book is told in Maria's voice...she talks about her parents, growing up after oil was discovered on Osage land. This gave the Tallchief girls so many advantages, and her family carefully guided their daughters through those early years. She speaks of her father finally telling her it was time to choose...dancing or piano. Not both. And his support was unwavering after her choice.
The book ends with Maria leaving to audition for the Corps that inspired her...and the rest, as they say, is history.
I appreciated the fact this book focused on the young Maria, not about her career. The choices she and her family made when she was young, the support, the love, the lessons...these are what a young reader will identify with.
A total gem...and one I JUST discovered.
Wells explains in the Author's Note (yes, I read author's notes, and end notes, and forwards, and epilogues. They are there for a reason!) that Tallchief speaks of her first visit to watch the Ballets Russe de Monte Carlo being the real inspiration to risk everything for a career in ballet. Wells' mother was in the corps de ballet when Tallchief first saw them. That link, in 1999, led to this little masterpiece.
The book is told in Maria's voice...she talks about her parents, growing up after oil was discovered on Osage land. This gave the Tallchief girls so many advantages, and her family carefully guided their daughters through those early years. She speaks of her father finally telling her it was time to choose...dancing or piano. Not both. And his support was unwavering after her choice.
The book ends with Maria leaving to audition for the Corps that inspired her...and the rest, as they say, is history.
I appreciated the fact this book focused on the young Maria, not about her career. The choices she and her family made when she was young, the support, the love, the lessons...these are what a young reader will identify with.
A total gem...and one I JUST discovered.
April 23, 2019
Used for Final
Growing up on the Osage Indian Reservation in Oklahoma, Elizabeth Marie Tallchief got to learn about her family history and was introduced to music and dance. Despite women not being allowed to dance among the Indian people and the white men making all native ceremonies and celebrations illegal, Elizabeth’s parents encouraged her and her sister to continue with their dancing because they saw their passion and skill for it. Eventually, they would move to Los Angeles where Elizabeth would be trained by more skilled ballet teachers. This allows Elizabeth to eventually move to New York on her own to pursue ballet even further.
This book provided a lot of information about Maria Tallchief and Native Americans living on the Osage Reservation. It would be a good book to read aloud for a informational or biography because there are things that can be taken away from it that both boys and girls would find valuable. More specifically, girls could read this book to find Maria Tallchief as an example of hard work.
Growing up on the Osage Indian Reservation in Oklahoma, Elizabeth Marie Tallchief got to learn about her family history and was introduced to music and dance. Despite women not being allowed to dance among the Indian people and the white men making all native ceremonies and celebrations illegal, Elizabeth’s parents encouraged her and her sister to continue with their dancing because they saw their passion and skill for it. Eventually, they would move to Los Angeles where Elizabeth would be trained by more skilled ballet teachers. This allows Elizabeth to eventually move to New York on her own to pursue ballet even further.
This book provided a lot of information about Maria Tallchief and Native Americans living on the Osage Reservation. It would be a good book to read aloud for a informational or biography because there are things that can be taken away from it that both boys and girls would find valuable. More specifically, girls could read this book to find Maria Tallchief as an example of hard work.
June 28, 2021
Two books I’ve recently read have made reference to Prima Ballerina Maria Tallchief; so I decide to take a look at a book about her. I knew the name of Maria Tallchief because of my childhood friend, Yvonne Craig, danced with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, and she wrote about Tallchief in her book From Ballet to the Batcave and Beyond Then when I re-read Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, I was reminded that Tallchief was an Osage Indian from Oklahoma. In this book, Maria tells her life story, and I learned more about her life. The soft watercolors illustrate the book beautifully. This isn’t a picture book for the very young, but one to read to a child five to six.
April 22, 2020
Tallchief: America’s Prima Ballerina, is a picture book biography about Tallchief and her childhood before she became America’s Prima ballerina. Tallchief was gifted at playing piano and dancing, but when her Father told her she had to start focusing on pursuing one, Tallchief immediately chose dance because she knew that with dance she would also have music. Tallchief’s story prior to her leaving to New York, is a meaningful story that teaches children about passion and hard work. Through Tallchief children can see her commitment and focus she had towards pursuing her dance career. Children can learn from Tallchief not just about the ballerina aspect but they can also learn about the positive quality traits that helped Tallchief reach her dream. This is a great book to have in a classroom, not only can students who are interested in ballet read this book, but it can also be a great story for students who want to learn about hard work and perseverance.
October 18, 2018
An inspiring, poetic, beautiful book about a wonderful ballerina and piano player. I loved the connection to the families heritage. I enjoyed her parents and how they loved her so much and inspired her to do whatever and to always follow her dreams. The only knock for stars, making my rating a 4/5 is the lengthy text. Although a short book, each page has a significant amount of text. Therefore, I do not find this book suitable for younger children as it can bore/frustrate them very quickly. The illustrations were wonderfully done and really showed the true emotion and love throughout the story. I recommend this book to everyone, especially young girls and women alike, for an inspiring read. An overall "feel-good" book.
Read
March 5, 2022When I found this book online, I was super excited. I was looking for books about diverse dancers, and this one was one of the top results. The imagery in this book goes alongside the text, so readers could read this story independently, and even if they can't read all of the words, they can follow along to the pictures. Another thing that I like about this book is that it's written by the person that it's about. Maria is brutally honest in this story, calling people out, but it's actually quite engaging. I was playing this aloud while doing work with some friends, and they became interested in the story as well. I love that this story is about Maria's identity as both a Native American and a dancer. It's a unique story, one that students are not likely to hear elsewhere.
March 15, 2023
Maria Tallchief is amazing, and it is one of my great sorrows that there isn't complete video footage of her famous Firebird performance. This is a good, if lengthy for the intended age, picture book biography of the famous Native prima ballerina, an Osage Indian born on a reservation in Oklahoma. However, I knocked off a few stars because it just ends, abruptly, when she leaves to become a ballerina in New York at age 17. I mean, your childhood is fascinating, Maria, but c'mon! I want to see you as a ballerina!
February 10, 2025
Inscribed on the book jacket are the words Ages 4-9, but children ages 4 to 9 would not understand the intellectual writing in this picture book. The story tells about a famous ballerina, Maria Tallchief, who was born with music and dance in her soul. Only those children bound for the glory of talent and fame would understand the meaning of this text. On the other hand, the illustrations are very appealing to children and adults. I am the grandmother of a professional Ballerina, so I do understand and appreciate this book.
March 4, 2021
Maria Tallchief is a historic American prima ballerina. This story, told in a first person narrative recounts her childhood training. It was a bit disappointing because it ends right as she reaches adulthood and thus we don’t get to see anything about her actual career. It was kind of strange because it felt wordy yet also too short. It didn’t hold my kids interest as well as I’d hoped. The art was nice enough, nothing super impressive.
September 21, 2021
This was an excellent book about Maria Tallchief. I am a huge fan of ballet, but I only knew of her, but not about her. She grew up on a Osage Indian Reservation in Oklahoma. When she was twelve years old her father told her she had to choose between music and dance, as she partook in both. She loved music, but realized that without it there would be no ballet : "but follow that one star". The rest is history, changing the face of classical ballet in America forever.
November 16, 2024
A picture book about Maria Tallchief and how she achieved her lifelong dream of being a ballerina for top-notch European ballet companies. She was fortunate to be a member of the Osage tribe which had a lot of money from oil wells. This gave Maria opportunities much greater than most Native Americans had during that time period. Beautiful illustrations by Gary Kelley.
December 6, 2024
Beautifully illustrated but a bit disappointed that not more was shared about the obstacles she overcame navigating discrimination. I was eager to read this after learning about this Native American ballerina at the Newberry library’s indigenous Chicago exhibit. I still appreciate the author & illustrator for sharing this important little known history.
April 15, 2023
The text is fairly long, so probably would not do well for reading to young children, but should work well for readers who are getting close to doing chapter books, especially if they have an interest in dance.
The illustrations remind me of Edward Hopper paintings, which seems era-appropriate.
The illustrations remind me of Edward Hopper paintings, which seems era-appropriate.
November 2, 2018
A nice story but a very abrupt end.
November 24, 2018
A wonderful picture book biography that felt 1/2 finished as it only discussed her childhood. I wanted to know what happened after she got on the train to NYC. Too wordy for a read aloud.
May 28, 2020
Enjoyed reading about her, but story feels like it abruptly stops where her career begins.
October 14, 2020
The story of Maria's childhood, her love of piano and dance, and her first encounter with the Ballet Russes and how that led to her going to NYC.
January 11, 2021
Loved the story and art but it ends rather abruptly.
May 9, 2021
Interesante libro sobre la vida de la prima ballerina del primer ballet de Estados unidos dirigido por Ballanchine, con ella estuvo casada.
July 25, 2021
I've read other books about Maria Tallchief that were written more appropriately for the picture book age group. This one was way too wordy.
February 1, 2023
Rounded down because only her childhood is dealt with, ending when she leaves for New York at 17.
August 17, 2024
Very sweet and poetic, and Gary Kelley's lovely pastel illustrations fit the tone of the story perfectly.
December 15, 2024
I really liked the poetic text here, though I think for children perhaps a higher illustration-to-text-ratio would be better. Still, this is a good introduction to a trailblazing ballerina.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews