After reading Maria Tallchief's autobiography, Maria Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina--written with Larry Kaplan--we can chalk up another victory for those scientists who claim that children born to disparate parents turn out to be the most talented.
Tallchief's father, Alexander Joseph Tall Chief, was a full-blooded Osage Indian; mother Ruth Porter Tall Chief was Scots-Irish. Her father was a man of property, and Maria and sister Marjorie were given every advantage. Both girls were made to take piano and ballet lessons by mother Tall Chief. Determined to see her daughters become musical film stars, she took the girls to California. Eventually Maria came to spell her last name as one word.
Maria and Marjorie began dance studies with noted film choreographer Ernest Belcher, but they soon switched to classes with Bronislava Nijinska, who had opened a studio in Beverly Hills. The autobiographer states, "I think the importance of the five years of training I had with her [Nijinska] can never be overestimated. I was in the right place at the right time." In a way those words seem to form the theme of her life.
Maria also studied with Mia Slavenska, who was instrumental in helping her secure an audition before Sergei Denham, who headed the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. Invited to join that company after finishing high school, she became a member at age 17.
Touring with the Ballet Russe during the war years was a hectic experience. As Tallchief relates, "The Ballet Russe danced one-night stands all over the country. After traveling all day, we would stagger off the train straight into a theatre with only a few moments to get used to an unfamiliar stage, warm up, slap on makeup and go on stage for the performance. What a contrast that was between the glamour the Ballet Russe projected on stage and the reality of the life the dancer led on tour." But even with Slavenska, Danilova, Franklin, Youskevitch, and Krassovska as company stars, Tallchief still managed to dance leading roles.
The Balanchine Connection
By 1944 Balanchine had had his fill of choreographing Broadway musicals, including On Your Toes, Babes in Arms, The Boys From Syracuse, and Song of Norway. He was eager to choreograph for Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. Tallchief was soon given leads in his "Danses Concertantes," "Ballet Imperial," "La Baiser de la Fƒe," and "Night Shadow" (later called "La Sonnambula").
In 1945 Balanchine, together with Lincoln Kirstein, was ready to start Ballet Society (one of the precursors of New York City Ballet). Previous to Ballet Society there were American Ballet and Ballet Caravan, neither of which lasted long. It wasn't until 1948 that New York City Ballet truly emerged--at the behest of Morton Baum, the director of City Center, when he invited NYC Ballet to become the resident company.
Tallchief and Balanchine were married by this time and she became the leading light of the nascent NYC Ballet, performing in his "Orpheus," "Le Palais de Crystal" (originally staged for the Paris Opera Ballet and eventually titled "Symphony in C"), "Symphonie Concertante," "Divertimento," and "Four Temperments."
Jerome Robbins, who was choreographing on Broadway, joined the newly formed ballet company. His first work for the company was "The Guests." Ms. Tallchief states regarding the ballet, "It didn't remain long, but it was clearly the work of a young master destined for greatness."
The author achieved enormous success in Balanchine's version of "Firebird," for which Stravinsky had composed the score in 1910 to accompany Fokine's choreography. "Bourrƒe Fantasque," and "Prodigal Son" with Robbins in the title role and Tallchief as the Siren were also audience favorites.
Matters of the Heart
In the meantime Maria had become attracted to a handsome young aviator, Elmourza Natirboff. Balanchine had fallen for Tanaquil LeClercq, whom he eventually married. Tallchief married Natirboff who, unfortunately, wanted a full-time wife. Since she was at the height of her career as New York City Ballet's reigning ballerina, that marriage didn't last long. Maria then took up with a Texas multi-millionaire, in a relationship which lasted until she met a Chicago business man, Henry Paschen. They married and, despite many a travail, managed to stay married.
Thankfully, I was present during what was known as Balanchine's golden age--the '50s and '60s--and can attest to Tallchief's performances, unmatched to this day, as Eurydice in "Orpheus." She was also a glowing presence in "Firebird," "Sylvia Pas de Deux," "Symphony in C," and "Scotch Symphony."
Tallchief always possessed brilliant technique, but as she states, "This side of my dancing surfaced early in my career and I worked hard to perfect it. But George knew there was a romantic, vulnerable side to my personality. In ballets like "Bourrƒe Fantasque," Swan Lake, and "Apollo" he worked to develop it and make it blossom in my dancing."
During her lengthy stay with NYC Ballet, the author was also in demand as guest artist on the domestic and international scene with Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, American Ballet Theatre, and The Royal Danish Ballet. Throughout her lengthy career she was fortunate in having as her partners all the great dancers of her era, including Andre Eglevsky, Jacque d'Amboise, Igor Youskevitch, Erik Bruhn, and Rudolf Nureyev.
In 1963 Balanchine had found a new Muse in Suzanne Farrell, with whom he became obsessed. All his attention focused on her, to the chagrin of ballerinas Melissa Hayden, Allegra Kent, and Violette Verdy. Tallchief began to channel her energy into teaching and lecture demonstrations at colleges, universities, and New York City High Schools. The author has warm words for many of her colleagues, as well as for her friends and relatives, which form some of the most admirable aspects of her autobiography.
In 1996 Maria Tallchief received Kennedy Center Honors, placing her in the company of other lustrous members who had been honored previously: George Balanchine, Martha Graham, and Fred Astaire. Maria Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina; Henry Holt and Company, New York; 351 pages; $27.50. Highly recommended for all dance collections.
Ashley's Farewell
After a career of 31 years with New York City Ballet, Principal Dancer Merrill Ashley will dance her final performance with the company as part of the opening night benefit, Nov. 25, at 7:30 pm. Prior to this she will dance during New York City Ballet's tour of Brazil, Sept. 26-Oct. 11. After her final performance, Ms. Ashley will remain with NYC Ballet to teach and work with the dancers in a variety of ways.Benefit information: (212) 870-5585. q