We have an episode all about Stravinsky's "The Firebird" ballet.
And this week, we're bringing you an episode all about the enormously famous ballerina who danced as the Firebird in the New York City Ballet's 1949 production of the work: Maria Tallchief!
For decades, Maria Tallchief was a household name.
She was the New York City Ballet's prima ballerina, the highest ranking dancer in the most famous ballet company in the U.S.
She was America's first prima ballerina — American ballet companies hadn't used this title until Maria earned it.
She was also the first Native American person to dance as a prima ballerina; she was born in Fairfax, Oklahoma and was a member of the Osage Nation.
Growing up, Maria and her sister Marjorie both loved dancing, and their parents were super supportive in helping make her dreams come true.
The Tallchief family even moved to California so that Maria and Marjorie could study dance.
After graduating high school, Maria moved to New York City with dreams of pursuing ballet professionally.
And she did!
Maria was selected as an apprentice with the Russian ballet company in the United States, Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.
Her career started to take off, but as she became more well-known, many people tried to get her to change her last name to something other than Tallchief to keep dance companies from discriminating against her as a Native dancer.
But she refused! She stayed true to her values and heritage and always performed as Maria Tallchief.
Maria broke all kinds of boundaries — in 1947 she became first American to dance with the Paris Opera Ballet in France.
Hear from Maria herself in this video about her Firebird choreography!
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Classical Sprouts is written and produced by Emily Duncan Wilson.
