Who Was Maria Tallchief? by Catherine Gourley

 A ballet dancer who began her career by dancing at county fairs and rodeos

A Native American girl who fell in love with dance while attending her first powwow
The United States’ first prima ballerina

Born in 1925, Maria Tallchief spent part of her childhood on an Osage reservation in Oklahoma. With the support of her family and world-renowned choreographer George Balanchine, she rose to the top of her art form to become America’s first prima ballerina.

Black-and-white illustrations provide visual sidebars to the history of ballet while taking readers through the life of this amazing dancer.

By Catherine Gourley