January 24, 2026

Maria Tallchief,

Maria Tallchief, born Elizabeth Marie Tall Chief (𐓏𐒰𐓐𐒿𐒷-π“π“‚Ν˜π“„π’° “Two-Standards”; Osage family name: Ki He Kah Stah Tsa, Osage script: 𐒼𐒱𐒹𐒻𐒼𐒰-π“†π“ˆπ’·π“Šπ’·; January 24, 1925 – April 11, 2013), was an Osageballerina. She was America’s first major prima ballerina and the first Native American to hold the rank. Together with Georgian-American choreographer George Balanchine, she is widely considered to have revolutionized American ballet.