File:Celebrating Maria Tallchief

In honor of Native American Heritage Month in the U.S., today’s video Doodle—created in partnership with Native American guest artists Lydia Cheshewalla, Chris Pappan, and Yatika Starr Fields— celebrates Maria Tallchief, member of the Osage Nation who was America’s first, major prima ballerina. Not only a trailblazer for Native American dancers, Tallchief is widely considered one of the country’s most influential ballerinas of all time. On this day in 2007, a bronze sculpture of Tallchief and four other Native American ballerinas was unveiled in Oklahoma at the Tulsa Historical Society in a piece titled “The Five Moons” by artist Gary Henson.

Learn more: http://www.google.com/doodles/celebrating-maria-tallchief

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Quote by Maria Tallchief is an excerpt of Bruce Duffie's published interview with Maria Tallchief: "Conversation Piece: Prima Ballerina MARIA TALLCHIEF" © Bruce Duffie

The Firebird, Swan Lake and The Nutcracker: "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy", Choreography by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust

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