Desert Hawk Books

 

American Indian Ballerinas

Lili Cockerille Livingston

 

352  pages
42 B&W Illustrations
Paperback

Quantity:   $17.95 & S/H

 

This book is the first authorized biography of four twentieth-century American Indian ballerinas: Maria Tallchief, Rosella Hightower, Marjorie Tallchief, and Yvonne Chouteau. All raised in Oklahoma during the 1920s and 1930s, these women went on to achieve international fame, each uniquely responsible for changing the image of a ballerina. Lili Cockerille Livingston, who worked with all four of the ballerinas during her own career as a dancer, draws upon her extensive interviews with the women to bring their stories to life. In their own words, they tell about their childhoods in Oklahoma, their early rises to fame, the ups and downs of their personal lives, the challenges of combining marriage and motherhood with a dancing career, and their recent achievements as mentors and teachers of a younger generation of dancers. In tracing the diverse careers of the ballerinas, Livingston fills important gaps in the history of ballet. She sheds new light on the development of New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and the now-defunct Harkness Ballet and Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas. In addition, she reveals the harshness of touring for dancers, the effect of World War II on the dance world, and revolutionary changes in choreography and training that took place during the women's performing years. Livingston also explores the tribal backgrounds of the women, showing how their rich cultural heritage contributed to their development as artists and their unique performing styles. At the same time she provides a fascinating glimpse into the worlds of the Osage, Choctaw, and Cherokee-Shawnee tribes to which the Tallchief sisters, Hightower, and Chouteau respectively belong.

"A former ballet dancer herself, Livingston weaves a story that not only shows the careers of these talented women but also reflects the changes in American ballet from the early 1940s to the early 1960s. . . . Although she discusses some of the dancers' experiences within a historical context, the author seldom describes any social implications. Thus, one sometimes loses the impactof the fame these women achieved in a time when racial discrimination was tolerated in the US. Also curious is the chronology at the end of the book, which takes the reader only to about 1965, even though each dancer's career is described in the text to the mid-1990s. Why the author excluded 30 years of productivity from an otherwise helpful chronology is a mystery. Nevertheless, this book stands as a tribute to four great women of the ballet world and is recommended for all dance collections." - Choice.
 
"A biographical account of the lives and careers of Maria Tallchief, Rosella Hightower, Marjorie Tallchief, and Yvonne Chateau. Rather than present a detailed treatment of the careers of these ballerinas, the author attempts to convey the accomplishments that the women were proudest of themselves. Thus, she relies heavily on anecdotes and reflections of the four." - Booknews. 

"Livingston, a journalist and former dancer, has written the first authorized biography of Maria Tallchief (a 1996 Kennedy Center honoree), Marjorie Tallchief, Rosella Hightower, and Yvonne Chouteau. The book celebrates the accomplishments of these women, who share a state (Oklahoma), a profession (ballet), and a heritage (Native American). Livingston draws largely from interviews she conducted with the dancers, who describe their rise to fame, the touring life, and the complexities of combining professional and personal lives. The book successfully conveys the positive attitudes that played a significant part in each dancer's success, but it lacks the detail and objectivity readers have come to expect of biographies and dance histories. Ultimately this is light, enjoyable reading for balletomanes. Focusing on her remembrances of her years with choreographer George Balanchine, Tallchief's autobiography is more revealing. She met Balanchine at the start of her career, when she was with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and Balanchine was about to form a company that would become a precursor to the New York City Ballet. Tallchief subsequently became Balanchine's wife, muse, and prima ballerina, and, though the marriage was short-lived, their artistic partnership endures in Balanchine's works created for Tallchief. She also writes about other stars, but the memoir sparkles when she recalls the subtlety and detail of a movement or the beauty of a musical phrase. Kaplan has coauthored biographies of Merrill Ashley and Edward Villela. Wholly satisfying fare for the seriously interested.Joan Stahl, National Museum of American Art Lib., Washington, D.C." - Library Journal