Book
American Indian ballerinas / by Lili Cockerille Livingston.
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.
Record details
- ISBN: 0806128968 (alk. paper)
- ISBN: 9780806128962 (alk. paper)
- ISBN: 0806131349
- ISBN: 9780806131344
- Physical Description: xx, 328 pages : illustrations ; 26 cm.
- Publisher: Norman, Okla. : University of Oklahoma Press, 1997.
Content descriptions
- Bibliography, etc. Note:
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 309-313) and index.
- Formatted Contents Note:
- List of illustrations -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Regrets -- Childhood: Durwood, Oklahoma, 1920 -- Kansas City, Kansas, 1925 -- Monte Carlo, Monaco, 1938 -- Fairfax, Oklahoma, 1925 -- Hollywood, California, 1930 -- New York, New York, 1942 -- Hollywood, California, 1944 -- Vinita, Oklahoma, 1929 -- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1932-1940 -- New York, New York, 1941 -- Performing years: Maria Tallchief: Professional debut -- Balanchine's muse -- New frontiers -- Just rewards -- Home, sweet home -- Rosella Hightower: Professional debut -- War years -- Changing directions -- Marquis de Cuevas -- Company, a home, and a family -- Marjorie Tallchief: Professional debut -- Opportunity knocks -- Victorious in Europe -- Decade of triumph -- Homeward bound -- Yvonne Chouteau: Professional debut -- Child in an adult world -- Center stage -- Guest engagements -- Farewell -- Shaping the future of dance: Dallas, Texas -- Florida via Chicago -- Cannes, France -- At the artistic helm -- Adventure continues -- Chicago, Illinois -- Turmoil in Chicago -- Priorities rule -- Oklahoma via Montevideo, Uruguay -- Changing roles -- Chronologies -- Select bibliography -- Index.
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Available copies
- 1 of 1 copy available at Northwest Indian College.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 1 total copy.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lummi Library | GV 1785 .A1 L58 1997 | 243851 | Stacks | Available | - |
Summary:
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.