From the Archives

The story of the “Five Moons,” the American Indian dancers from Oklahoma who took the world of ballet by storm from the mid-1940s until the 1960s, is even more fascinating when one realizes that three of these five remarkable women were Catholic (the other two were Rosella Hightower and Moscelyne Harkin).

Maria and Marjorie Tallchief (menbers of the Osage Tribe) were born in 1925 and 1926 respectively and lived in the northeastern Oklahoma town of Fairfax. Yvonne Chouteau was raised in Vinita and Shawnee, but also was on the roles of the Cherokee Tribe.

Early on, the mother of the Tallchief sisters recognized the extraordinary talent of her two young girls and due to oil money given to the Osage Tribe, the parents decided to relocate to Los Angeles to allow that talent to be natured by professionals. It proved to be a move that would eventually bring joy to thousands across the world.

Maria began her career with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo in 1942, but is known primarily for her work with the New York City Ballet for whom she danced and taught from 1948-1965. It was at this juncture that she met the famous choreographer George Ballanchine. Their creative partnership led to such iconic roles as the Sugar Plum Fairy in “The Nutcracker,” which Ballanchine had reimagined in 1954, and “Firebird.”

After retirement in 1965, she founded the Chicago City Ballet. She died in 2013, and upon her death Jacque d’ Amboise, a dance partner, stated, “She was the perfect representative of the American ballerina. There was one word for her: grand. She was absolutely grand.” 

Marjorie too was extremely gifted. Like her older sister her career began with the Ballet Russe in 1946 and later the Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas and her final company before retirement as prima ballerina of the Harkness Ballet. She performed before heads of state such as President Kennedy and President Johnson as well as Charles De Gaulle.

Teaching became her passion as she served as director of the Civic Ballet of Dallas and the same position at the Harid Conservatory in Boco Raton, Fla. At 95, she is the last surviving member of the Five Moons.

Of the three ballerinas, only Yvonne Chouteau returned to Oklahoma to live after her dancing career ended. It was an extraordinary life before and after she decided to give up performing. At age 14, she danced with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. During her 14 years with the company, she performed in “Romeo and Juliet” and “The Nutcracker.” She held the title of prima ballerina for eight years.

While with the Ballet Russe she met and married fellow dancer Miguel Terekov. The couple came to Oklahoma City and founded the school of dance at the University of Oklahoma. They organized the Oklahoma City Civic Ballet in 1963. Making the arts more accessible and bringing the passion and beauty of dance to the public was a life-long quest. 

This incredible woman has been described as “elegant,” “graceful,” and “kind.” Her faith was an animating principle in her life as she was active at Our Lady’s Cathedral for many years, including playing an active role in the parish’s liturgy committee. She passed away in 2012.

Besides being Oklahomans, the three women were proud of their American Indian heritage and were not reticent to express that pride. All gave freely of their time and energy to further the cause of the arts to make a well-rounded person; and in a very Catholic sense understood that beauty is a gift from God to be cherished and developed. 


Photo: Maria Tallchief instructing a young student, 1972. Courtesy of The Oklahoman Archives