Larry Kaplan

WOW! Albeit lengthy, this book was fantastic! It gave so much context and interesting detail. Her story is different than many others because she did not grow up impoverished or without much opportunity. Maria Tallchief was born a dancer, always practicing and perfecting her dynamic movements. She always had a private teacher and went to schools just for ballet. Upon moving to Los Angeles, she met with famous Russian dancers who further inspired her. She eventually joined this dream team, the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo in New York. One of my favorite things about this book is when I realized the metaphor she used for the secret of music, to which she later compared herself. At the beginning of the book she said, "The frame of good music has to be strong enough to hold the weight of a whole symphony, and delicate enough to break the heart." Near the end of the book, in hoping to join the famed ballet dancers, she told herself, "What I needed to learn was how to be strong enough to dance for hours in a matinee.... And I needed to be delicate enough to break the human heart." This jumped out at me and I liked this beautifully worded story even more.… (altro)

Tallchief is a great autobiography written by a famous prima ballerina named Marie Tallchief. Throughout the book she explains her journey as a dancer and how she became a prima ballerina. The use of metaphors in this story gives us the ability to visualize what it was like for her to learn to play the piano and dance. Hard work and a good foundation were key to her future success as a dancer.
As a reader, we learn the importance focus and determination play in becoming a professional dancer. My favorite part is when she explains how her new Russian ballet teacher told her she was doing everything wrong and that she was as strict as a "drill sergeant in the army". I will never forget the first time I took class with my Georgian ballet teacher, and it was very similar to Tallchiefs experience. I really enjoyed reading about Tallchief and how she became a famous dancer.… (altro)