May 12, 2023
The History Behind SAB’s Workshop Performances
Learn the history behind SAB's Workshop Performances.
November is National American Indian Heritage Month and we want to take a moment to honor the many ballet dancers of American Indian Heritage who have contributed to our art form. The most well-known are the “Five Moons” ballerinas from Oklahoma who each made a tremendous impact in shaping ballet in America during the 20th century, including Rosella Hightower of Choctaw heritage, Moscelyne Larkin, a member of the Shawnee-Peoria tribe, Yvonne Chouteau of Shawnee and Cherokee heritage, and sisters Marjorie and Maria Tallchief, members of the Osage Nation.
Each one of these dancers performed with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo before going on to have incredible careers on the stage and in leadership roles with major companies like New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Tulsa Ballet, Oklahoma City Ballet, and the Paris Opéra Ballet. Their influence continues to inspire and their trailblazing legacies have left a huge imprint on the history of ballet.
We invite you to take a deeper dive into their individual life stories through the videos and links to articles and resources we’ve assembled below…
New York Times – Oklahoma’s Gift to Ballet: The Five Moons Ballerinas
SAB Trailblazer: Maria Tallchief
Pointe Magazine – Inaugural Five Moons Dance Festival Honors Oklahoma’s Native American Ballerinas
May 12, 2023
Learn the history behind SAB's Workshop Performances.
March 28, 2023
In honor of Women's History Month, learn more about Evelyn Cisneros-Legate, SAB alumna and the first Mexican-American prima ballerina.
February 8, 2022
Today we are honored to share a glimpse into the life of a crucial figure in ballet history, Janet Collins. Ms. Collins was an accomplished and acclaimed dancer and choreographer who broke the color line with the Metropolitan Opera in 1951.