Reading The Osage Firebird, by Sudipta Barchan, I learned it doesn’t necessarily have to be physical barriers in your way that you have to overcome. This is a story about a courageous young girl who knew that nothing would get in her way to stop her from pursing the profession she loves.
In the beginning the author explains how Betty’s career got started and how she became interested in this profession. The text also states things about Betty’s heritage and background. Betty being born into the Osage tribe, which the reader can guess is where she gets her last name “Tallchief” from. Judging by the information given at the beginning we can infer Betty had a strong connection with her grandmother, which is the person who told her many stories and gave Betty the experience of dancing atop her grandmother’s feet. Her swift ability to learn quickly made it easier for her dance instructor to teach her. Soon she’d be off to perform in rodeos and county fairs. However, another instructor and his constructive criticism frustrated Betty suggesting she should “go back to the beginning.”
Halfway into the passage, Betty and her family make a big move to California, where Betty “began to encounter prejudice” as stated in the text. Betty would
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“She became Prima Ballerina of the New York City Ballet” directly stated from the text. Was honored by President Eisenhower, given the name “Woman of the Year.” Has a day in Oklahoma named after her and receiving the title from her grandmother of the Osage Tribe, “Wa-Xth-Thonba” meaning “women of two worlds.” The performance that Maria Tallchief is most recognized for is “The Firebird” which tells a story of a creature that is half bird and half woman based off of a Russian folktale. For people who watched the dance they thought it was spectacular and the way she combined her heritage and her occupation as a ballet dancer is truly