The Challenges Of Betty Marie Tallchief Betty Marie Tallchief also known as Maria Tallchief work really hard to become a ballerina. She was teased because of her her heritage. There were no other Indian ballerinas at that time. She was teased at her school. People made fun of her last name and when people when they saw they would make war whoops. She did not let that get to her. They would soon see that she would do great things. Later in her career she changed her name to Maria. It would be easier tog get jobs if she change her last name to an American name but, she did not. She wanted people to know she was no ashamed of her heritage. She went on to be a prima ballerina in the New York City Ballet. Oklahoma declared June 29 “Maria Tallchief
