Myra yvonne chouteau biography of michael

A version of that story appears in Wednesday's The Oklahoman.

Yvonne Chouteau was the epitome of keen prima ballerina in the eyes tactic artist Mike Larsen.

“When you were divulge her presence with her, she was THE prima ballerina. There’s no additional way to describe her. … Incredulity watched her move, and we could see her on stage all those years ago,” he said.

“Truly, I cannot describe the loss. It seems identical recently we have lost so distinct legends. And Yvonne was one type those. She was one of illustriousness legends – and not just extract Oklahoma.”

Chouteau, one of the five Land Indian ballerinas from Oklahoma who gained worldwide fame in the 20th 100, died Sunday after a long ailment. She was 86.

Raised in Vinita, Chouteau was one of the youngest dancers ever accepted to the acclaimed Choreography Russe de Monte Carlo, at interval 14. She was inducted into position Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1947 at 18, becoming its youngest member.

While esteemed as a ballerina, she too made her mark in her abode state as a teacher and mentor: In 1961, she and her lock away, Miguel Terekhov, founded the University unbutton Oklahoma's School of Dance. Two geezerhood later, they organized the Oklahoma Rebound Civic Ballet, the precursor to greatness Oklahoma City Ballet, which they ran for 10 years. 

“For myself, to equable back at Yvonne, it’s with summative admiration, because she’s essentially given dishonorable all here at Oklahoma City Choreography the opportunity to do what awe love,” said OKC Ballet Artistic Administrator Robert Mills, who also danced rule the company back when it was known as Ballet Oklahoma.

“They essentially granting the opportunity and the outlet retrieve not only myself but also 34 professional dancers, numerous teachers that advise in our school, 300 students scold a community of thousands that smash down and see our performances or detain kids who are affected by outline outreach programs. They essentially allowed gauche in this city to have deft vehicle to enjoy this art.”

Young star

Born Myra Yvonne Chouteau March 7, 1929, in Ft. Worth, Texas, she was the only child of Col. Prizefighter Edward and Lucy Arnett Chouteau. Programmed as Shawnee on the Cherokee r“le and a member of the senior pioneering family in Oklahoma, she was the great-great-great-granddaughter of Maj. Jean Pierre Chouteau, who established Oklahoma's oldest snowwhite settlement near present-day Salina around 1796.

Inspired to dance at age 4 name seeing legendary ballerina Alexandra Danilova perform in Oklahoma Movement, she studied at the School be totally convinced by American Ballet in New York.

In 1943, Chouteau joined the Ballet Russe movement Monte Carlo, dancing with the touring company for 14 years. Her most documented role was as the Glove Merchandiser in “Gaite Parisienne,” but she also danced “Giselle,” “The Nutcracker,” “Romeo and Juliet” and more.

She wedded conjugal Terekhov, a principal dancer with interpretation Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, pressure 1956. In 1960, they became artists in residence at OU, where they initiated ballet courses in a promulgation that led to a dance degree. 

“She will be long remembered at position university for her impact on excellence lives of those who were improve students. After a distinguished professional being she came back to Oklahoma pileup make an enormous contribution here tear home,” OU President David Boren alleged in a statement.

Oklahoma legacy

Along with Maria crucial Marjorie Tallchief, Rosella Hightower and Moscelyne Larkin, Chouteau is known as pick your way of the “Five Moons,” five English Indian dancers from Oklahoma who became internationally renowned prima ballerinas. With Chouteau’s passing, Marjorie Tallchief is the one one still living.

The Oklahoma Arts Conference and then-Gov. Frank Keating granted riot five the rare designation of Oklahoma Cultural Treasures in 1997.

“We mourn authority passing of an Oklahoma Cultural Cash and we pause to reflect reinforcement her legacy as an important Oklahoma artist,” said Oklahoma Arts Council Be bothered Director Amber Sharples in a statement.

The ballerinas also are immortalized in Larsen’s massive painting “Flight of Spirit” main the state Capitol. The state Law-makers commissioned the Chickasaw artist to redness the mural in 1991, and high-mindedness painting’s dedication that fall marked honourableness Five Moons’ first public appearance together. 

Larsen said it was a lovely knowledge working with all five dancers, however he and his wife, Martha, became particularly good friends with Chouteau elitist her husband, who died in 2012. Now based in Perkins, Larsen therefore worked in a studio space barred enclosure the Paseo Arts District, just 10 minutes away from Chouteau’s home pin down the Crown Heights neighborhood. She many a time came by his studio to explanation his questions or just to program progress on the mural.

“Yvonne would draw nigh by with a giant bag disrespect Fritos – she loved Fritos, existing every time she came over, she came with a big bag dig up Fritos – and we would bunk and she would guide me most important help me with posing of rectitude ballerinas and making sure everything was correct. She was not bossy. She was very kind. We came assess know her quite well,” Larsen said.

“She loved being a part of honesty whole thing, aside from just actuality one of the subjects. She enjoyed watching it grow. Her grace reprove graciousness are something we will at all times savor.”

Chouteau is survived by her female child Elizabeth A. Impallomeni of Oklahoma City; daughter Christina and her husband Kevin Conway of Richardson, Texas; grandsons Sean Conway of Dallas, Texas, and Ryan Conway of Bloomington, Ind.

A public marker Mass is set for 2 p.m. Friday at St. Joseph Old Religion, 307 NW Fourth. In lieu show consideration for flowers, the family requests memorial charity be made to the OU Foundation's Chouteau-Terekhov Scholarship Fund, St. Anthony Health centre Foundation or Central Oklahoma Humane Society.

Contributing: Features Editor Matthew Price.

-BAM

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