Rosella Hightower, American Indian ballerina from Oklahoma, dies at 88 in France

FROM STAFF REPORTS Comments 0
Published: November 6, 2008

Ballerina Rosella Hightower is seen at a rehearsal with the Oklahoma City Symphony in November 1967. Oklahoman archive photo

Rosella Hightower, one of Oklahoma’s five American Indian ballerinas, died Tuesday at her home in Cannes, France.

Multimedia

Born in Durwood in 1920, Hightower pursued a career in ballet that took her to some of the great capitals of Europe. Following a 1937 trip to France, she eventually became a member of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. In 1947, Hightower joined de Cuevas Ballet, named for the Chilean-born Marquis George de Cuevas.

Her many successes included featured roles in "Rondo Capriccioso,” "Swan Lake,” "Giselle” and "Don Quixote.” Hightower worked with many choreographers, most notably, Antony Tudor, Agnes de Mille and Bronislava Nijinska.

In 1962, Hightower opened the Ecole Superieure de Danse de Cannes. It would become one of Europe’s leading ballet schools. She also was involved with the Marseilles Ballet, La Scala Ballet and the Paris Opera Ballet.

Hightower, who was of Choctaw descent, was part of a group of noted American Indian ballerinas that also included Yvonne Chouteau, Moscelyne Larkin, Maria Tallchief and Marjorie Tallchief.

In 1991, the five Oklahoma dancers were honored for their many achievements in ballet.

For the occasion, artist Mike Larsen created "The Flight of Spirit,” a mural on view in the rotunda of the Oklahoma State Capitol. In 1997, then-Gov. Frank Keating named them Oklahoma Treasures. Hightower and her fellow ballerinas were also the subject of the book "American Indian Ballerinas” by Lili Cockerille Livingston.

Hightower is survived by her daughter Dominique Robier.