Quotes by Dancer | Beyond Motive 4/8

top of page

Quotes by Dancer

"Any comic is a tragic soul. Comedy is one of the things that allows one to survive. Particularly if one has been in the process of separating off the emotions, it's one place you can process them."

"Any comic is a tragic soul. Comedy is one of the things that allows one to survive. Particularly if one has been in the process of separating off the emotions, it's one place you can process them."

Twyla Tharp, American Dancer

Soul, Comedy, Emotions

15

"I'm attracted to long-legged girls with long arms and a little head."

"I'm attracted to long-legged girls with long arms and a little head."

Alvin Ailey, American Dancer

15

"I have not wanted to intimidate audiences. I have not wanted my dancing to be an elitist form. That doesn't mean I haven't wanted it to be excellent."

"I have not wanted to intimidate audiences. I have not wanted my dancing to be an elitist form. That doesn't mean I haven't wanted it to be excellent."

Twyla Tharp, American Dancer

Audience, Audiences, Dancing

15

"You increase muscle bulk by training against resistance. For example, weights. And in ballet, this isn't the case."

"You increase muscle bulk by training against resistance. For example, weights. And in ballet, this isn't the case."

Deborah Bull, British Dancer

Ballet, Example, Training

15

"I want to leave this company in the best possible shape."

"I want to leave this company in the best possible shape."

Karen Kain, Canadian Dancer

15

"I learned very early that an audience would relax and look at things differently if they felt they could laugh with you from time to time. There's an energy that comes through the release of tension that is laughter."

"I learned very early that an audience would relax and look at things differently if they felt they could laugh with you from time to time. There's an energy that comes through the release of tension that is laughter."

Twyla Tharp, American Dancer

Time, Energy, Laughter, Relax

15

"The reason I'm travelling so much is because of reasons that weren't completely planned. Several of the shows became successful and were invited to go to other places and they've all happened at similar times."

"The reason I'm travelling so much is because of reasons that weren't completely planned. Several of the shows became successful and were invited to go to other places and they've all happened at similar times."

Matthew Bourne, English Dancer

Success, Successful, Reason

14

"I do take class because I still dance, and yes, I do slip into class with the Royal Ballet from time to time."

"I do take class because I still dance, and yes, I do slip into class with the Royal Ballet from time to time."

Deborah Bull, British Dancer

Time, Dance, Ballet, Class

14

"Choreography is mentally draining, but there's a pleasure in getting into the studio with the dancers and the music."

"Choreography is mentally draining, but there's a pleasure in getting into the studio with the dancers and the music."

Alvin Ailey, American Dancer

Music, Pleasure

14

"One of the processes of your life is to constantly break down that inferiority, to constantly reaffirm that I Am Somebody."

"One of the processes of your life is to constantly break down that inferiority, to constantly reaffirm that I Am Somebody."

Alvin Ailey, American Dancer

Life, Inferiority

14

"Fire is the test of gold; adversity, of strong men."

"Fire is the test of gold; adversity, of strong men."

Martha Graham, American Dancer

Men, Adversity, Fire, Gold

14

"Oh yes, technique has definitely advanced. But you never advance without losing something en passant, and you lose it because you're paying so much attention to the new thing."

"Oh yes, technique has definitely advanced. But you never advance without losing something en passant, and you lose it because you're paying so much attention to the new thing."

Ninette de Valois, Irish Dancer

Attention, Losing

14

"My company is known for being funny as well as moving. You get a bit of everything in these shows. I think people know they're going to have a surprising experience."

"My company is known for being funny as well as moving. You get a bit of everything in these shows. I think people know they're going to have a surprising experience."

Matthew Bourne, English Dancer

Experience, Funny, People, Being

14

"First we have to believe, and then we believe."

"First we have to believe, and then we believe."

Martha Graham, American Dancer

14

"In this business, life is one long fund-raising effort."

"In this business, life is one long fund-raising effort."

Alvin Ailey, American Dancer

Life, Business, Effort

14

"Well, I mean, we are developing the other parts, and we can't give quite all our attention to the upper part, but soon the lower parts will be developed, and the upper part and the lower part will become partners, that will be wonderful."

"Well, I mean, we are developing the other parts, and we can't give quite all our attention to the upper part, but soon the lower parts will be developed, and the upper part and the lower part will become partners, that will be wonderful."

Ninette de Valois, Irish Dancer

Attention, Will

14

"That piece has been choreographed so badly so many times. I'm loathe to do it but I may eventually because it is one of the seminal art works of the twentieth century."

"That piece has been choreographed so badly so many times. I'm loathe to do it but I may eventually because it is one of the seminal art works of the twentieth century."

Mark Morris, American Dancer

14

"What one has not experienced, one will never understand in print."

"What one has not experienced, one will never understand in print."

Isadora Duncan, American Dancer

14

"Dancing is bigger than the physical body. Think bigger than that. When you extend your arm, it doesn't stop at the end of your fingers, because you're dancing bigger than that. You're dancing spirit."

"Dancing is bigger than the physical body. Think bigger than that. When you extend your arm, it doesn't stop at the end of your fingers, because you're dancing bigger than that. You're dancing spirit."

Judith Jamison, American Dancer

Body, Dancing, End, Spirit

14

"I'm very conscious that I want the dance audience to respond and respect what I'm doing, so I'm always very true to the music and I honour the music in the way I see it - I don't mess around with the music."

"I'm very conscious that I want the dance audience to respond and respect what I'm doing, so I'm always very true to the music and I honour the music in the way I see it - I don't mess around with the music."

Matthew Bourne, English Dancer

Music, Dance, Respect, Want

14

"I don't think people we'll miss the fact that SDC is way up there and that our profile is high."

Graeme Murphy, Australian Dancer

14

"Don't think you are going to go on forever because you are not and begin to plan something that will compensate as you reduce your capacities to leap or turn on this or that or the other, begin thinking of something else."

"Don't think you are going to go on forever because you are not and begin to plan something that will compensate as you reduce your capacities to leap or turn on this or that or the other, begin thinking of something else."

Katherine Dunham, American Dancer

14

"Yes - it's the same in any other work - the more you massage your thinking the more capable I believe you are of expanding how you go about things and learning."

"Yes - it's the same in any other work - the more you massage your thinking the more capable I believe you are of expanding how you go about things and learning."

Siobhan Davies, English Dancer

Work, Learning, Thinking

14

"I think people want very much to simplify their lives enough so that they can control the things that make it possible to sleep at night."

"I think people want very much to simplify their lives enough so that they can control the things that make it possible to sleep at night."

Twyla Tharp, American Dancer

People, Control, Night, Sleep

14

"I get to the theatre in plenty of time; I prepare my shoes in advance; I eat and drink the right things at the right time. The rest you have to leave to luck!"

"I get to the theatre in plenty of time; I prepare my shoes in advance; I eat and drink the right things at the right time. The rest you have to leave to luck!"

Deborah Bull, British Dancer

Time, Rest, Right, Theatre

14

"As soon as I hear music, something in me starts to vibrate."

"As soon as I hear music, something in me starts to vibrate."

Suzanne Farrell, American Dancer

14

"As time goes on, all schools only get left alive if they have found something special themselves."

"As time goes on, all schools only get left alive if they have found something special themselves."

Ninette de Valois, Irish Dancer

14

"We don't intend to always keep this necessarily African oriented. Originally I had hoped to have African American Indian of this area, and the Appalachian of this area, but at the same time, just as we have the Haitian room, we will always have room for another exhibit."

"We don't intend to always keep this necessarily African oriented. Originally I had hoped to have African American Indian of this area, and the Appalachian of this area, but at the same time, just as we have the Haitian room, we will always have room for another exhibit."

Katherine Dunham, American Dancer

Time, African, Will

14

"I always want to have more dancers in my company."

"I always want to have more dancers in my company."

Alvin Ailey, American Dancer

14

"So long as little children are allowed to suffer, there is no true love in this world."

"So long as little children are allowed to suffer, there is no true love in this world."

Isadora Duncan, American Dancer

Love, Children, World

14

"As we rise higher in the understanding of ourselves, the national and racial dissonances will be forgotten in the universal rhythms of Truth and Love."

"As we rise higher in the understanding of ourselves, the national and racial dissonances will be forgotten in the universal rhythms of Truth and Love."

Ruth St. Denis, American Dancer

Love, Truth, Understanding, Will

14

"There is pain and sacrifice in everyone's world. That's why, when I was dancing, I had no pain."

"There is pain and sacrifice in everyone's world. That's why, when I was dancing, I had no pain."

Suzanne Farrell, American Dancer

Sacrifice, Dancing, Pain, World

14

"I always want more."

"I always want more."

Alvin Ailey, American Dancer

14

"Art is not necessary at all. All that is necessary to make this world a better place to live in is to love - to love as Christ loved, as Buddha loved."

"Art is not necessary at all. All that is necessary to make this world a better place to live in is to love - to love as Christ loved, as Buddha loved."

Isadora Duncan, American Dancer

Art, Love, Christ, World

13

"What we do now is to be valued - but we need to do more, so that it's more exciting to other people, and therefore that excitement shines back on us and we're able to have the energy to do more, to widen our creativity."

"What we do now is to be valued - but we need to do more, so that it's more exciting to other people, and therefore that excitement shines back on us and we're able to have the energy to do more, to widen our creativity."

Siobhan Davies, English Dancer

People, Creativity, Energy, Excitement

13

"I was not extremely patriotic about Mother Russia. I played their game, pretending. You have to deal with, you know, party people, KGB. Horrifying."

"I was not extremely patriotic about Mother Russia. I played their game, pretending. You have to deal with, you know, party people, KGB. Horrifying."

Mikhail Baryshnikov, American Dancer

Mother, People, Party, Russia

13

"I am happy to know that my husband regards me as a woman and a person."

"I am happy to know that my husband regards me as a woman and a person."

Katherine Dunham, American Dancer

13

"Life forms illogical patterns. It is haphazard and full of beauties which I try to catch as they fly by, for who knows whether any of them will ever return?"

"Life forms illogical patterns. It is haphazard and full of beauties which I try to catch as they fly by, for who knows whether any of them will ever return?"

Margot Fonteyn, English Dancer

13

"No trumpets sound when the important decisions of our life are made. Destiny is made known silently."

"No trumpets sound when the important decisions of our life are made. Destiny is made known silently."

Agnes de Mille, American Dancer

Life, Decisions, Destiny, Sound

13

"Even if I had nothing to do with the Canada Council, I'd be praying for it."

"Even if I had nothing to do with the Canada Council, I'd be praying for it."

Karen Kain, Canadian Dancer

Canada, Nothing

13

"They should be working, and there isn't enough work."

"They should be working, and there isn't enough work."

Siobhan Davies, English Dancer

13

"First of all, the most important, that is to learn everything good that has survived from other times, and carefully to watch the bad - and throw it out."

"First of all, the most important, that is to learn everything good that has survived from other times, and carefully to watch the bad - and throw it out."

Ninette de Valois, Irish Dancer

13

"I had certain physical limitations that made me change the choreography for myself or made me more interested in choreography only rather than dancing. I have never been a person who wanted to just dance. I have always been interested in developing for other people."

"I had certain physical limitations that made me change the choreography for myself or made me more interested in choreography only rather than dancing. I have never been a person who wanted to just dance. I have always been interested in developing for other people."

Katherine Dunham, American Dancer

Change, People, Dance, Dancing

13

"I had two sisters, and we would love to get dressed up and pretend that we were chic, sophisticated ladies. And I think that was a great sort of preparation, in a way."

"I had two sisters, and we would love to get dressed up and pretend that we were chic, sophisticated ladies. And I think that was a great sort of preparation, in a way."

Suzanne Farrell, American Dancer

Love, Ladies, Preparation, Sisters

13

"Dance is so joyous."

"Dance is so joyous."

Graeme Murphy, Australian Dancer

13

"It will take very sophisticated marketing to achieve our aim of bringing more black people into the theater."

"It will take very sophisticated marketing to achieve our aim of bringing more black people into the theater."

Alvin Ailey, American Dancer

People, Marketing, Theater, Will

13

"I can always remember the dances, even from shows I did 40 years ago."

"I can always remember the dances, even from shows I did 40 years ago."

Gwen Verdon, American Dancer

13

"A good education is usually harmful to a dancer. A good calf is better than a good head."

"A good education is usually harmful to a dancer. A good calf is better than a good head."

Agnes de Mille, American Dancer

13

"Also, if you have an accident, you can't start to dance again at the top, you're too weak; you start with the easy things - the way you did them when you were young, and come up up up, the way you did then."

"Also, if you have an accident, you can't start to dance again at the top, you're too weak; you start with the easy things - the way you did them when you were young, and come up up up, the way you did then."

Ninette de Valois, Irish Dancer

Dance, Accident

13

"People don't live nowadays: they get about ten percent out of life."

"People don't live nowadays: they get about ten percent out of life."

Isadora Duncan, American Dancer

13

bottom of page