101 Quotes On Dancers For All Budding Ballerinas

Oluwatosin Michael
Sep 19, 2023 By Oluwatosin Michael
Originally Published on Mar 23, 2021
Mom daughter pose like a ballerinas.
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Age: 0-99
Read time: 13.3 Min

Dance is an expression of one's emotion.

We dance out whatever emotion we're going through. It also has the ability to cure whatever ails our heart.

Dancers develop a passion for the art by doing it every day. It becomes a part of them.

Ballet is just one form of the art of dance. It's one of the most difficult yet the most beautiful forms of dance. Read up on these dance quotes below to feel that beauty of ballet, the passion of dance, and to start moving your feet to the rhythm now.

If you like our quotes on dancers go check out ballet quotes and [quotes about dance] too.

Best Quotes On Dancers

Here we have the best of quotes on dance and dancers, like Degas quotes on dancers, that will get your feet moving.

1. "We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once."

- Friedrich Nietzsche.

2. "Some people seem to think that good dancers are born, but all the good dancers I have known are taught or trained."

- Fred Astaire.

3. "Through synergy of intellect, artistry and grace came into existence the blessing of a dancer."

- Shah Asad Rizvi.

4. "You have to love dancing to stick to it. It gives you nothing back … nothing but that single fleeting moment when you feel alive."

- Merce Cunningham.

5. "Dancers come and go in the twinkling of an eye, but the dance lives on."

- Michael Jackson.

6. "Dancing transforms everything, demands everything, and judges no one."

- Paulo Coelho.

7. "Dance is the hidden language of the soul."

- Martha Graham.

8. "It's the heart, afraid of breaking;

That never learns to dance."

- Bette Midler, 'The Rose'.

9. "Every dance has a purpose and every dancer has a destiny."

- Oliver Phipps.

10. "Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion."

- Martha Graham.

11. "Do a loony-goony dance

'Cross the kitchen floor,

Put something silly in the world

That ain't been there before."

- Shel Silverstein.

12. "Muses work all day long and then at night get together and dance."

- Edgar Degas.

13. "Dancing is the loftiest, the most moving, the most beautiful of the arts, because it is no mere translation or abstraction from life; it is life itself."

- Havelock Ellis.

14. "Dance, when you're broken open. Dance, if you've torn the bandage off. Dance in the middle of the fighting. Dance in your blood. Dance when you're perfectly free."

- Rumi.

15. "Dancing is creating a sculpture that is visible only for a moment."

- Erol Ozan.

16. "Dance is an art that imprints on the soul. It is with you every moment, it expresses itself in everything you do."

- Shirley MacLaine.

Dance Quotes

Below are some of the most beautiful dance quotes that you can even use as a caption for your dance pictures.

17. "There are shortcuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them."

- Vicki Baum.

18. "These paper boats of mine are meant to dance on the ripples of hours, and not reach any destination."

- Rabindranath Tagore.

19. "Every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes, and dance."

- Oprah Winfrey.

20. "Dancing is moving to the music without stepping on anyone's toes, pretty much the same as life."

- Robert Breault.

21. "I must dance barefoot on her wedding day,

And, for your love to her, lead apes in hell."

- William Shakespeare.

22. "The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance."

- Alan Watts.

23. "Everything in the universe has a rhythm, everything dances."

- Maya Angelou.

24. "For yesterday and for all tomorrows, we dance the best we know."

- Kate Seredy.

25. "Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair."

- Susan Polis Schutz.

26. "The one thing that can solve most of our problems is dancing."

- James Brown.

27. "Kids: they dance before they learn there is anything that isn't music."

- William Stafford.

28. "Almost nobody dances sober, unless they happen to be insane."

- Howard Phillips Lovecraft.

29. "When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It's to enjoy each step along the way."

- Wayne Dyer.

30. "There are two ways of being creative. One can sing and dance. Or one can create an environment in which singers and dancers flourish."

- Warren Bennis.

31. "Let us read, and let us dance; these two amusements will never do any harm to the world."

- Voltaire.

Quotes On Ballet

These are a few quotes on ballet that can inspire anyone to join the ballet academy. Enjoy these ballet dance quotes.

32. "The simplest comment on my book came from my ballet teacher. She said, 'I wish you hadn't made every line funny. It's so depressing.'"

- Quentin Crisp.

33. "If a ballet dancer falls over, it's knowing how to get out looking clumsy that counts."

- Ritchie Blackmore.

34. "Ballet is the repetitive training of the body for the purpose of executing steps in traditional fashion."

- Shirley MacLaine.

35. "The moment the curtain rose on that first ballet, I knew something wonderful and new had come into my life. I can still see the first scene. The ballet was Divertimento No. 15."

- Robert Caro.

36. "I never conduct any of the ballets I conducted for the Ballets Russes, without my mind's eye being completely aware of the dancers."

- Pierre Monteux.

37. "Well you know what, in ballet, when you kind of lift yourself here, it's all up in the head."

- Albert Finney.

38. "It's ballet, hip-hop, and kung fu. The ballet is grace, the hip-hop is cool, and the kung fu is kill the opponent."

- Shaquille O'Neal.

39. "The domain of the ballet dancer is not earth but air."

- Lincoln Kirstein.

40. "The ballet of the good city sidewalk never repeats itself from place to place, and in any one place is always replete with new improvisations."

- Jane Jacobs.

41. "Ballet is a dance executed by the human soul."

- Alexander Pushkin.

Inspirational Dance Quotes

Here are some motivational quotes for dancers on recital day that they can join to read together to get motivated to get moving. Read the inspiring dance quotes below.

42. "Dancers are allowed, indeed encouraged, to remain children forever."

- Twyla Tharp.

43. "Every dance you make belongs to you. It is part of your collection. When you think of it like that, you’ll want to make your next routine the best you’ve ever made!"

- Torron-Lee Dewar.

44. "I believe that dance communicates man's deepest, highest and most truly spiritual thoughts and emotions far better than words, spoken or written."

- Ted Shawn.

45. "Life is sweet when you pay attention. When it doesn’t seem sweet, put a sticker on your nose and do a funky dance."

- Whitney Scott.

46. "I don't want people who want to dance; I want people who have to dance."

- George Balanchine.

47. "I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to dance better than myself."

- Mikhail Baryshnikov.

48. "So, I think I would say, enjoy the process of learning to dance. The process of our profession, and not its final achievement, is the heart and soul of dance."

- Jacques d'Amboise.

49. "There was still no likelihood that we could make a living from dance. We were doing it because we loved it. We realized how full we felt; we were surrounded by music and dancing and joy."

- Alvin Ailey.

50. "Dance is your pulse, your heartbeat, your breathing. It's the rhythm of your life. It's the expression in time and movement, in happiness, joy, sadness and envy."

- Jacques d'Amboise.

51. "I often say that in making dances I can make a world where I think things are done morally, done democratically, done honestly."

- Twyla Tharp.

52. "A dancer, if she is great, can give to the people something that they can carry with them forever. They can never forget it, and it has changed them, though they may never know it."

- Isadora Duncan.

53. "I hope that every dance I do reveals something of myself or some wonderful thing a human can be."

- Martha Graham.

54. "All the ills of mankind, all the tragic misfortunes that fill the history books, all the political blunders, all the failures of the great leaders have arisen merely from a lack of skill at dancing."

- Moliere.

55. "To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful. This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking."

- Agnes De Mille.

56. "I see dance being used as communication between body and soul, to express what it too deep to find for words."

- Ruth St. Denis.

Quotes On Dance By Famous Dancers

The world has seen many great dancers. Below are a few dance quotes from these great people.

57. "I don't remember anybody ever pointing me out as a dancing prodigy, but I played a not bad second base."

- Fred Astaire.

58. "The secret to dancing is that it is about everything except dancing."

- Martha Graham.

59. "I'm a dancer. I used to dance. I'm not a stunt girl … I can do action … I can learn."

- Sofia Boutella.

60. "I'm not an egomaniac like a lot of people say. But I am the world's best dancer, that's for sure."

- Michael Flatley.

61. "A lot of little girls get into dancing, but I loved it so much that I kept doing it."

- Maddie Ziegler.

62. "I love the whole world of dance, because dancing is really the emotions through bodily movement."

- Michael Jackson.

63. "If the dance is right, there shouldn't be a single superfluous movement."

- Fred Astaire.

64. "I feel that the essence of dance is the expression of man—the landscape of his soul."

- Martha Graham.

65. "I truly believe the discipline I have honed as a dancer will bring me more opportunities as an actor."

- Sofia Boutella.

66. "Since I was a kid, I've been a dancer, and, of course, I'll always be a dancer till the day I die."

- Michael Flatley.

67. "I want to stay with dancing, because that's what I want to do the rest of my life."

- Maddie Ziegler.

68. "My goal in life is to give to the world what I was lucky to receive: the ecstasy of divine union through my music and my dance."

- Michael Jackson.

69. "It takes time to get a dance right, to create something memorable."

- Fred Astaire.

70. "Freedom to a dancer means discipline. That is what technique is for—liberation."

- Martha Graham.

71. "When I was dancing, whether it was the music or the story, the question was 'Why am I doing this piece, and why am I dancing?' You have a very close relationship with your body movement."

- Sofia Boutella.

72. "You're out on stage, the music is blaring, the crowd is screaming, the lights are flashing, your heart is pumping, the sweat is flying, and it's the greatest feeling in the whole world."

- Michael Flatley.

73. "My dream is to continue dancing forever. I would kill myself if I didn’t dance."

- Maddie Ziegler.

74. "To live is to be musical, starting with the blood dancing in your veins. Everything living has a rhythm. Do you feel your music?"

- Michael Jackson.

75. "I have no desire to prove anything by dancing... I just dance."

- Fred Astaire.

76. "Dance is communication, and so the great challenge is to speak clearly, beautifully and with inevitability."

- Martha Graham.

Inspirational Dance Quotes From Famous Ballerinas

Beautiful female ballet dancer on grey background.

These are some of the best dance quotes from the most famous ballerinas including quotes about dancers being on stage and more amazing ballet dance quotes.

77. "If I could have said it, I shouldn't have had to dance it."

- Anna Pavlova.

78. "Ballet is important and significant - yes. But first of all, it is a pleasure."

- George Balanchine.

79. "As long as my ballets are danced, I will live."

- Rudolf Nureyev.

80. "When a dancer comes on stage, he is not just a blank slate that the choreographer has written on. Behind him he has all the decisions he has made in life."

- Mikhail Baryshnikov.

81. "The world of dance is a charmed place. Some people like to inhabit it, others to behold it; either way it is rewarding."

- Margot Fonteyn.

82. "Dance is the purest expression of every emotion, earthly and spiritual."

- Anna Pavlova.

83. "In my ballets, woman is first. Men are consorts. God made men to sing the praises of women. They are not equal to men: They are better."

- George Balanchine.

84. "A pas de deux is a dialogue of love. How can there be conversation if one partner is dumb?"

- Rudolf Nureyev.

85. "When a body moves, it's the most revealing thing. Dance for me a minute, and I'll tell you who you are."

- Mikhail Baryshnikov.

86. "Ballet is more than a profession - it is a way of life."

- Margot Fonteyn.

Dance Quotes From Movies

Many movies have been made on dancing and music. Here are a few dance quotes from such movies.

87. "Boris Lermontov: How would you define ballet, Lady Neston?

Lady Neston: Well, one might call it the poetry of motion perhaps, or...

Boris Lermontov: One might. But for me it is a great deal more. For me it is a religion."

- 'The Red Shoes', 1948.

88. "Perfection is not just about control. It's also about letting go. Surprise yourself so you can surprise the audience. Transcendence! Very few have it in them."

- Thomas Leroy, 'Black Swan', 2010.

89. "Mérante: Why do you dance?

Felicie: Because it's always been a part of my life. It was there with my mom when I was a baby. It's here now thanks to Odette. It allows me to live. To be myself."

- 'Leap!', 2016. (Ballerina)

90. "Claire Motte: You are with the company? Did you dance tonight?

Rudolf Nureyev: If I had danced, you would remember."

- 'The White Crow', 2018.

91. "I am the best goddamn dancer in the American Ballet Academy. Who the hell are you? Nobody."

- Maureen Cummings, 'Center Stage', 2000.

92. "A dancer who relies upon the doubtful comforts of human love can never be a great dancer. Never."

- Boris Lermontov, 'The Red Shoes', 1948.

93. "If a dancer can't dance anymore, she just dies."

- Meg, 'The Unfinished Dance', 1947.

94. "Whatever you feel, just dance it."

- Charlie, 'Center Stage', 2000.

95. "There are two types of beings in the universe, those who dance, and those who do not."

- Drax, 'Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2', 2017.

96. "Dancing has to come from the heart."

- Mimi, 'Bitter Moon', 1992.

97. "If someone can feel music... then anybody can dance!"

- Suresh, 'Any Body Can Dance 2', 2015.

98. "Dancing is about being exactly who you want to be in that moment."

- Katey Miller, 'Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights', 2004.

99. "When you dance the dance of another, you make yourself in the image of its creator. You empty yourself so that her work can live within you."

- Madame Blanc, 'Suspiria', 2018.

100. "Dancing's just a conversation between two people. Talk to me."

- Justin Matisse, 'Hope Floats', 1998.

101. "If you need someone else to say you are a good dancer, you aren’t."

- Nabil, 'Tiny Pretty Things', 2020.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for quotes on dancers then why not take a look at quotes about living your best life and quotes on progression.

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Written by Oluwatosin Michael

Bachelor of Science specializing in Microbiology

Oluwatosin Michael picture

Oluwatosin MichaelBachelor of Science specializing in Microbiology

With a Bachelor's in Microbiology from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Oluwatosin has honed his skills as an SEO content writer, editor, and growth manager. He has written articles, conducted extensive research, and optimized content for search engines. His expertise extends to leading link-building efforts and revising onboarding strategies. 

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