There was simply from this quite early age the awareness that the only thing I wanted was to dance.

When I miss class for one day, I know it. When I miss class for two days, my teacher knows it. When I miss class for three days, the audience knows it.

You live as long as you dance.

For me, purity of movement wasn't enough. I needed expression, more intensity, more mind.

What is art? It is not just nature, it is nurtured nature. It is intelligence applied to what physical ability you have.

Technique is what you fall back on when you run out of inspiration.

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

The main thing is dancing, and before it withers away from my body, I will keep dancing till the last moment, the last drop.

I approach dancing from a different angle than those who begin dancing at 8 or 9. Those who have studied from the beginning never question anything.

We danced with one body, one soul... For me, Margot is my family. She is all I have, only her.

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

Creativity is when a stupid clever soul gets up from bed and does amazing things that makes the world think he is wise.

You must have a clear mental picture of the correct thing before you can do it successfully.

There is such a suspicion in today's world of people who do more than one thing, who aren't specialized.

Cardboard is another material that's ubiquitous and everybody hates, yet when I made furniture with it everybody loved it.

I'm just so excited. We all are. We've been waiting for this [the gold medal] for years now and it's finally here. This meant so much. It just felt so good.

Love is nothing, nothing, nothing like they say.

I take the subway to work. I love mass transportation.

Death does not discriminate; whether saints or sinners, in the end, all are equal.

The secret to a fulfilled life is not only to do well but also to do good.

Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep! The river glideth at his own sweet will; Dear God! the very houses seem asleep; And all that mighty heart is lying still!