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Dance Quotes by Sergei Polunin

42 Dance quotes by Sergei Polunin

All Dance quotes Sergei Polunin’s page

Sergei Polunin says he wants people to see him as a human being, not just a dancer. He describes how calling himself an artist freed his mind to try anything without fear. He also calls for better support, managers, and housing for dancers who often lack a voice.

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I didn't choose ballet, it was my mum's choice.

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When I left The Royal Ballet, I didn't have anybody to talk to.

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A footballer in three weeks earns what a dancer makes in a year.

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It's almost died, classical dance.

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I always hoped I would be injured so I didn't have to dance any more.

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Being a ballet dancer isn't cool. Football, boxing, hockey... they're cool. And you make more money.

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I love movies and there's something close to me about James Dean - I always wanted to do choreography on him.

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I didn't want people to think I'm a dancer. I'm much more. I'm a human being.

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I go to bed really late - if I just sleep I won't have a life outside ballet.

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It always felt as though there was a wall between me and contemporary dance. I didn't know how to get into it.

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I am very thankful to the Royal Albert Hall for the opportunity to dance here; it's been a long hope of mine.

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“Dance is a game of extreme emotions and freedom of the soul, where nothing is ever the same.”

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In England, ballet is kind of closed. They are opening up a little bit, but it was always something not for the…

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I want to create a platform where dancers can be creative away from their day jobs. I want them to be able…

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The only family I knew was the Royal Ballet and I didn't feel I was part of it in a way. I…

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When I became a principal at the Royal Ballet it was my childhood goal, a dream and I became it at 19.…

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Whoever thought of making ballet? I mean, what is it? It's so alien. You just look at people's behavior as well -…

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The contemporary programs in London are harder and much more damaging for the body. With classical ballet you are relaxed mentally because…

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You know when you believe in Christmas? I was like that with ballet. I thought I would reach a level where I'd…

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Some of my friends were going to dancing school and, when one of them was auditioning for a ballet school in Kiev,…

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In the beginning, I was very passionate about it, I loved it. It wasn't until I actually reached the top that I…

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I can one day do dance, and the next maybe do a movie, and then maybe I can choreograph, or work with…

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It is different in Russia. Here there is a television channel devoted to opera and dance.

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It's very important for humans to see dance, it's a language that everybody understands.

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The ballet world is so competitive, and for no reason. It's not a sport. It's an art. There's no winner.

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Now I want to become an artist, rather than one thing, like a dancer, or a movie star, or a choreographer.

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Well, that's why ballet is one of the hardest disciplines - you kind of stay childlike, because you never really experience childhood,…

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I would love for dancers to be treated better and for dancers to have support, for dancers to have managers, agents. This…

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I danced in corps de ballet for 11 hours a day. That was the hardest work I have ever done in my…

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In Russia it is great because you can concentrate 100 percent on your work, there are not as many distractions as London,…

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The Royal Ballet is the best paid company, but the dancers get nothing. The stage crew get paid three times more than…

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In my head I want to do dancing as a hobby. I don't want it to be my job. I want to…

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The Sensorium Galaxy Planet of Motion is the future. We are memorizing dance because dance will exist in a virtual world forever.…

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There's no agents or managers to represent them. Dancers don't have any voice. They have nothing. Nobody can afford a flat to…

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I thought about my future. In 10 years' time, I would be in the same position as when I started - the…

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You live the life of a dancer. It is not your job, it is your life, and you have to love it…

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As soon as I said to myself, "Oh I'm not a dancer; I'm not an actor," it made me so free to…

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What made my mind go free is that I wanted to become an artist. As soon as I said to myself, 'Oh…

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I'd always been one of the best in my gymnastics school, so I transferred to trying to be the best dancer, without…

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When I worked with David LaChappelle, I was stimulated... He was explaining how he does things, how he works. I realized what…

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More by Sergei Polunin

I wasted so many years just traveling and sitting in hotels, searching for things, not knowing.

The Royal Ballet was good to me. They gave me everything I asked for. It's just... I felt tricked. I became a principal and…

I didn't want people to think I'm a dancer. I'm much more. I'm a human being.

Art and war are opposites, so our goal as an artist is to build and create, not destroy.

I normally don't regret. I enjoy everything, even if it's bad or good.

What made my mind go free is that I wanted to become an artist. As soon as I said to myself, 'Oh I'm not…

I do get depressed sometimes, I don't know why. It's since I was a kid and it's just part of my personality.

I went and got a tattoo of James Dean on my shoulder without actually seeing him in any movies.

The Sensorium Galaxy Planet of Motion is the future. We are memorizing dance because dance will exist in a virtual world forever. The Planet…

The Royal Ballet School looked after me very well, they were like my family, and the company gave me everything. But I was unhappy…

As soon as I said to myself, "Oh I'm not a dancer; I'm not an actor," it made me so free to do anything.…

Just let me live my life.

I'm not a bad boy now I'm living in Russia. London was great but there were too many distractions.

I actually always have good intentions.

You know when you believe in Christmas? I was like that with ballet. I thought I would reach a level where I'd have enough…