--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I announced at the dinner table when I…" description: "\"I announced at the dinner table when I was 11 that I wanted to be a ballet dancer. But my goal changed to musical theater after the choreographer Rober..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19f/ann-reinking-5385_ballet_i-announced-at-the-dinner-table-when-i-w_1702751.jpg" --- # I announced at the dinner table when I was 11 that I… ![“I announced at the dinner table when I was 11 that I wanted to be a ballet dancer. But my goal changed to musical theater after the choreographer Robert Joffrey saw me perform while I was on scholarship at the San Francisco Ballet School.” quote by Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19f/ann-reinking-5385_ballet_i-announced-at-the-dinner-table-when-i-w_1702751.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19f/ann-reinking-5385_ballet_i-announced-at-the-dinner-table-when-i-w_1702751.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19f/ann-reinking-5385_ballet_i-announced-at-the-dinner-table-when-i-w_1702751.jpg) > “I announced at the dinner table when I was 11 that I wanted to be a ballet dancer. But my goal changed to musical theater after the choreographer Robert Joffrey saw me perform while I was on scholarship at the San Francisco Ballet School.” [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early ambition for ballet shifted to musical theater after being discovered by a renowned choreographer during a scholarship performance. **In simple terms:** She changed career focus after being noticed by a choreographer. Key Takeaway Stay open to new opportunities that reshape goals. Themes career artistic development opportunity inspiration Mood hopeful reflective Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - auditions - performance training - networking Key Concepts career pivot talent scouting discipline Questions to Reflect On - What unexpected opportunities have redirected your path? - How can mentors recognize and nurture hidden talent? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ballet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballet/) [Ballet dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballet-dance/) [Ballet dancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballet-dancer/) [Ballet School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballet-school-595251/) [Choreographer Robert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choreographer-robert-1165877/) [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Dancer Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dancer-goal-1165876/) [Dinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dinner/) [Dinner table](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dinner-table/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Musical theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musical-theater/) [San francisco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/san-francisco/) [Saw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saw/) [Scholarship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scholarship/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Wanted Ballet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-ballet-1165875/) ## Related quotes > [I knew I wanted to be a ballet dancer, but what kind, I wasn't sure. My two dream companies had been New York City…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-whelan/i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-a-ballet-dancer-but-what-kind-i-wasn-t-sure-my/) [Wendy Whelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-whelan/) > [I wanted to be a ballet dancer. I was bad - I'm not very coordinated. But I always wished I could have been a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gia-coppola/i-wanted-to-be-a-ballet-dancer-i-was-bad-i-m-not-very-coordinated-but/) [Gia Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gia-coppola/) > [When other little girls wanted to be ballet dancers I kind of wanted to be a vampire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/when-other-little-girls-wanted-to-be-ballet-dancers-i-kind-of-wanted/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [There was never really a moment that I decided that I wanted to be a ballet dancer. It's always just felt like it's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-hayward/there-was-never-really-a-moment-that-i-decided-that-i-wanted-to-be-a/) [Francesca Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-hayward/) > [I did think of becoming a ballet dancer at one point. I had a girlfriend who was teaching in the ballet school. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cribbins/i-did-think-of-becoming-a-ballet-dancer-at-one-point-i-had-a/) [Bernard Cribbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cribbins/) > [“The problem with telling people that they can do anything they want to do is that it is objectively, factually inaccurate. Otherwise the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/the-problem-with-telling-people-that-they-can-do-anything-they-want/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [In order to dance professionally, you have to start at a young age. No matter what, your muscle structure and your bones have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-chen/in-order-to-dance-professionally-you-have-to-start-at-a-young-age-no/) [Joan Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-chen/) > [Dance till the stars come down from the rafters Dance, Dance, Dance 'till you drop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/dance-till-the-stars-come-down-from-the-rafters-dance-dance-dance/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [I went to 'The Nutcracker' every year with my grandma and aunt. Then, in my early teen years, I thought I wanted to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jinkx-monsoon/i-went-to-the-nutcracker-every-year-with-my-grandma-and-aunt-then-in/) [Jinkx Monsoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jinkx-monsoon/) > [No matter what people tell you, you should focus on your goals and you should do what you want to do, especially if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-deprince/no-matter-what-people-tell-you-you-should-focus-on-your-goals-and-you/) [Michaela DePrince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-deprince/) > [I always wanted to be an actor. I was one of those lucky kids - or cursed kids - who always knew what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-matheson/i-always-wanted-to-be-an-actor-i-was-one-of-those-lucky-kids-or/) [Tim Matheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-matheson/) > [How can you live the high life if you do not wear high heels? I don't understand why women wear these ballet pumps. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-rykiel/how-can-you-live-the-high-life-if-you-do-not-wear-high-heels-i-don-t/) [Sonia Rykiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-rykiel/) > [For ballet dancers, style is about melding personal expression with physical form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-helen-bowers/for-ballet-dancers-style-is-about-melding-personal-expression-with/) [Mary Helen Bowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-helen-bowers/) > [I'd rather be a guy that can build a house or fix a car than be able to walk like a ballet dancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-fimmel/i-d-rather-be-a-guy-that-can-build-a-house-or-fix-a-car-than-be-able/) [Travis Fimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-fimmel/) > [So I'm studying ballet every day and really training so people will see me as a ballet dancer, which no one's seen before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sutton-foster/so-i-m-studying-ballet-every-day-and-really-training-so-people-will/) [Sutton Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sutton-foster/) ## More by Ann Reinking > [Bob's work gleaned from hoofing, from vaudeville, from ballet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/bob-s-work-gleaned-from-hoofing-from-vaudeville-from-ballet/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [All great directors - however, they do it - make you want to be good. I hope I do it. It's like being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/all-great-directors-however-they-do-it-make-you-want-to-be-good-i/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [If you're a woman and you're working, you're already set up for conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/if-you-re-a-woman-and-you-re-working-you-re-already-set-up-for/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [The only thing I don't have is enough time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/the-only-thing-i-don-t-have-is-enough-time/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [You get to a certain point in your life and you think you can do it all. And then you do do it all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/you-get-to-a-certain-point-in-your-life-and-you-think-you-can-do-it/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [Something can be said for quitting for a little while. You can get completely drained as a performer and creator. You have to fill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/something-can-be-said-for-quitting-for-a-little-while-you-can-get/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [I'm used to things not coming in the packages you expect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/i-m-used-to-things-not-coming-in-the-packages-you-expect/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [Often when you have less to work with, you do more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/often-when-you-have-less-to-work-with-you-do-more/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [I have a wonderful husband, sportswriter Peter Talbert.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/i-have-a-wonderful-husband-sportswriter-peter-talbert/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [It's hard to dance after a certain age. All those athletic things - like looking up at my kneecaps - they're just not there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/it-s-hard-to-dance-after-a-certain-age-all-those-athletic-things-like/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [Working with people who have a lot of heart is just the best. You can hire it, but you cannot teach it. It's either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/working-with-people-who-have-a-lot-of-heart-is-just-the-best-you-can/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [When you're a teenager, you don't want to look different. So being very tall can set you apart, not being able to see very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/when-you-re-a-teenager-you-don-t-want-to-look-different-so-being-very/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [Creativity is not a mysterious thing, it's a historical thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/creativity-is-not-a-mysterious-thing-it-s-a-historical-thing/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [Ingenue parts are plentiful. And once you get old, they'll start hiring you again for character parts. But the middle years are tough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/ingenue-parts-are-plentiful-and-once-you-get-old-they-ll-start-hiring/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [Every step is basically a word, especially with musical theatre, because you're not doing it for dance's sake, you're promoting a story - and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/every-step-is-basically-a-word-especially-with-musical-theatre/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) [Explore all 101 Ann Reinking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) ## More Ballet quotes > [“Afterwards Isabelle often wondered if the moments themselves were greater or the memory of them. At least the memory did not pass, while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-bentley/afterwards-isabelle-often-wondered-if-the-moments-themselves-were/) [Toni Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-bentley/) > [One can be a great artist without being a great technician. There have been many famous ballet stars who did not have the ideal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-bujones/one-can-be-a-great-artist-without-being-a-great-technician-there-have/) [Fernando Bujones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-bujones/) > [So I'm studying ballet every day and really training so people will see me as a ballet dancer, which no one's seen before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sutton-foster/so-i-m-studying-ballet-every-day-and-really-training-so-people-will/) [Sutton Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sutton-foster/) > [No matter the style, the farther one goes the more obstacles increase, and the more distant appears the object it is desired to attain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-georges-noverre/no-matter-the-style-the-farther-one-goes-the-more-obstacles-increase/) [Jean-Georges Noverre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-georges-noverre/) > [What I love most about ballet is being able to express my emotions through dance, and to be able to bring others joy through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-deprince/what-i-love-most-about-ballet-is-being-able-to-express-my-emotions/) [Michaela DePrince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-deprince/) > [It is not a question of who dances but of who or what does not dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-st-denis/it-is-not-a-question-of-who-dances-but-of-who-or-what-does-not-dance/) [Ruth St. Denis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-st-denis/) > [Ballet is pure and demands that you serve something larger than yourself, whether it be beauty or art, or a combination of both. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-martins/ballet-is-pure-and-demands-that-you-serve-something-larger-than/) [Peter Martins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-martins/) > [Even though I am a professional, and I know what the steps are, I don't quite know how I'm going to do them, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-farrell/even-though-i-am-a-professional-and-i-know-what-the-steps-are-i-don-t/) [Suzanne Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-farrell/) > [I'd rather be a guy that can build a house or fix a car than be able to walk like a ballet dancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-fimmel/i-d-rather-be-a-guy-that-can-build-a-house-or-fix-a-car-than-be-able/) [Travis Fimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-fimmel/) > [When I was 16, I moved to Torrance, California to train at a more advanced studio, and by 19, I joined the American Ballet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/when-i-was-16-i-moved-to-torrance-california-to-train-at-a-more/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [Bob's work gleaned from hoofing, from vaudeville, from ballet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/bob-s-work-gleaned-from-hoofing-from-vaudeville-from-ballet/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [You can imagine me as a kid growing up in redneck Texas with ballet shoes, tucking the violin under my arm. I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-swayze/you-can-imagine-me-as-a-kid-growing-up-in-redneck-texas-with-ballet/) [Patrick Swayze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-swayze/) > [I only started writing in the latter days of Spandau Ballet. I didnt know I could write because all had our roles within the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hadley/i-only-started-writing-in-the-latter-days-of-spandau-ballet-i-didnt/) [Tony Hadley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hadley/) > [All ballet, all reading, all music. That was my world, my inner world,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalia-makarova/all-ballet-all-reading-all-music-that-was-my-world-my-inner-world/) [Natalia Makarova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalia-makarova/) > [I can dance. I like hip hop and stuff and jazz movements, but I'm horrible in ballet. I tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keke-palmer/i-can-dance-i-like-hip-hop-and-stuff-and-jazz-movements-but-i-m/) [Keke Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keke-palmer/) [Browse all 1,227 Ballet quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballet/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I announced at the dinner table when I was 11 that I wanted to be a ballet dancer. 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