Ballerina Quote by Anton Chekhov
“I don’t understand anything about the ballet; all I know is that during the intervals the ballerinas stink like horses.”
About This Quote
Source Play: The Seagull, 1896
The speaker admits ignorance of ballet but humorously notes the unpleasant odor during intermissions.
In simple terms: Ballet is confusing and smelly.
Key Takeaway
Accept ignorance with humor.
Themes
humor
ignorance
culture critique
Mood
playful
ironic
Type
satirical
observational
When to use this quote
- theatre reviews
- social commentary
- personal anecdotes
Key Concepts
social observation
bodily functions
art criticism
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the odor comment reveal about audience expectations?
- How does humor soften criticism?
A Different Perspective
Humor may offend ballet enthusiasts.
![“I used to want to be a war photographer, and I used to want to be a ballerina and a comedian. I used to want to be a writer. I invalidated myself; it’s a mistake for me. [...] There’s just a lot of stuff that really moves me, and I don’t know how to express it, and I just want to try to do the…” quote by Cat Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/30a/cat-power-19278_ballerina_i-used-to-want-to-be-a-war-photographer_189452.jpg)
