--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We'd grown up without any money. I mean…" description: "\"We'd grown up without any money. I mean, everything was a struggle; our lives were a struggle, and dancing changed all of that. Nothing mattered; it wa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99b/arlene-phillips-5593_dance_we-d-grown-up-without-any-money-i-mean-e_140554.jpg" --- # We'd grown up without any money. I mean, everything was a… ![“We'd grown up without any money. I mean, everything was a struggle; our lives were a struggle, and dancing changed all of that. Nothing mattered; it was the most important thing in my life.” quote by Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99b/arlene-phillips-5593_dance_we-d-grown-up-without-any-money-i-mean-e_140554.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99b/arlene-phillips-5593_dance_we-d-grown-up-without-any-money-i-mean-e_140554.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99b/arlene-phillips-5593_dance_we-d-grown-up-without-any-money-i-mean-e_140554.jpg) > “We'd grown up without any money. I mean, everything was a struggle; our lives were a struggle, and dancing changed all of that. Nothing mattered; it was the most important thing in my life.” [Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Dance provided an escape and purpose amid hardship, becoming a central,. **In simple terms:** Dance gave meaning during struggle. Key Takeaway Find a passion that lifts you. Themes hardship dance purpose Mood joyful reflective Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - community building - stress relief - personal healing Key Concepts catharsis artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - How does movement help you cope? - What activity could become your refuge? A Different Perspective Not everyone can access such an outlet. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Changed Mattered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changed-mattered-1588539/) [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Dancing Changed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dancing-changed-1588538/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mattered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mattered/) [Mattered Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mattered-important-1588540/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [My life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-life/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) ## Related quotes > [Nothing mattered much. Nothing much mattered. And the less it mattered the less it mattered. It was never important enough. Because Worse Things had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/nothing-mattered-much-nothing-much-mattered-and-the-less-it-mattered/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Dancing has changed my life. It gave me hope and helped me to deal with my anger about all the things that have happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-deprince/dancing-has-changed-my-life-it-gave-me-hope-and-helped-me-to-deal/) [Michaela DePrince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-deprince/) > [The truth hurts because it's real. It hurts because it mattered. And that's an important thing to acknowledge to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/the-truth-hurts-because-it-s-real-it-hurts-because-it-mattered-and/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“If pain were all that mattered, it would be as important to protect the rabbits from the foxes as to protect the Jews from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/if-pain-were-all-that-mattered-it-would-be-as-important-to-protect/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [I think dancing always took me to a different place. It was hard and it was a struggle, but it took me to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-phillips/i-think-dancing-always-took-me-to-a-different-place-it-was-hard-and/) [Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/) > [My energy just couldn’t stop dancing. I was caught up in the music of struggle, and i wanted to dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/my-energy-just-couldn-t-stop-dancing-i-was-caught-up-in-the-music-of/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [Each time we arrive at a new level in extricating ourselves from economic, social, spiritual domination, we have a moment when we dance in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/each-time-we-arrive-at-a-new-level-in-extricating-ourselves-from/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [His face was in my neck and he was breathing hard. Was he grieving me? Already? Would he miss me? Had I, in some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/his-face-was-in-my-neck-and-he-was-breathing-hard-was-he-grieving-me/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“I don't. If it mattered to me even one bit, I wouldn't be here with you, Nakano-san!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maki-murakami/i-don-t-if-it-mattered-to-me-even-one-bit-i-wouldn-t-be-here-with-you/) [Maki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maki-murakami/) > [Why was it that they could never shout like that about anything that mattered?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/why-was-it-that-they-could-never-shout-like-that-about-anything-that/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Death mattered not -- It was a mere puncutation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-huggins/death-mattered-not-it-was-a-mere-puncutation/) [Nathan Huggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-huggins/) > [“There it was, Hema must have thought; it was both the sorry and the thank-you that was so long overdue, and the funny thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/there-it-was-hema-must-have-thought-it-was-both-the-sorry-and-the/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [“Knowing you don’t have much time left changes things. You get kind of philosophical. And you figure things out—more like, they figure themselves out—and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/knowing-you-don-t-have-much-time-left-changes-things-you-get-kind-of/) [Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/) > [“Climbing mattered. The danger bathed the world in a halogen glow that caused everything—the sweep of the rock, the orange and yellow lichens, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/climbing-mattered-the-danger-bathed-the-world-in-a-halogen-glow-that/) [Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/) > [“History mattered. But it could not guarantee what might happen next.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-gable/history-mattered-but-it-could-not-guarantee-what-might-happen-next/) [Michelle Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-gable/) ## More by Arlene Phillips > [I'm tough. I do what I want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-phillips/i-m-tough-i-do-what-i-want-to-do/) [Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/) > [I think dancing always took me to a different place. It was hard and it was a struggle, but it took me to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-phillips/i-think-dancing-always-took-me-to-a-different-place-it-was-hard-and/) [Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/) > [It doesn't matter how old you are, with determination you can make your life what you want it to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-phillips/it-doesn-t-matter-how-old-you-are-with-determination-you-can-make/) [Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/) > [I know many people who have open relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-phillips/i-know-many-people-who-have-open-relationships/) [Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/) > [Certainly after 'Strictly' I was in a very vulnerable situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-phillips/certainly-after-strictly-i-was-in-a-very-vulnerable-situation/) [Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/) > [I used to dance all day, every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-phillips/i-used-to-dance-all-day-every-day/) [Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/) > [The Paddy Stone dancers were all upwards of 5ft 6in and stunningly beautiful. I was stocky, tough-looking and 5ft 3in. So I became determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-phillips/the-paddy-stone-dancers-were-all-upwards-of-5ft-6in-and-stunningly/) [Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/) > [I travel light obsessively. I take hardly any clothes or shoes because I think that all I need is a couple of work outfits,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-phillips/i-travel-light-obsessively-i-take-hardly-any-clothes-or-shoes-because/) [Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/) > [I'm short, stocky and have a big bum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-phillips/i-m-short-stocky-and-have-a-big-bum/) [Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/) > [I haven't let people take me down a negative path, because apart from dance I don't have an addictive personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-phillips/i-haven-t-let-people-take-me-down-a-negative-path-because-apart-from/) [Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/) > [When I was teaching I'd go to some schools where no one wanted to dance - when they came into the room it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-phillips/when-i-was-teaching-i-d-go-to-some-schools-where-no-one-wanted-to/) [Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/) > [If you're in the arts, or anything that requires great discipline, the only way to achieve it is to put in the hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-phillips/if-you-re-in-the-arts-or-anything-that-requires-great-discipline-the/) [Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/) > [My career has just been fantastic - but most importantly, I have an amazing family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-phillips/my-career-has-just-been-fantastic-but-most-importantly-i-have-an/) [Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/) > [In the 1960s everybody knew about Christine Keeler and Mandy Rice-Davies. No matter what class people belonged to, they were talking about these two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-phillips/in-the-1960s-everybody-knew-about-christine-keeler-and-mandy-rice/) [Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/) > [People always used to ask me 'What makes a celebrity?' and I used to say: 'Being asked to comment mostly on things you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-phillips/people-always-used-to-ask-me-what-makes-a-celebrity-and-i-used-to-say/) [Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/) [Explore all 100 Arlene Phillips quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/) ## More Dance quotes > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I make dance music because I love to dance. But I want to think at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-make-dance-music-because-i-love-to-dance-but-i-want-to-think-at-the/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [I studied all kinds of dance, all types of music. I got good grades. I started hitting the recording studio around 13.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-derulo/i-studied-all-kinds-of-dance-all-types-of-music-i-got-good-grades-i/) [Jason Derulo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-derulo/) > [I like Sam Smith and Taylor Swift. I love pop music, but I also like Sam Smith's slow songs. That would be more to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maddie-ziegler/i-like-sam-smith-and-taylor-swift-i-love-pop-music-but-i-also-like/) [Maddie Ziegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maddie-ziegler/) > [I think it's useful to experience other types of dance and other cultures, and the life of a classical dancer these days is certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-bull/i-think-it-s-useful-to-experience-other-types-of-dance-and-other/) [Deborah Bull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-bull/) > [Everything in dancing is style, allusion, the essence of many thoughts and feelings. The abstraction of many moments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-ailey/everything-in-dancing-is-style-allusion-the-essence-of-many-thoughts/) [Alvin Ailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-ailey/) > [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) > [“dances with mine as if we’ve been doing this our whole”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-michaels/dances-with-mine-as-if-we-ve-been-doing-this-our-whole/) [Corinne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-michaels/) > [My body was so instrumental to how I took pictures: it was practically a dance. I used to use my legs a lot; now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-leibovitz/my-body-was-so-instrumental-to-how-i-took-pictures-it-was-practically/) [Annie Leibovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-leibovitz/) > [I would rather learn from one bird how to sing than to teach 10,000 stars how not to dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-cummings/i-would-rather-learn-from-one-bird-how-to-sing-than-to-teach-10-000/) [e. e. cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-cummings/) > [If you dance, you dance because you have to. Every dancer hurts, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunham/if-you-dance-you-dance-because-you-have-to-every-dancer-hurts-you-know/) [Katherine Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunham/) > [I'm not a dancer. Never took a dance class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrishell-stause/i-m-not-a-dancer-never-took-a-dance-class/) [Chrishell Stause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrishell-stause/) > [Being fit is the easiest part of being a dance professional. I used to just throw on a backpack full of rocks and run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-du-beke/being-fit-is-the-easiest-part-of-being-a-dance-professional-i-used-to/) [Anton du Beke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-du-beke/) > [I'm a horrible dancer, but I wanted to record songs that made me want to dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lane/i-m-a-horrible-dancer-but-i-wanted-to-record-songs-that-made-me-want/) [Chris Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lane/) [Browse all 9,682 Dance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We'd grown up without any money. 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