--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Making a dance is about taking what's…" description: "\"“Making a dance is about taking what's unseen in the world and giving it form. It's not about pretty steps.\" \"I thought it was.\" Eva laughs. \"The piece..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/carol-m-tanzman-38075_dance_making-a-dance-is-about-taking-what-s-un_115401.jpg" --- # Making a dance is about taking what's unseen in the world… ![“Making a dance is about taking what's unseen in the world and giving it form. It's not about pretty steps." "I thought it was." Eva laughs. "The piece doesn't have to end nicely, either. Life isn't pretty - why should every dance be?” quote by Carol M. Tanzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/carol-m-tanzman-38075_dance_making-a-dance-is-about-taking-what-s-un_115401.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/carol-m-tanzman-38075_dance_making-a-dance-is-about-taking-what-s-un_115401.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/carol-m-tanzman-38075_dance_making-a-dance-is-about-taking-what-s-un_115401.jpg) > ““Making a dance is about taking what's unseen in the world and giving it form. It's not about pretty steps." "I thought it was." Eva laughs. "The piece doesn't have to end nicely, either. Life isn't pretty - why should every dance be?”” [Carol M. Tanzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-m-tanzman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Dance should translate unseen emotions or ideas into movement, not merely showcase aesthetic steps; it can end unresolved, reflecting life's inherent messiness. **In simple terms:** Dance expresses unseen truths, not just pretty moves. Key Takeaway Art mirrors life's imperfection. Themes art creativity expression philosophy Mood reflective inspired Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - choreography workshop - therapy through movement - experimental performance art Key Concepts embodiment of abstract concepts acceptance of imperfection Practical Applications - Encourage improvisation to capture raw emotion. Questions to Reflect On - How can choreographers balance clarity and ambiguity? - What role does discomfort play in artistic growth? A Different Perspective Risk of audience misinterpreting ambiguity as lack of skill. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) ## Related quotes > [I really don't plan whether I would dance after taking a wicket or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-sreesanth/i-really-don-t-plan-whether-i-would-dance-after-taking-a-wicket-or-not/) [S. Sreesanth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-sreesanth/) > [“Don't you agree? Swordplay is a dance of sorts, an understanding of the logical, most sophisticated next step. Except that in a fight, one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-tawn-bergren/don-t-you-agree-swordplay-is-a-dance-of-sorts-an-understanding-of-the/) [Lisa Tawn Bergren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-tawn-bergren/) > [“I stopped examining myself in the mirror to compare myself to the perfect beauties of movies and magazines; I decided I was beautiful-- for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/i-stopped-examining-myself-in-the-mirror-to-compare-myself-to-the/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [“I can’t bear the thought of not being with you, Eva,” he says, making my tears fall harder. “I don’t ever want to lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-ward/i-can-t-bear-the-thought-of-not-being-with-you-eva-he-says-making-my/) [Natalie Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-ward/) > [I am seriously thinking of making dance as my major profession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navya-nair/i-am-seriously-thinking-of-making-dance-as-my-major-profession/) [Navya Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navya-nair/) > [Making dance music is a spiritual thing. It's about being completely absorbed by rhythm and vibration, so much so that the petty stuff of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-hawley-weld/making-dance-music-is-a-spiritual-thing-it-s-about-being-completely/) [Sophie Hawley-Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-hawley-weld/) > [Americans are good at making dance music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-simons/americans-are-good-at-making-dance-music/) Ed Simons > [I don't know why everyone is making dance movies. I auditioned for three dance movies in the past two months and for one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/i-don-t-know-why-everyone-is-making-dance-movies-i-auditioned-for/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [“I start every dance with a box. I write the project name on the box, and as the piece progresses I fill it up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-start-every-dance-with-a-box-i-write-the-project-name-on-the-box/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [“I feel his arm Lightly Over me. He takes one of my outstretched hands. Draws it beneath my stomach. "One more time..." This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stasia-ward-kehoe/i-feel-his-arm-lightly-over-me-he-takes-one-of-my-outstretched-hands/) [Stasia Ward Kehoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stasia-ward-kehoe/) > [Part of why I was drawn to making dance music was convenience. It was the type of music I could make without a band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-jaar/part-of-why-i-was-drawn-to-making-dance-music-was-convenience-it-was/) [Nicolas Jaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-jaar/) > [If your words or images are not on point, making them dance in color won't make them relevant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-tufte/if-your-words-or-images-are-not-on-point-making-them-dance-in-color/) [Edward Tufte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-tufte/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) ## More by Carol M. Tanzman > [“You dance like you don't give a flying taquito what anyone thinks." "Flying what? " "You're just so... into it, Half the school wishes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-m-tanzman/you-dance-like-you-don-t-give-a-flying-taquito-what-anyone-thinks/) [Carol M. Tanzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-m-tanzman/) > [“Feeling sorry for yourself is better than being sorry”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-m-tanzman/feeling-sorry-for-yourself-is-better-than-being-sorry/) [Carol M. Tanzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-m-tanzman/) > [“There she is-dancergirl. But she doesn't even notice me. To her, I'm invisible. Should I go up to her, say something? Not a chance!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-m-tanzman/there-she-is-dancergirl-but-she-doesn-t-even-notice-me-to-her-i-m/) [Carol M. Tanzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-m-tanzman/) > [“Knowing him, he's probably got zero underwear because of the August heat wave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-m-tanzman/knowing-him-he-s-probably-got-zero-underwear-because-of-the-august/) [Carol M. Tanzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-m-tanzman/) > [“That's when I understand why I dance. For some people, it's the only way to make sense of the past, to get to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-m-tanzman/that-s-when-i-understand-why-i-dance-for-some-people-it-s-the-only/) [Carol M. Tanzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-m-tanzman/) > [“Right now you're all staring at me like you're shocked. Because I'm not as 'smart' as Jacy, or as 'arty' as Ali, or as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-m-tanzman/right-now-you-re-all-staring-at-me-like-you-re-shocked-because-i-m/) [Carol M. Tanzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-m-tanzman/) > [“Just because someone else helped you get it doesn't mean you don't deserve it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-m-tanzman/just-because-someone-else-helped-you-get-it-doesn-t-mean-you-don-t/) [Carol M. Tanzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-m-tanzman/) > [“Sometimes one person's courage is greater than another's fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-m-tanzman/sometimes-one-person-s-courage-is-greater-than-another-s-fear/) [Carol M. Tanzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-m-tanzman/) > [“Just making sure you know I got home. Two hours ago. when I beeped the first time. Clearly, I am not cut out for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-m-tanzman/just-making-sure-you-know-i-got-home-two-hours-ago-when-i-beeped-the/) [Carol M. Tanzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-m-tanzman/) > [“I remember what he was wearing. A navy-blue coat and that Harry Potter scarf." "What the heck's a Harry Potter scarf?" Jacy snorts, "Low-rent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-m-tanzman/i-remember-what-he-was-wearing-a-navy-blue-coat-and-that-harry-potter/) [Carol M. Tanzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-m-tanzman/) > [“We all have more inside us that we're willing to share. Sometimes it's heartbreak, or fear, that drives us to reach out potential.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-m-tanzman/we-all-have-more-inside-us-that-we-re-willing-to-share-sometimes-it-s/) [Carol M. Tanzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-m-tanzman/) [Explore all 12 Carol M. Tanzman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-m-tanzman/) ## 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": "“Making a dance is about taking what's unseen in the world and giving it form. 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