---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once upon a time she had liked to dance…"
description: "\"“Once upon a time she had liked to dance. When she had been about the same age as the little brunette out there who kept lifting her dress up over her ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/erin-mccarthy-7105_childhood_once-upon-a-time-she-had-liked-to-dance_884429.jpg"
---

#  Once upon a time she had liked to dance. When she had been…

![“Once upon a time she had liked to dance. When she had been about the same age as the little brunette out there who kept lifting her dress up over her head. Now that was living. Just lift your dress if you wanted to get down and don't worry what anyone thought.” quote by Erin McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/erin-mccarthy-7105_childhood_once-upon-a-time-she-had-liked-to-dance_884429.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/erin-mccarthy-7105_childhood_once-upon-a-time-she-had-liked-to-dance_884429.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/erin-mccarthy-7105_childhood_once-upon-a-time-she-had-liked-to-dance_884429.jpg)

> ““Once upon a time she had liked to dance. When she had been about the same age as the little brunette out there who kept lifting her dress up over her head. Now that was living. Just lift your dress if you wanted to get down and don't worry what anyone thought.””

[Erin McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

She encourages shedding self‑consciousness and dancing freely, urging authenticity over fear of judgment.

**In simple terms:** Dance freely, ignore judgment.

Key Takeaway

Live authentically without fear.

Themes

freedom self‑expression confidence

Mood

empowering playful

Type

inspirational advice

When to use this quote

- party
- dance class
- social events
- personal growth

Key Concepts

social norms body positivity

Questions to Reflect On

- What fears hold you back from being yourself?
- How can you create safe spaces for authenticity?

A Different Perspective

Societal pressure can still inhibit expression.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Brunette Kept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brunette-kept-1084571/) [Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Lift Dress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lift-dress-1084569/) [Lifting Dress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifting-dress-1084570/) [Liked Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liked-dance-708253/) [Little Brunette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-brunette-1084572/) [Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [Who's that little brunette?" Suzanne asked. "I hate little petite types. Gregory doesn't look right with someone petite. Little face, little hands, little dainty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chandler/who-s-that-little-brunette-suzanne-asked-i-hate-little-petite-types/)

[Elizabeth Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chandler/)

> [Charlie Brown's good. I always had a little crush on that Lucy. I thought she was kind of a hot little brunette.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lillard/charlie-brown-s-good-i-always-had-a-little-crush-on-that-lucy-i/)

[Matthew Lillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lillard/)

> [I never liked dance photography; it's very flat, and dance photography in the studio looks very contrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-baryshnikov/i-never-liked-dance-photography-it-s-very-flat-and-dance-photography/)

[Mikhail Baryshnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-baryshnikov/)

> [I've always liked to dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-freedia/i-ve-always-liked-to-dance/)

[Big Freedia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-freedia/)

> [I've always liked to dance - I've got a natural rhythm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-jones/i-ve-always-liked-to-dance-i-ve-got-a-natural-rhythm/)

[Tom Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-jones/)

> [“The music came back up and the next group of little girls, slightly older, came out. And there was a lot of that in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/the-music-came-back-up-and-the-next-group-of-little-girls-slightly/)

[Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/)

> [I was anti-intellectual to the nth. Basically I liked to dance and paint, and that was about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/i-was-anti-intellectual-to-the-nth-basically-i-liked-to-dance-and/)

[Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/)

> [I liked to dance in rain because no one knows that I am crying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason/i-liked-to-dance-in-rain-because-no-one-knows-that-i-am-crying/)

[Jason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason/)

> [“I didn’t know you liked to dance,” she said. “I don’t. It gives me an excuse to hold you close without getting disapproving looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-covington/i-didn-t-know-you-liked-to-dance-she-said-i-don-t-it-gives-me-an/)

[Robin Covington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-covington/)

> [“Ben told me when I was in middle school that girls loved boys who liked to dance. I can’t lie. I totally started dancing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-dane/ben-told-me-when-i-was-in-middle-school-that-girls-loved-boys-who/)

[Lauren Dane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-dane/)

> [I was called a bookish child. Mother sent me to a ballet teacher in Cincinnati when I was nine years old. I guess I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-ellen/i-was-called-a-bookish-child-mother-sent-me-to-a-ballet-teacher-in/)

[Vera-Ellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-ellen/)

> [I had a rough upbringing. Group homes. Foster homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shamrock/i-had-a-rough-upbringing-group-homes-foster-homes/)

[Frank Shamrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shamrock/)

> [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/)

[Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/)

> [“From childhood’s hour I have not been As others were—I have not seen As others saw—I could not bring My passions from a common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/from-childhood-s-hour-i-have-not-been-as-others-were-i-have-not-seen/)

[Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/)

> [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/)

[Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/)

## More by Erin McCarthy

> [“Corbin wanted, quite simply, to die. He had wished for death many times over his long lifespan, but never as fervently as he did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/corbin-wanted-quite-simply-to-die-he-had-wished-for-death-many-times/)

[Erin McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/)

> [“If this were a musical, this would signal the start of a dance number. Angry girls sexy danse in unison around the bull pen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/if-this-were-a-musical-this-would-signal-the-start-of-a-dance-number/)

[Erin McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/)

> [“If she had learned anything twenty-five years, it was that money wasn't worth much if you didn't have anyone to share it with.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/if-she-had-learned-anything-twenty-five-years-it-was-that-money-wasn/)

[Erin McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/)

> [“This is really disturbing. I think I'm being scarred as we speak. It's like paranormal porn." Alexis did look a little pale. "Do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/this-is-really-disturbing-i-think-i-m-being-scarred-as-we-speak-it-s/)

[Erin McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/)

> [“Just me, rocking the awk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/just-me-rocking-the-awk/)

[Erin McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/)

> [“I couldn't please everyone, there was no way to do that. But I could please myself. That was my conclusion, and I knew what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/i-couldn-t-please-everyone-there-was-no-way-to-do-that-but-i-could/)

[Erin McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/)

> [“I'd never seen a penis in person and I was curious”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/i-d-never-seen-a-penis-in-person-and-i-was-curious/)

[Erin McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/)

> [“Promise me if I don’t make you happy, you’ll toss me aside, no matter how much pressure I put on you. Because even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/promise-me-if-i-don-t-make-you-happy-you-ll-toss-me-aside-no-matter/)

[Erin McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/)

> [“Did I ever tell you the difference between a Northern fairy tale and a Southern one?" she asked him, indulging herself and letting her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/did-i-ever-tell-you-the-difference-between-a-northern-fairy-tale-and/)

[Erin McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/)

> [“Alright, good night,” he said, his words a little slurred. “But before I pass out, I want you to know that you’re the hottest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/alright-good-night-he-said-his-words-a-little-slurred-but-before-i/)

[Erin McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/)

> [“He was a glass half full kind of person and she was...what? The glass is going to break before you can even pour kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/he-was-a-glass-half-full-kind-of-person-and-she-was-what-the-glass-is/)

[Erin McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/)

> [“Who do you become when you've lost sight of who you are but the false you isn't one you can pretend to be anymore?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/who-do-you-become-when-you-ve-lost-sight-of-who-you-are-but-the-false/)

[Erin McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/)

> [“Jess?" "Yeah?" "Would you be okay with it if I fell in love with you?" My hear squeezed and I paused, my mouth a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/jess-yeah-would-you-be-okay-with-it-if-i-fell-in-love-with-you-my/)

[Erin McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/)

> [“There is no memory less satisfying than a temptation that we resisted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/there-is-no-memory-less-satisfying-than-a-temptation-that-we-resisted/)

[Erin Mccarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/)

> [“Just what she needed. She was single and pregnant and her nipples had suddenly become supersensitive $luts looking for action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/just-what-she-needed-she-was-single-and-pregnant-and-her-nipples-had/)

[Erin McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/)

[Explore all 94 Erin McCarthy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/)

## More Childhood quotes

> [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/)

[Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/)

> [“From childhood’s hour I have not been As others were—I have not seen As others saw—I could not bring My passions from a common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/from-childhood-s-hour-i-have-not-been-as-others-were-i-have-not-seen/)

[Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/)

> [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/)

[Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/)

> [I had a rough upbringing. Group homes. Foster homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shamrock/i-had-a-rough-upbringing-group-homes-foster-homes/)

[Frank Shamrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shamrock/)

> [When I talk about my childhood I used to say it as if it was scripted and I'd make jokes because it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/when-i-talk-about-my-childhood-i-used-to-say-it-as-if-it-was-scripted/)

[Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/)

> [Every man remembers his childhood as a kind of mythical age, just as every nation's childhood is its mythical age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/every-man-remembers-his-childhood-as-a-kind-of-mythical-age-just-as/)

[Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/)

> [It's a very familiar type of place where people either go to their house on the lake or they get together in different places.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/it-s-a-very-familiar-type-of-place-where-people-either-go-to-their/)

[Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/)

> [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/)

[Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/)

> [Downstairs in my house, I have a museum room. I keep all of my awards down there, and childhood photos, and even all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/downstairs-in-my-house-i-have-a-museum-room-i-keep-all-of-my-awards/)

[R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/)

> [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [On paper, it looks rough, but I had a great childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-morton/on-paper-it-looks-rough-but-i-had-a-great-childhood/)

[Samantha Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-morton/)

> [Let positive, strong, helpful thoughts enter into your brains from very childhood. Lay yourselves open to these thoughts, and not to weakening and paralysing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/let-positive-strong-helpful-thoughts-enter-into-your-brains-from-very/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [I always knew that I was kind of bored; the regular life of a child didn't fit me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-ricci/i-always-knew-that-i-was-kind-of-bored-the-regular-life-of-a-child/)

[Christina Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-ricci/)

> [Children are not a zoo of entertainingly exotic creatures, but an array of mirrors in which the human predicament leaps out at us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/children-are-not-a-zoo-of-entertainingly-exotic-creatures-but-an/)

[John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/)

> [I'm not sure I would have ever started to draw, let alone write, if my childhood hadn't been so happy. It was a mixture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-jansson/i-m-not-sure-i-would-have-ever-started-to-draw-let-alone-write-if-my/)

[Tove Jansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-jansson/)

[Browse all 5,837 Childhood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Once upon a time she had liked to dance. When she had been about the same age as the little brunette out there who kept lifting her dress up over her head. Now that was living. Just lift your dress if you wanted to get down and don't worry what anyone thought.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Erin McCarthy"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/once-upon-a-time-she-had-liked-to-dance-when-she-had-been-about-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Childhood"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/once-upon-a-time-she-had-liked-to-dance-when-she-had-been-about-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/erin-mccarthy-7105_childhood_once-upon-a-time-she-had-liked-to-dance_884429.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/erin-mccarthy-7105_childhood_once-upon-a-time-she-had-liked-to-dance_884429.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/erin-mccarthy-7105_childhood_once-upon-a-time-she-had-liked-to-dance_884429.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Once upon a time she had liked to dance. When she had been about the same age as the little brunette out…” — Erin McCarthy",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Erin McCarthy",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Once upon a time she had...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/once-upon-a-time-she-had-liked-to-dance-when-she-had-been-about-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/once-upon-a-time-she-had-liked-to-dance-when-she-had-been-about-the/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
