--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I didn't want to be a dancer... I just…" description: "\"I didn't want to be a dancer... I just did it to work my way through college. But I was always an athlete and gymnast, so it came naturally.\" — Gene Kelly" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/836/gene-kelly-11878_athlete_i-didn-t-want-to-be-a-dancer-i-just-did_2376408.jpg" --- # I didn't want to be a dancer... I just did it to work my… ![“I didn't want to be a dancer... I just did it to work my way through college. But I was always an athlete and gymnast, so it came naturally.” quote by Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/836/gene-kelly-11878_athlete_i-didn-t-want-to-be-a-dancer-i-just-did_2376408.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/836/gene-kelly-11878_athlete_i-didn-t-want-to-be-a-dancer-i-just-did_2376408.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/836/gene-kelly-11878_athlete_i-didn-t-want-to-be-a-dancer-i-just-did_2376408.jpg) > “I didn't want to be a dancer... I just did it to work my way through college. But I was always an athlete and gymnast, so it came naturally.” [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He pursued dancing to fund college, leveraging his athletic background naturally. **In simple terms:** Used sport skills to succeed in dance and education. Key Takeaway Leverage existing talents for new opportunities. Themes resourcefulness education career transition Mood inspirational pragmatic Type advice personal When to use this quote - college financing - career change - performing arts Key Concepts skill transfer determination Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn a necessity into a passion? - What other skills can you repurpose? A Different Perspective May limit depth of artistic focus. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Dancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dancer/) ## Related quotes > [I was a classical dancer and acting came naturally to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rimi-sen/i-was-a-classical-dancer-and-acting-came-naturally-to-me/) [Rimi Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rimi-sen/) > [“Dance resides within us all. Some find it when joy conquers sorrow, others express it through celebration of movements; and then there are those...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shah-asad-rizvi/dance-resides-within-us-all-some-find-it-when-joy-conquers-sorrow/) [Shah Asad Rizvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shah-asad-rizvi/) > [I have been curious about the mind and body for as long as I can remember. I was a gymnast, a ballet dancer, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-yee/i-have-been-curious-about-the-mind-and-body-for-as-long-as-i-can/) [Rodney Yee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-yee/) > [I never took a music lesson in my life, it just came naturally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynonna-judd/i-never-took-a-music-lesson-in-my-life-it-just-came-naturally/) [Wynonna Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynonna-judd/) > [It's not so much that I got that idea at some point, it came up naturally because of the improvisational nature of the story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-brown/it-s-not-so-much-that-i-got-that-idea-at-some-point-it-came-up/) [Chester Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-brown/) > [Beauty is everywhere. And my photography came naturally without any particular inspirations growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keira-knightley/beauty-is-everywhere-and-my-photography-came-naturally-without-any/) [Keira Knightley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keira-knightley/) > [The only two things that ever came naturally to me are music and investing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-carter/the-only-two-things-that-ever-came-naturally-to-me-are-music-and/) [Troy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-carter/) > [I never predicted that I'd be a comedian, but it was something that came so naturally to me. I just felt good doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-sy/i-never-predicted-that-i-d-be-a-comedian-but-it-was-something-that/) [Omar Sy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-sy/) > [I was never one to think about why I need to go running or go to the gym - it just came naturally to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ant-middleton/i-was-never-one-to-think-about-why-i-need-to-go-running-or-go-to-the/) [Ant Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ant-middleton/) > [“It wasn’t like he was purposely being an asshole. It just came naturally to him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-l-mathewson/it-wasn-t-like-he-was-purposely-being-an-asshole-it-just-came/) [R.L. Mathewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-l-mathewson/) > [It came naturally to find out what I did best, which was to write songs and sing well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/weyes-blood/it-came-naturally-to-find-out-what-i-did-best-which-was-to-write/) [Weyes Blood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/weyes-blood/) > [“She tilted her face to his, and he discovered that kissing her was something he didn't have to train for by reading a book.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-webb/she-tilted-her-face-to-his-and-he-discovered-that-kissing-her-was/) [Peggy Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-webb/) > [“It came as naturally to him as breathing or lying, or worse. His mama had only taught her son to be cautious at all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-carnes/it-came-as-naturally-to-him-as-breathing-or-lying-or-worse-his-mama/) [V.S. Carnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-carnes/) > [“Writing always came naturally to me. It was like speaking, but easier. Actually, a lot easier.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/writing-always-came-naturally-to-me-it-was-like-speaking-but-easier/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [My nana was an actress, my mom was an actress, and my sister, too. So because I was surrounded by it, it really came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/my-nana-was-an-actress-my-mom-was-an-actress-and-my-sister-too-so/) [Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/) ## More by Gene Kelly > [ The only thing is that ordinarily when I do dance with \[women\] they think I am suddenly going to throw them over a table… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/the-only-thing-is-that-ordinarily-when-i-do-dance-with-women-they/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [In fact, I wasn't going to dance in Xanadu, but several journalists told me that Olivia Newton-John kept saying how sad she was that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/in-fact-i-wasn-t-going-to-dance-in-xanadu-but-several-journalists/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [I miss the romance. I keep saying this over and over again, but dance follows music. And if the accent today is percussion and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/i-miss-the-romance-i-keep-saying-this-over-and-over-again-but-dance/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [I didn't want to move or act like a rich man. I wanted to dance in a pair of jeans. I wanted to dance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/i-didn-t-want-to-move-or-act-like-a-rich-man-i-wanted-to-dance-in-a/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [Things danced on the screen do not look the way they do on the stage. On the stage, dancing is three-dimensional, but a motion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/things-danced-on-the-screen-do-not-look-the-way-they-do-on-the-stage/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [If Fred Astaire is the Cary Grant of dance, I'm the Marlon Brando.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/if-fred-astaire-is-the-cary-grant-of-dance-i-m-the-marlon-brando/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [It fit into my scheme of things for many reasons. At the time it was true that male dancers were looked down upon, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/it-fit-into-my-scheme-of-things-for-many-reasons-at-the-time-it-was/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [I don't understand the whole concept of doubles. They used to do that in the early sound films in Hollywood, but I thought we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/i-don-t-understand-the-whole-concept-of-doubles-they-used-to-do-that/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [I'll never starve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/i-ll-never-starve/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [When I would create a dance, I wouldn't have the luxury that ballet people do when they take a piece of music and impose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/when-i-would-create-a-dance-i-wouldn-t-have-the-luxury-that-ballet/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [You dance love, and you dance joy, and you dance dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/you-dance-love-and-you-dance-joy-and-you-dance-dreams/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [When Ginger Rogers danced with Astaire, it was the only time in the movies when you looked at the man, not the woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/when-ginger-rogers-danced-with-astaire-it-was-the-only-time-in-the/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [I wanted to do new things with dance, adapt it to the motion picture medium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/i-wanted-to-do-new-things-with-dance-adapt-it-to-the-motion-picture/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [You dance love, and you dance joy, and you dance dreams. And I know if I can make you smile by jumping over a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/you-dance-love-and-you-dance-joy-and-you-dance-dreams-and-i-know-if-i/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [Kids talk to me and say they want to do musicals again because they've studied the tapes of the old films. We didn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/kids-talk-to-me-and-say-they-want-to-do-musicals-again-because-they/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) [Explore all 57 Gene Kelly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) ## More Athlete quotes > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [I'd noticed him watching me for a year or so, especially when we'd play games where there was running or jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/i-d-noticed-him-watching-me-for-a-year-or-so-especially-when-we-d/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I think cricket is there in Usain Bolt's blood. Since I got to watch from close quarters, it was amazing to see him run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/i-think-cricket-is-there-in-usain-bolt-s-blood-since-i-got-to-watch/) [Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/) > [I think what bothers us about fighting sports isn't the damage to the athlete but the fact that you win by doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/i-think-what-bothers-us-about-fighting-sports-isn-t-the-damage-to-the/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [I think life is full of challenges and problems. I don't believe that anyone is perfect. We all make mistakes. It's not a bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-mansell/i-think-life-is-full-of-challenges-and-problems-i-don-t-believe-that/) [Nigel Mansell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-mansell/) > [I'd never been much of an athlete, due to a physical condition I'd had since birth (unathleticism). Perhaps if there were a sport centered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-d-never-been-much-of-an-athlete-due-to-a-physical-condition-i-d-had/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-collins/i-didn-t-set-out-to-be-the-first-openly-gay-athlete-playing-in-a/) [Jason Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-collins/) > [I like to push characters to extremes so they have to make really tough decisions and there is no life more extreme than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-like-to-push-characters-to-extremes-so-they-have-to-make-really/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [I don't want to say names, but there are certain companies I won't work with because of previous people they've worked with. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-morgan/i-don-t-want-to-say-names-but-there-are-certain-companies-i-won-t/) [Alex Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-morgan/) > [We are like highly trained athletes, who never run a race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/we-are-like-highly-trained-athletes-who-never-run-a-race/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-are-only-two-options-regarding-commitment-you-re-either-in-or/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [I didn't aspire to be a good sport; 'champion' was good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-perry/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-a-good-sport-champion-was-good-enough-for-me/) [Fred Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-perry/) > [Treat yourself like an overweight, out of shape person and that's what you will be. Why not train and treat yourself like an athlete?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chalene-johnson/treat-yourself-like-an-overweight-out-of-shape-person-and-that-s-what/) [Chalene Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chalene-johnson/) [Browse all 2,455 Athlete quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I didn't want to be a dancer... I just did it to work my way through college. 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