---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This was something different and…"
description: "\"“This was something different and deadlier: a dance where the smallest misstep meant death.”\" — George R.R. Martin"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/george-r-r-martin-48_dance_this-was-something-different-and-deadlie_1698438.png"
---

#  This was something different and deadlier: a dance where…

![“This was something different and deadlier: a dance where the smallest misstep meant death.” quote by George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/george-r-r-martin-48_dance_this-was-something-different-and-deadlie_1698438.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/george-r-r-martin-48_dance_this-was-something-different-and-deadlie_1698438.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/george-r-r-martin-48_dance_this-was-something-different-and-deadlie_1698438.png)

> ““This was something different and deadlier: a dance where the smallest misstep meant death.””

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

## About This Quote

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

A deadly dance where any small mistake can cause fatal consequences.

**In simple terms:** Minor errors can be lethal.

Key Takeaway

Avoid careless moves.

Themes

danger precision stakes

Mood

tense dramatic

Type

advice motivational

When to use this quote

- military drills
- competitive sports
- high‑risk surgeries
- stage performances

Key Concepts

risk management performance pressure

Questions to Reflect On

- What safeguards can prevent fatal mistakes?
- How does pressure affect precision?

A Different Perspective

Even small errors may be mitigated with redundancy.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/)

## Related quotes

> [The music industry used to be able to control a single dance on the very smallest level of when people are supposed to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn/the-music-industry-used-to-be-able-to-control-a-single-dance-on-the/)

[Robyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn/)

> [Terrible errors are rarely made all at once. Usually they are performed one small misstep at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lee-martinez/terrible-errors-are-rarely-made-all-at-once-usually-they-are/)

[A. Lee Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lee-martinez/)

> [“This was an unfortunate misstep, and one that could have been avoided if only she had remembered never to take to heart the words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-alger/this-was-an-unfortunate-misstep-and-one-that-could-have-been-avoided/)

[Cristina Alger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-alger/)

> [One of the signs of relying on deeds is loss of hope when a misstep occurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-ata-allah/one-of-the-signs-of-relying-on-deeds-is-loss-of-hope-when-a-misstep/)

[Ibn Ata Allah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-ata-allah/)

> [Success is often the result of taking a misstep in the right direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-bernstein/success-is-often-the-result-of-taking-a-misstep-in-the-right-direction/)

[Al Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-bernstein/)

> [“You and I are not held to the same standards, Andrew. People will forgive a slip, a weakness, a minor personal folly — when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-brennan/you-and-i-are-not-held-to-the-same-standards-andrew-people-will/)

[Marie Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-brennan/)

> [The worst misstep one can make in design is to solve the wrong problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-carroll/the-worst-misstep-one-can-make-in-design-is-to-solve-the-wrong-problem/)

John M. Carroll

> [Everytime we've had a misstep, rather than freaking out and not being able to recover, we've always looked to what's the next thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-gaskarth/everytime-we-ve-had-a-misstep-rather-than-freaking-out-and-not-being/)

[Alex Gaskarth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-gaskarth/)

> [“One misstep was all it took, and it all came crashing down. And they were right there waiting for it—eager and ready to bury…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-scardoni/one-misstep-was-all-it-took-and-it-all-came-crashing-down-and-they/)

[Bianca Scardoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-scardoni/)

> [Sometimes I misstep into something perhaps I shouldn't, but with age comes a thick, high pair of rubber boots to wade through the barnyard.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-tanton/sometimes-i-misstep-into-something-perhaps-i-shouldn-t-but-with-age/)

[Janice Tanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-tanton/)

> [You just have to get one misstep - that's an easy way to fall into caricature. Bad caricature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/you-just-have-to-get-one-misstep-that-s-an-easy-way-to-fall-into/)

[Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

> [Each misstep leads to the next correct step.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/each-misstep-leads-to-the-next-correct-step/)

[Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

> [I've done TV, but never where you're given this much time to live with a character, to study the tone and hone it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-farmiga/i-ve-done-tv-but-never-where-you-re-given-this-much-time-to-live-with/)

[Vera Farmiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-farmiga/)

> [Once you accept that perfection is just a goal, screwing up isn't so hard to handle. Each misstep is still a step, another lesson…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-vujicic/once-you-accept-that-perfection-is-just-a-goal-screwing-up-isn-t-so/)

[Nick Vujicic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-vujicic/)

> [See the opportunity in the misstep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/see-the-opportunity-in-the-misstep/)

[Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/)

## More by George R.R. Martin

> [“Neither's the one you get, less you want me to see if your apple's ripe, yet. - Yoren”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/neither-s-the-one-you-get-less-you-want-me-to-see-if-your-apple-s/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“You are the queen, he ought to be begging leave of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/you-are-the-queen-he-ought-to-be-begging-leave-of-you/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“It is my look they will flinch from now, my frown that they must fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/it-is-my-look-they-will-flinch-from-now-my-frown-that-they-must-fear/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“A good threat is often more telling than a blow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/a-good-threat-is-often-more-telling-than-a-blow/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“This wine is very choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/this-wine-is-very-choice/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“Everything Syrio Forel had ever taught her vanished in a heartbeat. In that instant of sudden terror, the only lesson Arya could remember was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/everything-syrio-forel-had-ever-taught-her-vanished-in-a-heartbeat-in/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“Megga couldn’t sing, but she was mad to be kissed. She and Alla played a kissing game sometimes, she confessed, but it wasn’t the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/megga-couldn-t-sing-but-she-was-mad-to-be-kissed-she-and-alla-played/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“The rain feels good against my face, Sam. It feels like tears. Let me stay a while longer, I pray you. It has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-rain-feels-good-against-my-face-sam-it-feels-like-tears-let-me/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“Every man who walks the earth casts a shadow on the world. Some are thin and weak, others long and dark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/every-man-who-walks-the-earth-casts-a-shadow-on-the-world-some-are/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“The shy girl she had known at Riverrun had grown into a woman who was by turns proud, fearful, cruel, dreamy, reckless, timid, stubborn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-shy-girl-she-had-known-at-riverrun-had-grown-into-a-woman-who-was/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“He won the war on the battlefield and lost it in a bedchamber, poor fool.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/he-won-the-war-on-the-battlefield-and-lost-it-in-a-bedchamber-poor/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“On the morning after battle the crows had feasted on victors and vanquished alike. How much can a crown be worth when a crow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/on-the-morning-after-battle-the-crows-had-feasted-on-victors-and/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“The little man gave the big one a look. One of his eyes was green, one was black, and both were cool.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-little-man-gave-the-big-one-a-look-one-of-his-eyes-was-green-one/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“Jon, could there be honor in a lie, if it were told for a...good purpose? - Samwell”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/jon-could-there-be-honor-in-a-lie-if-it-were-told-for-a-good-purpose/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“My mother said my father had a drop of dragon blood.” “Two drops. That, or a cock six feet long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/my-mother-said-my-father-had-a-drop-of-dragon-blood-two-drops-that-or/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

[Explore all 1,761 George R.R. Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

## 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": "“This was something different and deadlier: a dance where the smallest misstep meant death.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "George R.R. Martin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/this-was-something-different-and-deadlier-a-dance-where-the-smallest/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Dance"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/this-was-something-different-and-deadlier-a-dance-where-the-smallest/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/george-r-r-martin-48_dance_this-was-something-different-and-deadlie_1698438.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/george-r-r-martin-48_dance_this-was-something-different-and-deadlie_1698438.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/george-r-r-martin-48_dance_this-was-something-different-and-deadlie_1698438.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“This was something different and deadlier: a dance where the smallest misstep meant death.” — George R.R. Martin",
                "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": "George R.R. Martin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“This was something different and deadlier:...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/this-was-something-different-and-deadlier-a-dance-where-the-smallest/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/this-was-something-different-and-deadlier-a-dance-where-the-smallest/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
