--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only dance masters I could have were…" description: "\"The only dance masters I could have were Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Walt Whitman and Nietzsche.\" — Isadora Duncan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/isadora-duncan-7255_dance_the-only-dance-masters-i-could-have-were_189737.jpg" --- # The only dance masters I could have were Jean-Jacques… ![“The only dance masters I could have were Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Walt Whitman and Nietzsche.” quote by Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/isadora-duncan-7255_dance_the-only-dance-masters-i-could-have-were_189737.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/isadora-duncan-7255_dance_the-only-dance-masters-i-could-have-were_189737.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/isadora-duncan-7255_dance_the-only-dance-masters-i-could-have-were_189737.jpg) > “The only dance masters I could have were Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Walt Whitman and Nietzsche.” [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She cites Rousseau, Whitman, and Nietzsche as her artistic mentors, shaping her dance philosophy. **In simple terms:** Three thinkers inspired her dance style Key Takeaway Seek diverse intellectual influences Themes dance philosophy artistic inspiration Mood inspirational reflective Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - choreography - creative workshops - personal development Key Concepts Romanticism transcendentalism existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance influence with originality? - Which philosophies resonate with your art? A Different Perspective Relying on past thinkers may limit originality ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Dance Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance-masters-2008154/) [Dancing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dancing/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Jacques rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jacques-rousseau/) [Jean jacques rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jean-jacques-rousseau-96498/) [Jean-jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jean-jacques-rousseau/) [Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masters/) [Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nietzsche/) [Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rousseau/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Walt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walt/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walt-whitman/) [Whitman Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whitman-nietzsche-2008155/) ## Related quotes > [The theory of social contracts extends as far back as Plato. However, it was the great 18th century social philosophers John Locke, Thomas Hobbes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mainwaring/the-theory-of-social-contracts-extends-as-far-back-as-plato-however/) [Simon Mainwaring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mainwaring/) > [The star is the ultimate American verification of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Emile. His mere existence proves the perfectability of any man or woman. Oh wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/the-star-is-the-ultimate-american-verification-of-jean-jacques/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [“ The spectacle of nature, by growing quite familiar to him, becomes at last equally indifferent. It is constantly the same order, constantly the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-spectacle-of-nature-by-growing-quite-familiar-to-him-becomes-at/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [ “The thirst after happiness is never extinguished in the heart of \[woman\]. —JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/the-thirst-after-happiness-is-never-extinguished-in-the-heart-of/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) > [“The inquiry begins with Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78), who was the first of the modern intellectuals, their archetype and in many ways the most influential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/the-inquiry-begins-with-jean-jacques-rousseau-1712-78-who-was-the/) [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) > [“Nothing is harder than distinguishing in children between real stupidity and that apparent but misleading stupidity which simply indicates strength of character. Jean-Jacques Rousseau,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gumbel/nothing-is-harder-than-distinguishing-in-children-between-real/) [Peter Gumbel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gumbel/) > [Active people don't change the world profoundly; ideas do. Napoleon is less important in world history than Jean-Jacques Rousseau.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-houellebecq/active-people-don-t-change-the-world-profoundly-ideas-do-napoleon-is/) [Michel Houellebecq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-houellebecq/) > [“If I had had to choose my place of birth, I would have chosen a state in which everyone knew everyone else, so that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-ryan/if-i-had-had-to-choose-my-place-of-birth-i-would-have-chosen-a-state/) [Christopher Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-ryan/) > [“In reality, the source of all these differences is, that the savage lives within himself, while the social man lives constantly outside himself, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-box/in-reality-the-source-of-all-these-differences-is-that-the-savage/) [C.J. Box](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-box/) > [ The artist must be a philosopher. Socrates the skilled sculptor, Jean-Jacques \[Rousseau\] the good musician, and the immortal Poussin, tracing on the canvas the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-louis-david/the-artist-must-be-a-philosopher-socrates-the-skilled-sculptor-jean/) [Jacques-Louis David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-louis-david/) > [Jean Jacques Rousseauis nothing but a fool in my eyes when he takes it upon himself to criticise society; he did not understand it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/jean-jacques-rousseauis-nothing-but-a-fool-in-my-eyes-when-he-takes/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [There's a sense in which Marx does contribute to the fund of human knowledge, and we can no more dismiss him than we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/there-s-a-sense-in-which-marx-does-contribute-to-the-fund-of-human/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [“I have always been interested in this man . My father had a set of Tom Paine 's books on the shelf at home.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/i-have-always-been-interested-in-this-man-my-father-had-a-set-of-tom/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Abstract ideas like equality and liberty have a spurious transparency, and can be used to derive pleasing theorems in the manner of Jean-Jacques Rousseau…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/abstract-ideas-like-equality-and-liberty-have-a-spurious-transparency/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“Man is born free but is everywhere in chains,” wrote Jean-Jacques Rousseau in The Social Contract in 1762. A generation of crusading lawyers put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-reiss/man-is-born-free-but-is-everywhere-in-chains-wrote-jean-jacques/) [Tom Reiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-reiss/) ## More by Isadora Duncan > [Art is not necessary at all. All that is necessary to make this world a better place to live in is to love -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/art-is-not-necessary-at-all-all-that-is-necessary-to-make-this-world/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [My art is just an effort to express the truth of my being in gesture and movement. It has taken me long years to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/my-art-is-just-an-effort-to-express-the-truth-of-my-being-in-gesture/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [Man must speak, then sing, then dance. The speaking is the brain, the thinking man. The singing is the emotion. The dancing is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/man-must-speak-then-sing-then-dance-the-speaking-is-the-brain-the/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [All my life I have struggled to make one authentic gesture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/all-my-life-i-have-struggled-to-make-one-authentic-gesture/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [I intend to work for this dance of the future. I do not know whether I have the necessary qualities; I may have neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/i-intend-to-work-for-this-dance-of-the-future-i-do-not-know-whether-i/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [The dancer will not belong to a nation but to all humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/the-dancer-will-not-belong-to-a-nation-but-to-all-humanity/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [Dancing: The Highest Intelligence in the Freest Body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/dancing-the-highest-intelligence-in-the-freest-body/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [All my lovers have been geniuses; it's the one thing that I insist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/all-my-lovers-have-been-geniuses-it-s-the-one-thing-that-i-insist/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [I have only danced my life. As a child I danced the spontaneous joy of growing things. As an adolescent, I danced with joy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/i-have-only-danced-my-life-as-a-child-i-danced-the-spontaneous-joy-of/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [When I was sixteen, I danced before an audience without music. At the end someone suddenly cried 'its Death and the Maiden'. But that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/when-i-was-sixteen-i-danced-before-an-audience-without-music-at-the/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [It is unheard-of, uncivilized barbarism that any woman should still be forced to bear such monstrous torture. It should be remedied. It should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/it-is-unheard-of-uncivilized-barbarism-that-any-woman-should-still-be/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [The dancer will not belong to any nation but to all humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/the-dancer-will-not-belong-to-any-nation-but-to-all-humanity/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [To awaken human emotion is the highest level of art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/to-awaken-human-emotion-is-the-highest-level-of-art/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [The dancer's body is simply the luminous manifestation of her soul...This is the truly creative dancer, natural but not imitative, speaking in movement out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/the-dancer-s-body-is-simply-the-luminous-manifestation-of-her-soul/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [Oh Woman, come before us, before our eyes longing for beauty, and tired of the ugliness of civilization, come in simple tunics, letting us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/oh-woman-come-before-us-before-our-eyes-longing-for-beauty-and-tired/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) [Explore all 92 Isadora Duncan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) ## 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": "The only dance masters I could have were Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Walt Whitman and Nietzsche.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Isadora Duncan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/the-only-dance-masters-i-could-have-were-jean-jacques-rousseau-walt/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/the-only-dance-masters-i-could-have-were-jean-jacques-rousseau-walt/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/isadora-duncan-7255_dance_the-only-dance-masters-i-could-have-were_189737.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/isadora-duncan-7255_dance_the-only-dance-masters-i-could-have-were_189737.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/isadora-duncan-7255_dance_the-only-dance-masters-i-could-have-were_189737.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only dance masters I could have were Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Walt Whitman and Nietzsche.” — Isadora Duncan", "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": "Isadora Duncan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The only dance masters I could...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/the-only-dance-masters-i-could-have-were-jean-jacques-rousseau-walt/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/the-only-dance-masters-i-could-have-were-jean-jacques-rousseau-walt/#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 } } ] } ```