--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In her dance, she controlled the bright…" description: "\"In her dance, she controlled the bright paper birds with invisible wires and threads. She played the human: heavy, tied to earth. Her dances weren't pr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/katherine-catmull-33506_artist_in-her-dance-she-controlled-the-bright-p_1312701.jpg" --- # In her dance, she controlled the bright paper birds with… ![“In her dance, she controlled the bright paper birds with invisible wires and threads. She played the human: heavy, tied to earth. Her dances weren't pretty or delightful, but they were magical, [...] They called her a dancer and a puppeteer and an artist. They might have called her a witch, and…” quote by Katherine Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/katherine-catmull-33506_artist_in-her-dance-she-controlled-the-bright-p_1312701.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/katherine-catmull-33506_artist_in-her-dance-she-controlled-the-bright-p_1312701.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74d/katherine-catmull-33506_artist_in-her-dance-she-controlled-the-bright-p_1312701.jpg) > “In her dance, she controlled the bright paper birds with invisible wires and threads. She played the human: heavy, tied to earth. Her dances weren't pretty or delightful, but they were magical, \[...\] They called her a dancer and a puppeteer and an artist. They might have called her a witch, and not the good kind either.” [Katherine Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-catmull/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She uses dance to manipulate unseen forces, turning performance into a ritual of control and mystery. **In simple terms:** Dance as hidden control and magic Key Takeaway Embrace hidden influences in art Themes creativity control ritual Mood mysterious intense Type artistic performance When to use this quote - stage shows - experimental theater - ritual ceremonies Key Concepts performance art symbolism embodiment Questions to Reflect On - How does unseen control affect audience perception? - What does “witch” imply about societal fear of the unknown? A Different Perspective Interpretation may vary; some may see manipulation as negative ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bird/) [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Dancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dancer/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Witch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witch/) ## Related quotes > [The Witch's Life" When I was a child there was an old woman in our neighborhood whom we called The Witch. All day she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/the-witch-s-life-when-i-was-a-child-there-was-an-old-woman-in-our/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) > [“I stayed indoors most of the time, which kept my skin very white. And my hair was as black as Ilana's. I wore black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-budnitz/i-stayed-indoors-most-of-the-time-which-kept-my-skin-very-white-and/) [Judy Budnitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-budnitz/) > [The stories never said why she was wicked. It was enough to be an old woman, enough to be all alone, enough to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-stories-never-said-why-she-was-wicked-it-was-enough-to-be-an-old/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [ “Seven hundred years ago, Tersa had told \[Daemon\] the living myth was coming. Seven hundred years of waiting, watching, searching, hoping. Seven hundred heartbreaking,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bishop/seven-hundred-years-ago-tersa-had-told-daemon-the-living-myth-was/) [Anne Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bishop/) > [The first time I called myself a 'Witch' was the most magical moment of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-adler/the-first-time-i-called-myself-a-witch-was-the-most-magical-moment-of/) [Margot Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-adler/) > [My great fear is that I'm the ultimate shallow person. I think about this kind of thing a lot, and about this phenomenon in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grimes/my-great-fear-is-that-i-m-the-ultimate-shallow-person-i-think-about/) [Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grimes/) > [“they called her witch because she knew how to heal herself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/te-v-smith/they-called-her-witch-because-she-knew-how-to-heal-herself/) Te V. Smith > [“men seem to use the word witch more than women. 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Our love has been the thread through the labyrinth, the net under the high-wire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/clare-i-want-to-tell-you-again-i-love-you-our-love-has-been-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ \[Percy\] kept hoping things would get better for Annabeth and him, but their lives just got more dangerous, as if the Three Fates were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/percy-kept-hoping-things-would-get-better-for-annabeth-and-him-but/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I'm not an artist, and I want to take risks, and when the possibility of failure occurs, it's because the idea is all exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/i-m-not-an-artist-and-i-want-to-take-risks-and-when-the-possibility/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [“In some circles, to not have seen The Wire had become a shocking breach of social protocol.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-martin/in-some-circles-to-not-have-seen-the-wire-had-become-a-shocking/) Brett Martin > [As in any machine, all the wires must be connected to the mains through one main wire. In the same way, you all must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/as-in-any-machine-all-the-wires-must-be-connected-to-the-mains/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) ## More by Katherine Catmull > [We never really know what might be beside us or ahead, but most days we walk as if we do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-catmull/we-never-really-know-what-might-be-beside-us-or-ahead-but-most-days/) [Katherine Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-catmull/) > [“The bird music sank into her, like a song you used to know but forgot long ago. You hear a piano play it some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-catmull/the-bird-music-sank-into-her-like-a-song-you-used-to-know-but-forgot/) [Katherine Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-catmull/) > [“But when you find your soul, you have to go. When you find your true shape, when the wind lifts you up, when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-catmull/but-when-you-find-your-soul-you-have-to-go-when-you-find-your-true/) [Katherine Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-catmull/) > [“She wasn't a cruel Bird. But her heart ached so badly for these sad, broken birds that, just as the Puppeteer had planned, she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-catmull/she-wasn-t-a-cruel-bird-but-her-heart-ached-so-badly-for-these-sad/) [Katherine Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-catmull/) > [“We never really know what might be beside us or ahead, bust most days we walk as if we do. (from uncorrected galley)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-catmull/we-never-really-know-what-might-be-beside-us-or-ahead-bust-most-days/) [Katherine Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-catmull/) > [“Well, I don't care," said Bird out loud, said Bird, who cared so much that she couldn't bear to touch the hurt. "I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-catmull/well-i-don-t-care-said-bird-out-loud-said-bird-who-cared-so-much-that/) [Katherine Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-catmull/) > [“Have I heard all the stories I need to hear?" she asked, stupidly. But he answered as if it were a good question. "No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-catmull/have-i-heard-all-the-stories-i-need-to-hear-she-asked-stupidly-but-he/) [Katherine Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-catmull/) > [“A map is a song. It's different when different people sing it. . .You will make this your own song, sing it your own way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-catmull/a-map-is-a-song-it-s-different-when-different-people-sing-it-you-will/) [Katherine Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-catmull/) > [A nursery rhyme shapes your bones and nerves, and it shapes your mind. They are powerful, nursery rhymes, and immensely old, and not toys,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-catmull/a-nursery-rhyme-shapes-your-bones-and-nerves-and-it-shapes-your-mind/) [Katherine Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-catmull/) > [“She was only half Bird now, and the other half song. She liked it that way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-catmull/she-was-only-half-bird-now-and-the-other-half-song-she-liked-it-that/) [Katherine Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-catmull/) > [Sometimes sense hides behind walls. You must find a window and stick your head right in before you can see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-catmull/sometimes-sense-hides-behind-walls-you-must-find-a-window-and-stick/) [Katherine Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-catmull/) > [The pinpoint flame of anger and grief becomes a hot needle, then a hot knife.It melts the frost that binds her lips.It melts the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-catmull/the-pinpoint-flame-of-anger-and-grief-becomes-a-hot-needle-then-a-hot/) [Katherine Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-catmull/) > [“We never really know what might me beside us or ahead, but most days we walk as if we do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-catmull/we-never-really-know-what-might-me-beside-us-or-ahead-but-most-days/) [Katherine Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-catmull/) > [“And I love everything on this changing, burning earth, but I am most grateful to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-catmull/and-i-love-everything-on-this-changing-burning-earth-but-i-am-most/) [Katherine Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-catmull/) [Explore all 15 Katherine Catmull quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-catmull/) ## More Artist quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [“People in coats and ties were milling around the Talley gallery, and on the wall were the minimally rendered still lifes by Giorgio Morandi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/people-in-coats-and-ties-were-milling-around-the-talley-gallery-and/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [Designers shouldn’t design for museums any more than mummies should die for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/designers-shouldn-t-design-for-museums-any-more-than-mummies-should/) [Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [I am a horrible visual artist. I can't fix a car, sew, knit, cook, etc. Statistically, there is more I don't do than do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-am-a-horrible-visual-artist-i-can-t-fix-a-car-sew-knit-cook-etc/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) [Browse all 32,600 Artist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In her dance, she controlled the bright paper birds with invisible wires and threads. She played the human: heavy, tied to earth. Her dances weren't pretty or delightful, but they were magical, [...] They called her a dancer and a puppeteer and an artist. 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