--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I first moved to New York, I wanted…" description: "\"When I first moved to New York, I wanted to be a dancer. I danced professionally for years, living a hand-to-mouth existence. I never tapped into night..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bb/madonna-ciccone-401_bed_when-i-first-moved-to-new-york-i-wanted_1741624.png" --- # When I first moved to New York, I wanted to be a dancer. I… ![“When I first moved to New York, I wanted to be a dancer. I danced professionally for years, living a hand-to-mouth existence. I never tapped into nightlife; all I knew was dancers. We went to bed early and got up early and went to free concerts at the Lincoln Center and Shakespeare in the Park.” quote by Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bb/madonna-ciccone-401_bed_when-i-first-moved-to-new-york-i-wanted_1741624.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bb/madonna-ciccone-401_bed_when-i-first-moved-to-new-york-i-wanted_1741624.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bb/madonna-ciccone-401_bed_when-i-first-moved-to-new-york-i-wanted_1741624.png) > “When I first moved to New York, I wanted to be a dancer. I danced professionally for years, living a hand-to-mouth existence. I never tapped into nightlife; all I knew was dancers. We went to bed early and got up early and went to free concerts at the Lincoln Center and Shakespeare in the Park.” [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She pursued dance despite financial hardship, finding culture in free performances and disciplined routine. **In simple terms:** She chased dance while living modestly and seeking free art. Key Takeaway Embrace passion even when resources are limited. Themes art discipline culture resilience Mood reflective inspirational Type personal narrative inspirational When to use this quote - career choice - budget living - free cultural events - early mornings Key Concepts creative expression urban life economics Questions to Reflect On - How do you sustain creativity with limited means? - What free cultural resources can you explore? A Different Perspective Financial strain can limit artistic growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bed/) [Center](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/center/) [Concerts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerts/) [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Danced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danced/) [Danced Professionally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danced-professionally-1524707/) [Dancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dancer/) [Dancers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dancers/) [Dancers Went](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dancers-went-1524708/) [Early](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/early/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [First](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first/) [Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free/) [Got](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got/) [Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew/) [Knew Dancers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew-dancers-1524709/) [Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lincoln/) [Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living/) [Moved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moved/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [Nightlife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nightlife/) [Nightlife Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nightlife-knew-1524710/) [Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/park/) [Professionally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professionally/) [Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shakespeare/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [York](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/york/) ## Related quotes > [When I first moved to New York I wanted to be a dancer, I danced professionally for years, living a hand-to-mouth existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/when-i-first-moved-to-new-york-i-wanted-to-be-a-dancer-i-danced-2/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [I develop my work in a time that, from my point of view, is much more # romantic than the present day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabian-perez/i-develop-my-work-in-a-time-that-from-my-point-of-view-is-much-more/) [Fabian Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabian-perez/) > [At four o'clock in the morning most people have been asleep for hours, but at four o'clock in the morning the night-club children of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-durante/at-four-o-clock-in-the-morning-most-people-have-been-asleep-for-hours/) [Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) > [“Bulgaria, I reflected as I walked back to the hotel, isn’t a country; it’s a near-death experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/bulgaria-i-reflected-as-i-walked-back-to-the-hotel-isn-t-a-country-it/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [There is no night life in Spain. They stay up late but they get up late. That is not night life. That is delaying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/there-is-no-night-life-in-spain-they-stay-up-late-but-they-get-up-2/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Why is partying and having a good time bad?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-reid/why-is-partying-and-having-a-good-time-bad/) [Tara Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-reid/) > [The restaurants close here in Salzburg. They don't really have a nightlife in the winter time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-bartoli/the-restaurants-close-here-in-salzburg-they-don-t-really-have-a/) [Cecilia Bartoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-bartoli/) > [I'm not a nightlife guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-hughes/i-m-not-a-nightlife-guy/) [Matt Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-hughes/) > [Puerto Rico is one of those places you can be as quiet or as crazy as you want, because there's so much nightlife. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-forsyth/puerto-rico-is-one-of-those-places-you-can-be-as-quiet-or-as-crazy-as/) [Bruce Forsyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-forsyth/) > [“When life gives you lemons. . . You might as well shove 'em where the sun don't shine, because you sure as hell aren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thurman/when-life-gives-you-lemons-you-might-as-well-shove-em-where-the-sun/) [Rob Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thurman/) > [For me nightlife is like everyday life's mirror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-de-clercq/for-me-nightlife-is-like-everyday-life-s-mirror/) [Eddy de Clercq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-de-clercq/) > [There is no night life in Spain. They stay up late but they get up late. That is not night life. That is delaying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/there-is-no-night-life-in-spain-they-stay-up-late-but-they-get-up/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [I love the nightlife. I like to boogie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-proops/i-love-the-nightlife-i-like-to-boogie/) [Greg Proops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-proops/) > [When I said there was only one Judy Dench, I was, of course, referring to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-barat/when-i-said-there-was-only-one-judy-dench-i-was-of-course-referring/) [Carl Barat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-barat/) > [We were shooting this movie called "Hardball," with Keanu Reeves. We shot in the city, and I just remember I couldn't really do too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/we-were-shooting-this-movie-called-hardball-with-keanu-reeves-we-shot/) [Michael B. Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-b-jordan/) ## More by Madonna Ciccone > [I would like to see the Pope wearing my T-shirt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/i-would-like-to-see-the-pope-wearing-my-t-shirt/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [In some respects I will never die. Because art is immortal. What we leave behind and what we create - the energy that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/in-some-respects-i-will-never-die-because-art-is-immortal-what-we/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [I had decided that if I was going to be a singer, I had to earn it. I had to learn how to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/i-had-decided-that-if-i-was-going-to-be-a-singer-i-had-to-earn-it-i/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [The thing I love most about being famous is people listening to me when I have something important to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/the-thing-i-love-most-about-being-famous-is-people-listening-to-me/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [People have no morals, I swear to God. The things that people do for ratings! It's unforgivable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/people-have-no-morals-i-swear-to-god-the-things-that-people-do-for/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [There's no greater power than the power of good-bye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/there-s-no-greater-power-than-the-power-of-good-bye/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [Stevie Wonder and Diana Ross and the Jackson 5, that's what I grew up on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/stevie-wonder-and-diana-ross-and-the-jackson-5-that-s-what-i-grew-up/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [I'm very grateful that I had work to do. I may have thrown myself off a building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/i-m-very-grateful-that-i-had-work-to-do-i-may-have-thrown-myself-off/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [The beast is the modern world that we live in! The material world. The physical world. The world of illusion that we think is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/the-beast-is-the-modern-world-that-we-live-in-the-material-world-the/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [With all the chaos, pain and suffering in the world, the fact that my adoption of a child from who was living in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/with-all-the-chaos-pain-and-suffering-in-the-world-the-fact-that-my/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [Being blond is definitely a different state of mind. I can't really put my finger on it, but the artifice of being blond has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/being-blond-is-definitely-a-different-state-of-mind-i-can-t-really/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [Because I was a dancer, I started going to auditions for musical theater, which forced me to sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/because-i-was-a-dancer-i-started-going-to-auditions-for-musical/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [Some girls they like candy and others they like to grind. I'll settle for the back of your hand somewhere on my behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/some-girls-they-like-candy-and-others-they-like-to-grind-i-ll-settle/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [You took a poison arrow and you aimed it at my heart. It's heavy and it's bitter, and it's tearing me apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/you-took-a-poison-arrow-and-you-aimed-it-at-my-heart-it-s-heavy-and/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [Gay men are perfect men for girls who are tough. They're not threatened by strong women, and they're usually very in touch with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/gay-men-are-perfect-men-for-girls-who-are-tough-they-re-not/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) [Explore all 593 Madonna Ciccone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) ## More Bed quotes > [When man of slender visits you / Nothing on earth that one can do / In well he’ll hide, or watery hole / And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/when-man-of-slender-visits-you-nothing-on-earth-that-one-can-do-in/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) > [Your idea of fidelity is not having more than one man in bed at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-raphael/your-idea-of-fidelity-is-not-having-more-than-one-man-in-bed-at-the/) [Frederic Raphael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-raphael/) > [The beginning of love is all about the butterflies, but the end of it is when you can't get out of bed in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/the-beginning-of-love-is-all-about-the-butterflies-but-the-end-of-it/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wish I had as much in bed as I get in the newspapers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ronstadt/i-wish-i-had-as-much-in-bed-as-i-get-in-the-newspapers/) [Linda Ronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ronstadt/) > [ Leave a cavity behind the \[wall\] facings, and on the inside build walls two feet thick, made of red dimension stone or burnt brick… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/leave-a-cavity-behind-the-wall-facings-and-on-the-inside-build-walls/) [Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/) > [Why couldn't Jesus command us to obsess over everything, to try to control and manipulate people, to try not to breathe at all, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/why-couldn-t-jesus-command-us-to-obsess-over-everything-to-try-to/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“To all the secret writers, late-night painters, would-be singers, lapsed and scared artists of every stripe, dig out your paintbrush, or your flute, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/to-all-the-secret-writers-late-night-painters-would-be-singers-lapsed/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [“In the parking lot, she drove and parked in a dark area with no other cars around. She reclined her seat, and listened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/in-the-parking-lot-she-drove-and-parked-in-a-dark-area-with-no-other/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [It wasn't really touching to be young; it was touching not to be young, because you had less of life left. Touching to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/it-wasn-t-really-touching-to-be-young-it-was-touching-not-to-be-young/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) > [I have to meditate before I go to bed, always. I have to let the day go and let the eternal in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bellamy-young/i-have-to-meditate-before-i-go-to-bed-always-i-have-to-let-the-day-go/) [Bellamy Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bellamy-young/) > [Sometimes by a woodland stream he watched the water rush over the pebbled bed, its tiny modulations of bounce and flow. A woman's body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/sometimes-by-a-woodland-stream-he-watched-the-water-rush-over-the/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [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/) > [When I saw him I thought I could curl up inside him and go to sleep and never wake up." "Men are no good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/when-i-saw-him-i-thought-i-could-curl-up-inside-him-and-go-to-sleep/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [I always wanted to be a movie star. I thought it meant being famous and having breakfast in bed. I didn't know you had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-allyson/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-movie-star-i-thought-it-meant-being-famous/) [June Allyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-allyson/) [Browse all 4,159 Bed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I first moved to New York, I wanted to be a dancer. I danced professionally for years, living a hand-to-mouth existence. I never tapped into nightlife; all I knew was dancers. We went to bed early and got up early and went to free concerts at the Lincoln Center and Shakespeare in the Park.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Madonna Ciccone" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/when-i-first-moved-to-new-york-i-wanted-to-be-a-dancer-i-danced/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/when-i-first-moved-to-new-york-i-wanted-to-be-a-dancer-i-danced/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bb/madonna-ciccone-401_bed_when-i-first-moved-to-new-york-i-wanted_1741624.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bb/madonna-ciccone-401_bed_when-i-first-moved-to-new-york-i-wanted_1741624.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bb/madonna-ciccone-401_bed_when-i-first-moved-to-new-york-i-wanted_1741624.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I first moved to New York, I wanted to be a dancer. I danced professionally for years, living a…” — Madonna Ciccone", "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": "Madonna Ciccone", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I first moved to New...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/when-i-first-moved-to-new-york-i-wanted-to-be-a-dancer-i-danced/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/when-i-first-moved-to-new-york-i-wanted-to-be-a-dancer-i-danced/#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 } } ] } ```