--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How difficult it is to exist, that we are…" description: "\"How difficult it is to exist, that we are athlete and artist. We have injuries. People don't see the hard side of being a ballerina. They just see this..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e2/misty-copeland-2012_art_how-difficult-it-is-to-exist-that-we-are_743882.jpg" --- # How difficult it is to exist, that we are athlete and… ![“How difficult it is to exist, that we are athlete and artist. We have injuries. People don't see the hard side of being a ballerina. They just see this beautiful and effortless thing, and they assume it's easy and cute. I hate when people say it's cute!” quote by Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e2/misty-copeland-2012_art_how-difficult-it-is-to-exist-that-we-are_743882.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e2/misty-copeland-2012_art_how-difficult-it-is-to-exist-that-we-are_743882.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e2/misty-copeland-2012_art_how-difficult-it-is-to-exist-that-we-are_743882.jpg) > “How difficult it is to exist, that we are athlete and artist. We have injuries. People don't see the hard side of being a ballerina. They just see this beautiful and effortless thing, and they assume it's easy and cute. I hate when people say it's cute!” [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights the hidden hardships behind the graceful appearance of ballet, emphasizing the physical and emotional toll often ignored. **In simple terms:** Ballet looks easy but is painful. Key Takeaway Acknowledge and support the unseen struggles of performers. Themes artistry physicality misconception resilience Mood empathetic inspirational Type advocacy educational When to use this quote - dance education - athlete health - media representation - audience perception Key Concepts performance studies gender studies Questions to Reflect On - How can audiences better appreciate the labor behind art? - What measures can protect dancers from injury? A Different Perspective It may romanticize suffering rather than address systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Assuming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assuming/) [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Athlete Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete-artist-5244068/) [Ballerina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballerina/) [Ballerina Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballerina-just-2441127/) [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Cute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cute/) [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Hard Ballerina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-ballerina-5801750/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [I hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-hate/) [Injuries People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injuries-people-548399/) [Injury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injury/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [My mom always wanted me be a ballerina, and I was just adamant that I wanted to be a track star. I wanted nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emayatzy-e-corinealdi/my-mom-always-wanted-me-be-a-ballerina-and-i-was-just-adamant-that-i/) [Emayatzy E. Corinealdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emayatzy-e-corinealdi/) > [I never dreamt of becoming a ballerina. I was just curious about it, it was something to explore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/i-never-dreamt-of-becoming-a-ballerina-i-was-just-curious-about-it-it/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [I kind of rode this weird line between athlete and artist. It was a little different because most of the athletes were total jocks,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-crews/i-kind-of-rode-this-weird-line-between-athlete-and-artist-it-was-a/) [Terry Crews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-crews/) > [My uncle worked in emergency wards dealing with people who came in with terrible injuries. He talked about the sketch shows they would put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honeysuckle-weeks/my-uncle-worked-in-emergency-wards-dealing-with-people-who-came-in/) [Honeysuckle Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honeysuckle-weeks/) > [I really, really fear head injuries. But when people hit their heads in movies or fall down - I can't stop laughing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-zucker/i-really-really-fear-head-injuries-but-when-people-hit-their-heads-in/) [Rachel Zucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-zucker/) > [I understand that when a player reaches his mid-thirties, and has a few injuries, people start to question how long he can last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anderson/i-understand-that-when-a-player-reaches-his-mid-thirties-and-has-a/) [James Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anderson/) > [Injuries made people lose confidence in me, but I never lost confidence in myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/injuries-made-people-lose-confidence-in-me-but-i-never-lost/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [My body is very different from most of the dancers I dance with. My hair is different than most I dance with. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/my-body-is-very-different-from-most-of-the-dancers-i-dance-with-my/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [As a child, I had been told that I was exactly what a ballerina should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/as-a-child-i-had-been-told-that-i-was-exactly-what-a-ballerina-should/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [I haven’t come from the typical path or background of someone who would make it to this level as a ballerina. When it came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/i-haven-t-come-from-the-typical-path-or-background-of-someone-who/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [I know there are a lot of eyes on me now from young girls, and it makes me so proud. The only Black woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/i-know-there-are-a-lot-of-eyes-on-me-now-from-young-girls-and-it/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [It's a European art form, and you're used to seeing a certain type of person as a ballerina. And I don't look like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/it-s-a-european-art-form-and-you-re-used-to-seeing-a-certain-type-of/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [A lot of people think, "Oh I'm going to eat whatever I want and then go to the gym." And I've definitely been one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/a-lot-of-people-think-oh-i-m-going-to-eat-whatever-i-want-and-then-go/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [Perseverance has always just been something that was in me. And it was a tool that came in very handy as a ballerina.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/perseverance-has-always-just-been-something-that-was-in-me-and-it-was/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [I think that the ideal physique and look of a ballerina is always changing with different eras. And it's continuing to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/i-think-that-the-ideal-physique-and-look-of-a-ballerina-is-always/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) ## More by Misty Copeland > [I traced the marley floor with my pointe shoes, and imagine myself on the stage, not as a member of the corps, but as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/i-traced-the-marley-floor-with-my-pointe-shoes-and-imagine-myself-on/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [When I was 16, I moved to Torrance, California to train at a more advanced studio, and by 19, I joined the American Ballet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/when-i-was-16-i-moved-to-torrance-california-to-train-at-a-more/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [To be empathetic to everyone around you, I think, is such a powerful thing to hold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/to-be-empathetic-to-everyone-around-you-i-think-is-such-a-powerful/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [My first ballet class was on a basketball court. I'm in my gym clothes and my socks trying to do this thing called ballet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/my-first-ballet-class-was-on-a-basketball-court-i-m-in-my-gym-clothes/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [There are muscles that we have in our feet that most human beings don't even know that we have. The strength that we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/there-are-muscles-that-we-have-in-our-feet-that-most-human-beings-don/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [Be strong, be fearless, be beautiful. And believe that anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/be-strong-be-fearless-be-beautiful-and-believe-that-anything-is/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [The woman represents ballet. She is most important, powerful and vital to it. Therefore, she is not "less than" a man. If anything she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/the-woman-represents-ballet-she-is-most-important-powerful-and-vital/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [If I'm put in a situation where I am not really sure what's going to happen, it can be overwhelming. I get a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/if-i-m-put-in-a-situation-where-i-am-not-really-sure-what-s-going-to/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [I never experienced getting nervous on stage. I think I was most comfortable there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/i-never-experienced-getting-nervous-on-stage-i-think-i-was-most/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [The word "prodigy" was thrown around a lot, but I didn't understand what that meant, or the weight of it. It didn't really mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/the-word-prodigy-was-thrown-around-a-lot-but-i-didn-t-understand-what/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [I think that the ideal physique and look of a ballerina is always changing with different eras. And it's continuing to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/i-think-that-the-ideal-physique-and-look-of-a-ballerina-is-always/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [Once you become a professional, to get through a ballet like 'Swan Lake' - four acts as the lead, changing character - the perseverance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/once-you-become-a-professional-to-get-through-a-ballet-like-swan-lake/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [Perseverance has always just been something that was in me. And it was a tool that came in very handy as a ballerina.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/perseverance-has-always-just-been-something-that-was-in-me-and-it-was/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [I was 17 when I moved to NYC . I'm now 32. But I do know I can't see myself living anywhere else. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/i-was-17-when-i-moved-to-nyc-i-m-now-32-but-i-do-know-i-can-t-see/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [I grew up poor in San Pedro, California, sleeping on the floor of shady motels with my five siblings and not always sure when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/i-grew-up-poor-in-san-pedro-california-sleeping-on-the-floor-of-shady/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) [Explore all 191 Misty Copeland quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) ## More Art quotes > [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/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [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/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [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 only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [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/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "How difficult it is to exist, that we are athlete and artist. 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