--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had danced when I was younger, until I…" description: "\"I had danced when I was younger, until I was about 12, and I always idealized it, as most young girls do, as the most beautiful art. It's an expression..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf4/natalie-portman-1515_art_i-had-danced-when-i-was-younger-until-i_802565.jpg" --- # I had danced when I was younger, until I was about 12, and… ![“I had danced when I was younger, until I was about 12, and I always idealized it, as most young girls do, as the most beautiful art. It's an expression without words.” quote by Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf4/natalie-portman-1515_art_i-had-danced-when-i-was-younger-until-i_802565.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf4/natalie-portman-1515_art_i-had-danced-when-i-was-younger-until-i_802565.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf4/natalie-portman-1515_art_i-had-danced-when-i-was-younger-until-i_802565.jpg) > “I had danced when I was younger, until I was about 12, and I always idealized it, as most young girls do, as the most beautiful art. It's an expression without words.” [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She reflects on childhood dance as a pure, wordless art that embodied beauty and emotional expression. **In simple terms:** Dance was her wordless beautiful art. Key Takeaway Embrace non‑verbal expression. Themes beauty expression childhood art Mood nostalgic reflective Type personal artistic When to use this quote - performing arts - personal reflection - teaching dance Key Concepts embodiment aesthetic experience Questions to Reflect On - How does non‑verbal art convey emotions words? - What childhood passions still inspire you? A Different Perspective Physical movement can’t fully capture the depth of feeling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-expression/) [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Beautiful art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful-art/) [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Danced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danced/) [Danced Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danced-younger-6142630/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Girls Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girls-beautiful-607730/) [Idealized Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idealized-young-6142631/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-girls/) ## Related quotes > [Hey, girls, you're beautiful. Don't look at those stupid magazines with sticklike models. Eat healthy and exercise. That's all. Don't let anyone tell you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-way/hey-girls-you-re-beautiful-don-t-look-at-those-stupid-magazines-with/) [Gerard Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-way/) > [Hey girls, you're beautiful. Whether you're a size 32 or a size 18. As long as you're a good person. As long as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-way/hey-girls-you-re-beautiful-whether-you-re-a-size-32-or-a-size-18-as/) [Gerard Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-way/) > [Half naked girls are hot,while well dressed girls are beautiful...Hell is hot,while heaven is beautiful...the choice is yours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/efiosiugbore-adebayo/half-naked-girls-are-hot-while-well-dressed-girls-are-beautiful-hell/) [Efiosiugbore Adebayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/efiosiugbore-adebayo/) > [Hey, girls, you're beautiful. Don't look at those stupid magazines with sticklike models. Eat healthy and exercise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-way/hey-girls-you-re-beautiful-don-t-look-at-those-stupid-magazines-with-2/) [Gerard Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-way/) > [Little Things isnt about anyone in particular, its about girls, you all are beautiful and you need to hear it more often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zayn-malik/little-things-isnt-about-anyone-in-particular-its-about-girls-you-all/) [Zayn Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zayn-malik/) > [I'm I beautiful I'm I beautiful is the question on the mind of mine young black girls, the thing we see on tv tells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-i-beautiful-i-m-i-beautiful-is-the-question-on-the-mind-of-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“They had a table near the rail round the huge floor. Bond was spellbound. He found many of the girls very beautiful. The music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/they-had-a-table-near-the-rail-round-the-huge-floor-bond-was/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) > [Dear Girls, you're all very beautiful. Stop being so damn insecure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lee-riner/dear-girls-you-re-all-very-beautiful-stop-being-so-damn-insecure/) [Justin Lee Riner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lee-riner/) > [A girls most beautiful outfit ever is charisma, the prettiest accessory is smile, and the best pair of heels is confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-girls-most-beautiful-outfit-ever-is-charisma-the-prettiest/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every Girls are Beautiful , to be Loved , to be Respected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/km-ii/every-girls-are-beautiful-to-be-loved-to-be-respected/) [KM II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/km-ii/) > [Girls, being beautiful doesnt make you nice. Being nice makes you beautiful..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s/girls-being-beautiful-doesnt-make-you-nice-being-nice-makes-you/) [S](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s/) > [I'm not interested in just beautiful girls and beautiful clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-carrozzini/i-m-not-interested-in-just-beautiful-girls-and-beautiful-clothes/) [Francesco Carrozzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesco-carrozzini/) > [“All girls are beautiful, and when they say they're ugly they only lie to themselves, for it's impossible for them to be ugly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-willis/all-girls-are-beautiful-and-when-they-say-they-re-ugly-they-only-lie/) [Damon Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-willis/) > [I don't like girls who wear lots of make-up and you can't see their face. Some girls are beautiful but insecure and look much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-bieber/i-don-t-like-girls-who-wear-lots-of-make-up-and-you-can-t-see-their/) [Justin Bieber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-bieber/) > [all girls are beautiful in their own way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/all-girls-are-beautiful-in-their-own-way/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) ## More by Natalie Portman > [I'm going to college. I don't care if it ruins my career. I'd rather be smart than a movie star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-m-going-to-college-i-don-t-care-if-it-ruins-my-career-i-d-rather-be/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [I'd basically have trouble with any job that doesn't require me to wear silly clothes and talk in funny voices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-d-basically-have-trouble-with-any-job-that-doesn-t-require-me-to/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [ Even \[Donald Trump\] presence was bullying, was lurking, and was just mainly creepy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/even-donald-trump-presence-was-bullying-was-lurking-and-was-just/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [Your relationship with your husband should be an important part of your private life, but publicly you should be able to define yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/your-relationship-with-your-husband-should-be-an-important-part-of/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [I'm not really much of a genre guy. I think that audiences don't need that anymore where you just need a very specific genre.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-m-not-really-much-of-a-genre-guy-i-think-that-audiences-don-t-need/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [I know a famous violinist who told me he can't compose because he knows too many pieces. So, when he starts thinking of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-know-a-famous-violinist-who-told-me-he-can-t-compose-because-he/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [To have to watch myself in a way that was constructively critical was really good for me because it made me a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/to-have-to-watch-myself-in-a-way-that-was-constructively-critical-was/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [I am more a teenager than anyone else I know. One minute I feel really adult and the next minute I say, 'Let's play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-am-more-a-teenager-than-anyone-else-i-know-one-minute-i-feel-really/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [Hillary Clinton is incredibly prepared and smart on all of the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/hillary-clinton-is-incredibly-prepared-and-smart-on-all-of-the-issues/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [Hillary Clinton has really strong plans, in terms of the economy, extending health care even further, making education more affordable, making smart gun law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/hillary-clinton-has-really-strong-plans-in-terms-of-the-economy/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [Social networking is playing a huge role in creating awareness and mobilizing support for all kinds of common interests. What better way to use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/social-networking-is-playing-a-huge-role-in-creating-awareness-and/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [I also feel I'm a positive role model by not putting my education on hold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-also-feel-i-m-a-positive-role-model-by-not-putting-my-education-on/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [I do think there is a sort of natural balance in nature between men and women, and that it's being thrown off-balance by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-do-think-there-is-a-sort-of-natural-balance-in-nature-between-men/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [Girls have girl/guy relationships because we are expected to be so emotional and sensitive and stuff, and sometimes you just don't feel like being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/girls-have-girl-guy-relationships-because-we-are-expected-to-be-so/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [It really wasn't my thing. It still isn't my thing, the whole science-fiction action thing. I prefer simpler, character-based movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/it-really-wasn-t-my-thing-it-still-isn-t-my-thing-the-whole-science/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) [Explore all 233 Natalie Portman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) ## 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": "I had danced when I was younger, until I was about 12, and I always idealized it, as most young girls do, as the most beautiful art. It's an expression without words.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Natalie Portman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-had-danced-when-i-was-younger-until-i-was-about-12-and-i-always/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-had-danced-when-i-was-younger-until-i-was-about-12-and-i-always/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf4/natalie-portman-1515_art_i-had-danced-when-i-was-younger-until-i_802565.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf4/natalie-portman-1515_art_i-had-danced-when-i-was-younger-until-i_802565.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf4/natalie-portman-1515_art_i-had-danced-when-i-was-younger-until-i_802565.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I had danced when I was younger, until I was about 12, and I always idealized it, as most young girls do, as…” — Natalie Portman", "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": "Natalie Portman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I had danced when I was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-had-danced-when-i-was-younger-until-i-was-about-12-and-i-always/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/i-had-danced-when-i-was-younger-until-i-was-about-12-and-i-always/#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 } } ] } ```