--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All theater is dance." description: "\"All theater is dance.\" — Robert Wilson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d25/robert-wilson-8083_dance_all-theater-is-dance-1997965_1997965.jpg" --- # All theater is dance. ![“All theater is dance.” quote by Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d25/robert-wilson-8083_dance_all-theater-is-dance-1997965_1997965.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d25/robert-wilson-8083_dance_all-theater-is-dance-1997965_1997965.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d25/robert-wilson-8083_dance_all-theater-is-dance-1997965_1997965.jpg) > “All theater is dance.” [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The essence of theater is movement, integrating dance into performance. **In simple terms:** Theater equals dance. Key Takeaway Incorporate physicality into storytelling. Themes theater dance expression movement Mood creative artistic Type experimental inspirational When to use this quote - stage productions - education - community events Key Concepts performing arts choreography Questions to Reflect On - How can you blend dance and speech? - What does movement add to narrative? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on dance may neglect dialogue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [In theater and dance, I was trying to win someone's approval, trying to get in, trying to be good. It felt out of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-hoffs/in-theater-and-dance-i-was-trying-to-win-someone-s-approval-trying-to/) [Susanna Hoffs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-hoffs/) > [Opera is everything rolled into one - music, theater, the dance, color and voices and theatrical illusions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-caldwell/opera-is-everything-rolled-into-one-music-theater-the-dance-color-and/) [Sarah Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-caldwell/) > [I've always been into theater and movies. When I was in school, I did a monologue for my talent show. I would go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odeya-rush/i-ve-always-been-into-theater-and-movies-when-i-was-in-school-i-did-a/) [Odeya Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odeya-rush/) > [Theater is a dance of a different kind, a dance of rawness and characters stripped down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcshane/theater-is-a-dance-of-a-different-kind-a-dance-of-rawness-and/) [Ian McShane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcshane/) > [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/) > [Usually in theater, the visual repeats the verbal. The visual dwindles into decoration. But I think with my eyes. For me, the visual is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/usually-in-theater-the-visual-repeats-the-verbal-the-visual-dwindles/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) > [I'm an old fashioned theater major at heart. I love to do a show, do something with friends; I'm kind of a nerd in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lenk/i-m-an-old-fashioned-theater-major-at-heart-i-love-to-do-a-show-do/) [Tom Lenk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lenk/) > [Danced healing rituals (in African village compounds, temple courtyards, dance-therapy studios, public theaters, and other social settings) reinvoke old traumas for exorcism and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-lynne-hanna/danced-healing-rituals-in-african-village-compounds-temple-courtyards/) [Judith Lynne Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-lynne-hanna/) > [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/) > [You always hear actors say, 'Theater is my first love,' and it is. It's a time when you really get to do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/you-always-hear-actors-say-theater-is-my-first-love-and-it-is-it-s-a/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) > [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [You will see a 3-D movie in a movie theater for the shared experience of it - or for a date, and so on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-stringer/you-will-see-a-3-d-movie-in-a-movie-theater-for-the-shared-experience/) [Howard Stringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-stringer/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) ## More by Robert Wilson > [When I was 12 years old, I went to Natchitoches, La.; it was summer vacation with my family. We visited a plantation, Melrose. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/when-i-was-12-years-old-i-went-to-natchitoches-la-it-was-summer/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) > [I learned loudness from working with Lou Reed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/i-learned-loudness-from-working-with-lou-reed/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) > [New York is very provincial. They're very cut-off; they don't have an awareness of so much that is going on in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/new-york-is-very-provincial-they-re-very-cut-off-they-don-t-have-an/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) > [“The chinese character for "strife" is represented by two women under the same roof.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/the-chinese-character-for-strife-is-represented-by-two-women-under/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) > [In Europe, unlike the States, they have a cultural policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/in-europe-unlike-the-states-they-have-a-cultural-policy/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) > [“Eva was a between-the-lines talker. She left the sayable unsaid and said what she meant without saying it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/eva-was-a-between-the-lines-talker-she-left-the-sayable-unsaid-and/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) > [By giving the leadership to the private sector in a capitalistic society, we're going to measure the value of art by how many products…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/by-giving-the-leadership-to-the-private-sector-in-a-capitalistic/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) > [I think people are looking for an alternative to the fast pace of everyday life and entertainment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/i-think-people-are-looking-for-an-alternative-to-the-fast-pace-of/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) > [Usually in theater, the visual repeats the verbal. The visual dwindles into decoration. But I think with my eyes. For me, the visual is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/usually-in-theater-the-visual-repeats-the-verbal-the-visual-dwindles/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) > [I don't see much difference between living and working. I think living is a part of my work. People often say, 'How can you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/i-don-t-see-much-difference-between-living-and-working-i-think-living/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) > [Everything in Wagner's work - the music, the acting, the staging - stemmed from the text. Everything served to interpret the text.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/everything-in-wagner-s-work-the-music-the-acting-the-staging-stemmed/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) > [In my theater, I'm not trying to change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/in-my-theater-i-m-not-trying-to-change-the-world/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) > [My tax dollar, which goes to New York State Council on the Arts, is by and large only spent to fund people from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/my-tax-dollar-which-goes-to-new-york-state-council-on-the-arts-is-by/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) > [I never thought about the relationship of my mother, my family, to the content of my work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/i-never-thought-about-the-relationship-of-my-mother-my-family-to-the/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) > [I never studied theatre; I learned it by doing it. If I had studied theatre, I would not be making the kind of theatre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/i-never-studied-theatre-i-learned-it-by-doing-it-if-i-had-studied/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) [Explore all 84 Robert Wilson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) ## 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": "All theater is dance.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Wilson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/all-theater-is-dance/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/all-theater-is-dance/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d25/robert-wilson-8083_dance_all-theater-is-dance-1997965_1997965.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d25/robert-wilson-8083_dance_all-theater-is-dance-1997965_1997965.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d25/robert-wilson-8083_dance_all-theater-is-dance-1997965_1997965.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“All theater is dance.” — Robert Wilson", "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": "Robert Wilson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "All theater is dance.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/all-theater-is-dance/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/all-theater-is-dance/#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 } } ] } ```