--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At the Paris Opera Ballet, they were…" description: "\"At the Paris Opera Ballet, they were always making choices for me.\" — Sylvie Guillem" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8df/sylvie-guillem-4764_always_at-the-paris-opera-ballet-they-were-alwa_2349243.png" --- # At the Paris Opera Ballet, they were always making choices… ![“At the Paris Opera Ballet, they were always making choices for me.” quote by Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8df/sylvie-guillem-4764_always_at-the-paris-opera-ballet-they-were-alwa_2349243.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8df/sylvie-guillem-4764_always_at-the-paris-opera-ballet-they-were-alwa_2349243.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8df/sylvie-guillem-4764_always_at-the-paris-opera-ballet-they-were-alwa_2349243.png) > “At the Paris Opera Ballet, they were always making choices for me.” [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She experienced limited autonomy, with others constantly deciding her artistic path. **In simple terms:** She felt choices were made for her by others. Key Takeaway Seek greater artistic control. Themes autonomy artistry control Mood reflective determined Type artistic personal When to use this quote - rehearsal decisions - contract negotiations - personal projects Key Concepts creative freedom career agency Questions to Reflect On - How can dancers assert their vision? - What structures support artistic independence? A Different Perspective External expectations may limit creative expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Ballet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballet/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Making choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-choices/) [Opera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opera/) [Opera Ballet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opera-ballet-5409220/) [Paris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paris/) [Paris Opera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paris-opera-1498184/) ## Related quotes > [The problems I had with the Paris Opera Ballet are a thing of the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/the-problems-i-had-with-the-paris-opera-ballet-are-a-thing-of-the-past/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [“Firmin, might I remind you that we are the Paris Opera House. Drama is our bread and butter!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paisley-swan-stewart/firmin-might-i-remind-you-that-we-are-the-paris-opera-house-drama-is/) [Paisley Swan Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paisley-swan-stewart/) > [I had no sense of having reached some goal because I was an etoile at the Paris Opera. My ambition, if you can call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/i-had-no-sense-of-having-reached-some-goal-because-i-was-an-etoile-at/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [The first time I took a plane to dance in front of an audience outside France was when I was in the Paris Opera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/the-first-time-i-took-a-plane-to-dance-in-front-of-an-audience/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [Despite the rigid classicism of the famous Paris Opera school and company, the French have done more than their share to unmoor la Danse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/despite-the-rigid-classicism-of-the-famous-paris-opera-school-and/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [Anytime you look at anything that's considered artistic, there's a commercial world around it: the ballet, opera, any kind of music. It can't exist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/anytime-you-look-at-anything-that-s-considered-artistic-there-s-a/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [My parents used to park us kids at the public library in downtown Honolulu every Saturday. They'd leave us there at 8 A.M. and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/my-parents-used-to-park-us-kids-at-the-public-library-in-downtown/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [Rather than opera, football is more like ballet or a chess game. You can really see it in a team like Arsenal, especially when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-du-sautoy/rather-than-opera-football-is-more-like-ballet-or-a-chess-game-you/) [Marcus du Sautoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-du-sautoy/) > [When you are confronted with an opera, you have to keep an eye on everything: the musicians, the chorus, the ballet, the singers, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/placido-domingo/when-you-are-confronted-with-an-opera-you-have-to-keep-an-eye-on/) [Placido Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/placido-domingo/) > [New York. It's home to opera, Broadway, museums, the ballet and orchestra - everything that I love. The most real people in the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-chenoweth/new-york-it-s-home-to-opera-broadway-museums-the-ballet-and-orchestra/) [Kristin Chenoweth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-chenoweth/) > [One of the first things I created was music for the Paris opera's ballet troupe. That was the first time that electronic music was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-michel-jarre/one-of-the-first-things-i-created-was-music-for-the-paris-opera-s/) [Jean-Michel Jarre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-michel-jarre/) > [Flawless . . . Tightly choreographed . . . Shipstead gains entry into exclusive worlds and trains her opera glasses on private social rituals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-corrigan/flawless-tightly-choreographed-shipstead-gains-entry-into-exclusive/) [Maureen Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-corrigan/) > [Since I was a child I've loved going to the opera, theatre and ballet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-lacroix/since-i-was-a-child-i-ve-loved-going-to-the-opera-theatre-and-ballet/) [Christian Lacroix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-lacroix/) > [My father, my uncles, my aunts, from my father's side and my mother's side... they were all professional musicians. My father was a concert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lalo-schifrin/my-father-my-uncles-my-aunts-from-my-father-s-side-and-my-mother-s/) [Lalo Schifrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lalo-schifrin/) > [Ballet is hard enough when you go with it; when you have to force your body to do things, it is so much harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/ballet-is-hard-enough-when-you-go-with-it-when-you-have-to-force-your/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) ## More by Sylvie Guillem > [On stage, you can bring all those strong emotions that you don't have the opportunity to live. You don't want to die for love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/on-stage-you-can-bring-all-those-strong-emotions-that-you-don-t-have/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [Having limits to push against is how you find out what you can do. I have always been full of contradictions. I am shy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/having-limits-to-push-against-is-how-you-find-out-what-you-can-do-i/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [I've learned to listen to what's going on with my body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/i-ve-learned-to-listen-to-what-s-going-on-with-my-body/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [I can't have friends in every port. I have to work very hard and be very clear about what I want to do. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/i-can-t-have-friends-in-every-port-i-have-to-work-very-hard-and-be/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [Ballet is hard enough when you go with it; when you have to force your body to do things, it is so much harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/ballet-is-hard-enough-when-you-go-with-it-when-you-have-to-force-your/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [Terrorism is not a small problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/terrorism-is-not-a-small-problem/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [If you start dancing too young, it can be torture. The bone is too soft, and it is going everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/if-you-start-dancing-too-young-it-can-be-torture-the-bone-is-too-soft/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [Dancers, you know, they have pain everywhere: ankles in the morning, or back or neck or ribs or knees or the muscles. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/dancers-you-know-they-have-pain-everywhere-ankles-in-the-morning-or/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [If you are afraid of losing something, then you are dependent on it. If you are not afraid, then you are free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/if-you-are-afraid-of-losing-something-then-you-are-dependent-on-it-if/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [I was born with a different physical capacity to other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/i-was-born-with-a-different-physical-capacity-to-other-people/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > ['Romeo and Juliet,' 'Manon,' 'Giselle' - they are not stupid stories. They have fantastic characters. They have a big package of emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/romeo-and-juliet-manon-giselle-they-are-not-stupid-stories-they-have/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [I loved being at the Royal Ballet. Those choreographers, MacMillan and Ashton, they knew how to translate complicated life into choreography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/i-loved-being-at-the-royal-ballet-those-choreographers-macmillan-and/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [One has to learn to say, 'Wait, there is a pain that is not logical. I will do a scan, and if there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/one-has-to-learn-to-say-wait-there-is-a-pain-that-is-not-logical-i/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [I was afraid when I came to the Royal Ballet that it would be easy to have everyone walking all over me if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/i-was-afraid-when-i-came-to-the-royal-ballet-that-it-would-be-easy-to/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [It is in my nature to be a little shy. It takes time for me to talk to people and trust them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/it-is-in-my-nature-to-be-a-little-shy-it-takes-time-for-me-to-talk-to/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) [Explore all 106 Sylvie Guillem quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "At the Paris Opera Ballet, they were always making choices for me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sylvie Guillem" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/at-the-paris-opera-ballet-they-were-always-making-choices-for-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/at-the-paris-opera-ballet-they-were-always-making-choices-for-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8df/sylvie-guillem-4764_always_at-the-paris-opera-ballet-they-were-alwa_2349243.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8df/sylvie-guillem-4764_always_at-the-paris-opera-ballet-they-were-alwa_2349243.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8df/sylvie-guillem-4764_always_at-the-paris-opera-ballet-they-were-alwa_2349243.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“At the Paris Opera Ballet, they were always making choices for me.” — Sylvie Guillem", "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": "Sylvie Guillem", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "At the Paris Opera Ballet, they...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/at-the-paris-opera-ballet-they-were-always-making-choices-for-me/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/at-the-paris-opera-ballet-they-were-always-making-choices-for-me/#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 } } ] } ```