--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ballet is hard enough when you go with…" description: "\"Ballet is hard enough when you go with it; when you have to force your body to do things, it is so much harder.\" — Sylvie Guillem" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b1/sylvie-guillem-4764_ballet_ballet-is-hard-enough-when-you-go-with-i_142235.png" --- # Ballet is hard enough when you go with it; when you have… ![“Ballet is hard enough when you go with it; when you have to force your body to do things, it is so much harder.” quote by Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b1/sylvie-guillem-4764_ballet_ballet-is-hard-enough-when-you-go-with-i_142235.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b1/sylvie-guillem-4764_ballet_ballet-is-hard-enough-when-you-go-with-i_142235.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b1/sylvie-guillem-4764_ballet_ballet-is-hard-enough-when-you-go-with-i_142235.png) > “Ballet is hard enough when you go with it; when you have to force your body to do things, it is so much harder.” [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. Ballet becomes significantly more difficult when forced rather than natural, highlighting the strain of artificial effort. **In simple terms:** Forced movement makes ballet harder. Key Takeaway Embrace natural flow over forced effort. Themes art discipline effort Mood determined reflective Type advisory inspirational When to use this quote - dance training - physical therapy - performance coaching Key Concepts body awareness psychology Questions to Reflect On - When is effort beneficial versus harmful? - How can one cultivate natural ease? A Different Perspective Pushing beyond natural limits can cause injury or burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ballet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballet/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) ## Related quotes > [Ballet can be hard on your joints, and when you're on a movie set doing take after take, it can become really repetitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-helen-bowers/ballet-can-be-hard-on-your-joints-and-when-you-re-on-a-movie-set/) [Mary Helen Bowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-helen-bowers/) > [Walker's Law: There are few things made harder in this world by having money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-walker/walker-s-law-there-are-few-things-made-harder-in-this-world-by-having/) Charlie Walker > [When you wake up and learn to love yourself and want to take care of yourself, things are harder because people don't like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/when-you-wake-up-and-learn-to-love-yourself-and-want-to-take-care-of/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [Procrastination makes easy things hard, hard things harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/procrastination-makes-easy-things-hard-hard-things-harder/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [One can be a great artist without being a great technician. There have been many famous ballet stars who did not have the ideal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-bujones/one-can-be-a-great-artist-without-being-a-great-technician-there-have/) Fernando Bujones > [The dance, just as the performance of the actor, is kinesthetic art, art of the muscle sense. The awareness of tension and relaxation within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-arnheim/the-dance-just-as-the-performance-of-the-actor-is-kinesthetic-art-art/) [Rudolf Arnheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-arnheim/) > [Ballet is pure and demands that you serve something larger than yourself, whether it be beauty or art, or a combination of both. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-martins/ballet-is-pure-and-demands-that-you-serve-something-larger-than/) Peter Martins > [There are many things that were harder to discuss back in the 80's and early 90's than they are now, and this also works…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-gumbel/there-are-many-things-that-were-harder-to-discuss-back-in-the-80-s/) [Nicky Gumbel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-gumbel/) > [Things are always harder than you think they're going to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-novogratz/things-are-always-harder-than-you-think-they-re-going-to-be/) [Jacqueline Novogratz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-novogratz/) > [“I don’t think you have to do something so big to be brave. And it’s the little things that are harder anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-matson/i-don-t-think-you-have-to-do-something-so-big-to-be-brave-and-it-s/) [Morgan Matson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-matson/) > [“The Habits Manifesto What we do every day matters more than what we do once in a while. Make it easy to do right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/the-habits-manifesto-what-we-do-every-day-matters-more-than-what-we/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [That's always the way in life: the longer you leave things, the harder they are to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-jewell/that-s-always-the-way-in-life-the-longer-you-leave-things-the-harder/) [Lisa Jewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-jewell/) > [In this life, things are much harder than in the afterworld. In this life, you're on your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince/in-this-life-things-are-much-harder-than-in-the-afterworld-in-this/) [Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince/) > [“There are days when I would love to pull the cover over my head and say to hell with it. “But I don’t do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-neill/there-are-days-when-i-would-love-to-pull-the-cover-over-my-head-and/) [Chloe Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-neill/) > [We all go through things, and some things harder than others. But it's my job to make sure that people feel like they're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lainey-wilson/we-all-go-through-things-and-some-things-harder-than-others-but-it-s/) [Lainey Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lainey-wilson/) ## 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/) > [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/) > [My mother really pushed me when I was young. I didn't want to go to dance classes, but for some reason, when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/my-mother-really-pushed-me-when-i-was-young-i-didn-t-want-to-go-to/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) [Explore all 106 Sylvie Guillem quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) ## More Ballet quotes > [“Afterwards Isabelle often wondered if the moments themselves were greater or the memory of them. At least the memory did not pass, while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-bentley/afterwards-isabelle-often-wondered-if-the-moments-themselves-were/) [Toni Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-bentley/) > [One can be a great artist without being a great technician. There have been many famous ballet stars who did not have the ideal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-bujones/one-can-be-a-great-artist-without-being-a-great-technician-there-have/) Fernando Bujones > [So I'm studying ballet every day and really training so people will see me as a ballet dancer, which no one's seen before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sutton-foster/so-i-m-studying-ballet-every-day-and-really-training-so-people-will/) [Sutton Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sutton-foster/) > [No matter the style, the farther one goes the more obstacles increase, and the more distant appears the object it is desired to attain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-georges-noverre/no-matter-the-style-the-farther-one-goes-the-more-obstacles-increase/) [Jean-Georges Noverre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-georges-noverre/) > [What I love most about ballet is being able to express my emotions through dance, and to be able to bring others joy through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-deprince/what-i-love-most-about-ballet-is-being-able-to-express-my-emotions/) [Michaela DePrince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-deprince/) > [It is not a question of who dances but of who or what does not dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-st-denis/it-is-not-a-question-of-who-dances-but-of-who-or-what-does-not-dance/) [Ruth St. Denis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-st-denis/) > [Ballet is pure and demands that you serve something larger than yourself, whether it be beauty or art, or a combination of both. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-martins/ballet-is-pure-and-demands-that-you-serve-something-larger-than/) Peter Martins > [Even though I am a professional, and I know what the steps are, I don't quite know how I'm going to do them, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-farrell/even-though-i-am-a-professional-and-i-know-what-the-steps-are-i-don-t/) [Suzanne Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-farrell/) > [I'd rather be a guy that can build a house or fix a car than be able to walk like a ballet dancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-fimmel/i-d-rather-be-a-guy-that-can-build-a-house-or-fix-a-car-than-be-able/) [Travis Fimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-fimmel/) > [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/) > [Bob's work gleaned from hoofing, from vaudeville, from ballet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-reinking/bob-s-work-gleaned-from-hoofing-from-vaudeville-from-ballet/) [Ann Reinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-reinking/) > [You can imagine me as a kid growing up in redneck Texas with ballet shoes, tucking the violin under my arm. I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-swayze/you-can-imagine-me-as-a-kid-growing-up-in-redneck-texas-with-ballet/) [Patrick Swayze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-swayze/) > [I only started writing in the latter days of Spandau Ballet. I didnt know I could write because all had our roles within the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hadley/i-only-started-writing-in-the-latter-days-of-spandau-ballet-i-didnt/) [Tony Hadley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hadley/) > [All ballet, all reading, all music. That was my world, my inner world,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalia-makarova/all-ballet-all-reading-all-music-that-was-my-world-my-inner-world/) [Natalia Makarova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalia-makarova/) > [I can dance. I like hip hop and stuff and jazz movements, but I'm horrible in ballet. I tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keke-palmer/i-can-dance-i-like-hip-hop-and-stuff-and-jazz-movements-but-i-m/) [Keke Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keke-palmer/) [Browse all 1,227 Ballet quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballet/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Ballet is hard enough when you go with it; when you have to force your body to do things, it is so much harder.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sylvie Guillem" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/ballet-is-hard-enough-when-you-go-with-it-when-you-have-to-force-your/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ballet" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/ballet-is-hard-enough-when-you-go-with-it-when-you-have-to-force-your/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b1/sylvie-guillem-4764_ballet_ballet-is-hard-enough-when-you-go-with-i_142235.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b1/sylvie-guillem-4764_ballet_ballet-is-hard-enough-when-you-go-with-i_142235.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b1/sylvie-guillem-4764_ballet_ballet-is-hard-enough-when-you-go-with-i_142235.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ballet is hard enough when you go with it; when you have to force your body to do things, it is so much…” — 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": "Ballet is hard enough when you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/ballet-is-hard-enough-when-you-go-with-it-when-you-have-to-force-your/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/ballet-is-hard-enough-when-you-go-with-it-when-you-have-to-force-your/#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 } } ] } ```