Quote

Classical virtuosity is more than technique, line, proportion, and balance. It is as if the performer and spectator come together to hold in their hands a bird with a broken wing. The creature can be felt to stir, to struggle for freedom. Its life responds to human warmth its wing might brush your check as it flies away.

Gelsey Kirkland

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Gelsey Kirkland
Age: 71
Born: 1952
Born: December 29
Ballerina
Ballet Dancer
Bethlehem
Pennsylvania
Human
Struggle
Wings
Classical
Spectator
Humans
Lines
Bird
Performers
Stir
Come
Freedom
Dance
Warmth
Brush
Life
Felt
Creatures
Check
Performer
Away
Balance
Creature
Spectators
Hands
Line
Checks
Brushes
Together
Broken
Proportion
Flies
Virtuosity
Might
Hold
Technique
Wing
Responds

More quotes by Gelsey Kirkland

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As unnatural as dancing is, you have to find a natural way to do the unnatural.
Gelsey Kirkland
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The voices of moral authority in the theatre demanded only punctuality and physical performance. In the light of continuing pressure and stress, the occasional lip service paid to moderation was meaningless. Starvation and poisoning were not excesses, but measures taken to stay within the norm.
Gelsey Kirkland
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... each action taken in this world has its echo in the heart.
Gelsey Kirkland
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I know my body. What happened is that I got so caught up in the applause I forgot how I should dance. All my life I've been what others wanted - in dancing and in life. Now I'm doing it my way.
Gelsey Kirkland
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Often, when you've reached a very high level of achievement, you almost become paralyzed by the idea that anything you might do might be imperfect. Perfection is just the striving, the effort, the struggle, but it's hard to remember that.
Gelsey Kirkland
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You've got to break through this idea of being light as a ballerina. The heavier you'll feel, the lighter you'll look.
Gelsey Kirkland
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At this stage of my life I would rather try and have some small impact within a company and suffer through those things than make such a big stink that nobody can trust to work with you. It's very important in an environment of a big institution that people don't feel threatened that you're going to expose them in any way.
Gelsey Kirkland
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The nature of my compulsion was such that I danced in my sleep. The entire household was sometimes awakened by loud thumping sounds coming from my room.
Gelsey Kirkland
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As soon as you become afraid to make a fool of yourself, you're in trouble. I decided I may as well just see if I can live with myself making millions of mistakes and learn something from it.
Gelsey Kirkland
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The first year with ABT I learned 13 new roles. Most were lengthy ballets, more complicated than I was used to. I have suffered from tendinitis since I was 13, and it flared up again until the pain was paralyzing. There were times I prayed I'd be sick so I wouldn't have to go on.
Gelsey Kirkland