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Although I don't gamble in life - I've never played poker - I do gamble on stage. I gamble with myself: 'Can I do this?'

Mikhail Baryshnikov

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Mikhail Baryshnikov
Age: 76
Born: 1948
Born: January 27
Actor
Ballet Dancer
Ballet Master
Choreographer
Dancer
Film Actor
Performing Artist
Television Actor
Rīga
Mikhail Nikolayevich Baryshnikov
Never
Life
Poker
Gamble
Although
Played
Stage

More quotes by Mikhail Baryshnikov

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I have some Russian friends. But probably only 10 percent. I don't hang out usually in the big Russian communities in Brooklyn and New Jersey.
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When a body moves, it's the most revealing thing. Dance for me a minute, and I'll tell you who you are.
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To achieve some depth in your field requires a lot of sacrifices.
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We're trying to stretch our muscles creatively. It gives us so much more freedom.
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When I'm alone, I work sometimes with music, sometimes without and sometimes just listening to NPR.
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I have been very lucky to work in so many new ballets, but that is what a dancer's work is.
Mikhail Baryshnikov
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I think I got disappointed over the years about New York, about the States. You know, sometimes you go and visit Europe and see good old socialism in its good part! You see public concern about art, and young people's participation and young faces in the audience.
Mikhail Baryshnikov
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My father was a Party member and he was a pretty high rank military officer under the colonel, junior colonel, I don't know the term. He was a total Stalinist. A bit with a streak of anti-Semitism and very shrewd man, a very kind of nervous man.
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A theater is such a revealing form of art, such a transparent and good actors, they're such powerful individuals. I always kind of dreamt that one day I will open my mouth on stage.
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What do dancers think of Fred Astaire? It's no secret. We hate him. He gives us a complex because he's too perfect. His perfection is an absurdity. It's too hard to face.
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Running a company is pretty demanding.
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Dancers are stripped enough onstage. You don't have to know more about them than they've given you already.
Mikhail Baryshnikov
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I don't go to a gym, I don't do yoga. I don't do personal training.
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What brought me to the theater, no matter you're a Jew or a Russian or Armenian or Latvian, are suddenly illuminated by stage light and one beautiful image of dance.
Mikhail Baryshnikov
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I was not extremely patriotic about Mother Russia. I played their game, pretending. You have to deal with, you know, party people, KGB. Horrifying.
Mikhail Baryshnikov
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Nothing is ever too expensive if it furthers the repertoire and artistic standards of a dance company.
Mikhail Baryshnikov
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I would like to go and dance in Palestine one day, with great pleasure, great pleasure.
Mikhail Baryshnikov
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You cannot dance physically certain things. But look at tango dancers or flamenco or Japanese classical theater. You can, if you're smart enough and you collaborate with the right choreographers, you could really dance your age.
Mikhail Baryshnikov
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I don't try to dance better than anybody but myself.
Mikhail Baryshnikov
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Just sit and open your eyes and open your heart. It's dance theater.
Mikhail Baryshnikov