Being a ballerina, you don't ever want to show yourself less than perfect, ever. That's what your goal is: 24/7 perfection. Wendy Whelan More Quotes by Wendy Whelan More Quotes From Wendy Whelan We are constantly revealing ourselves to each other through our movement; learning from and teaching each other without even trying. Wendy Whelan ballet teaching trying You have to decide when it is time to move on. I was dancing on Broadway for many years. Then everyone was either getting injured or retiring and I was dancing with younger dancers. Wendy Whelan dancing years moving You have to decide when it is time to move on. Wendy Whelan time-to-move-on moving I have a lot of energy, a lot of interest, a lot of desire. Wendy Whelan interest energy desire I liked the structure of ballet. Wendy Whelan structure ballet The moment is everything. Don't think about tomorrow; don't think about yesterday: think about exactly what you're doing right now and live it and dance it and breath it and be it. Wendy Whelan moment you tomorrow dance Aging gracefully means being flexible, being open, allowing change, enjoying change and loving yourself. Wendy Whelan loving yourself aging change I've always felt like a different kind of ballerina. Wendy Whelan like always different kind So much is made about the beginnings of ballet careers, the rosebud, and then once the petals and leaves start falling off, is it beautiful anymore? Some people think it is; some people don't. The expectation is to focus on the very beautiful parts, not the ending. Wendy Whelan ending focus beautiful people I look back, and I have no regrets, truly. Everything led me to the place where I am now. Wendy Whelan i-am place look me Certain people have certain ways of focusing on things, and some arrange their lens to a pinhole in order to focus only on their goal. Others have a giant lens, and they take in the whole panorama. I was that pinhole kind of person. Wendy Whelan person things focus people I really only had one audition in my life, and that was when I was 14 or 15. When I was that young, I listened to what my teachers would say, like wearing a certain kind of leotard that you'll be noticed in. Wendy Whelan teachers my-life you life I was so comfortable with my ballet power, my dancer power, that to have a voice, the comfort with having a voice, is slower to come to me. Wendy Whelan me voice power comfort When you are a kid, you find so much comfort in dancing. I was comforted. Wendy Whelan find kid you comfort I always looked at the process and the career of being a ballerina as sacred. It's a true gift to have this talent and perform these masterworks; it's sublime. Wendy Whelan true gift talent process I feel the ticking clock. And at times, I've said if I don't dance, I'd rather die. Wendy Whelan die feel dance said As I aged and I got stronger artistically, I really started to value my voice in performance - my 'voice' meaning my body, my technique, and my style. Then I started to really feel that flower as well. That's when I started to feel like, 'Wow - now I understand what my beauty is.' Wendy Whelan feel style flower beauty I think the leotard for me became, after I retired, a sort of a symbol of the confines of still fitting into the ballet world in mind and body. Wendy Whelan think me mind world My art form is my child, and that's what I give my focus to. Wendy Whelan give child focus art I knew I wanted to be a ballet dancer, but what kind, I wasn't sure. My two dream companies had been New York City Ballet and American Ballet Theater. Wendy Whelan city new new-york dream
