Once you've danced, you always dance. You can't deny the gifts that God sends your way Judith Jamison More Quotes by Judith Jamison More Quotes From Judith Jamison I believe that this world was set about for us to enjoy and to love and to experience and to have it all be, to a certain extent, unpredictable. Ever since I was a child I have believed that my life has been guided. Judith Jamison believe children world I haven't had a family, but I don't think of that as a sacrifice: my dancers are my family. Judith Jamison dancer sacrifice thinking I've danced all over the world, and people are people. We cannot cut off from each other in life. In order to lead, you can't do that. Judith Jamison cutting order people Maybe its a generational thing, but I never wanted to be the best black dancer in the world. I just wanted to be the best. Judith Jamison dancer black world I want people to have their own visions for the dance. Some generations will sit back and relate to the music. And the young people ...they'll have the dance right in front of them. Judith Jamison generations vision people The word 'suffering' is not in my vocabulary. Judith Jamison vocabulary suffering I felt the naivete of a child in my dancing. I cherished that feeling. I had what I call a knowledgeable naivete, and it worked for me. Judith Jamison dancing feelings children Concert dance is the hardest kind of dance. We tour constantly, around the world, year in and year out. It just doesn't work for everybody. It's the lifestyle, it's the stamina, it's the love, it's the dedication, it's the commitment, it's all those words. Judith Jamison dedication commitment years I was a protege; by the age of 10, I was studying with ballet choreographer Anthony Tudor in a class of adults. Judith Jamison ballet age class I have been guilty of watching Westerns without acknowledging that Native Americans have gone through the same madness as African Americans. Isn't it extraordinary that sometimes the most offended have not seen others being offended? Judith Jamison african-american gone native-american Every dancer lives on the threshold of chucking it. Judith Jamison threshold dancer dance Dance is not endangered - it will always find a way to express itself. Judith Jamison way I've been in a competitive situation almost all my life. I've been having a competition with myself and trying to be the best I could be. Judith Jamison competition being-the-best trying I believe God has a path for me. He's always had a path for me, and I've always been in the right place at the right time - not because of my efforts, but because of my preparation and because of the guides that I have, the mentors that I have, the spiritual walkers that I've had all my life. Judith Jamison me god time life You have to dance unencumbered. There's no other way to move. The idea of dance is freedom. It is not exclusiveness, it's inclusiveness. Judith Jamison you freedom dance way Dancing is bigger than the physical body. Think bigger than that. When you extend your arm, it doesn't stop at the end of your fingers, because you're dancing bigger than that. You're dancing spirit. Judith Jamison end think you body I believe in being prepared. I'm going to say that. Pray, prepare, proceed. Judith Jamison say being i-believe believe I've had a really charmed life, you know. Things always come to me - they just do. Judith Jamison know me you life We're dancing from here, from inside, not from outside. You could look at anybody throwing their leg and kick their leg up and a million pirouettes and do all kinds of tricks and stuff like that. But that's not what dance is really about. Judith Jamison inside look you dance I could say now at 66, yeah, I was a fabulous dancer. I was really terrific, you know. But I was always present. I was present. I was supposed to be where I was supposed to be at the time I was supposed to be. Judith Jamison say know you time