Mikhail Baryshnikov Quotes

I cannot stand authority.

In the second part of life you get rid of stuff you've accumulated.

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.

I adored my mother, and I will always have extraordinary memories about her and remember her, and she opened the doors for me to appreciate arts.

Now there is in a way a renaissance of modern dance - suddenly, it is more respected and discovered.

I have been very lucky to work in so many new ballets, but that is what a dancer's work is.

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.

The Russian people get so insanely close to each other as friends. Their lives are interrelated so much on an everyday basis.

Every ballet, whether or not successful artistically or with the public, has given me something important.

I was never like, "collect, collect," like people who go to auctions. I never spent a serious amount of time because I don't have any time!

Creative Artists Agency put together a project of extraordinary mediocrity and colossal stupidity. Otherwise, it was great.

I am not trying to do material which I cannot do full out.

Obviously, the young dancers lack a certain air of maturity.

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?'

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.

I cannot belong to a nonprofit organization because when you receive grants, you have to make such great compromises with your artistic plans.

Dances have a second and third life. You feel they are never ready. They always have a chance for another life.

I never liked dance photography; it's very flat, and dance photography in the studio looks very contrived.

I am teaching more. That is what I do best.

He is a male butterfly without the wings - the same kind of grace of a very young horse, so angular.

I really reject that kind of comparison that says, Oh, he is the best. This is the second best. There is no such thing.

Nobody else in the world has a form like the Native American musical, and Americans should be very proud.

What people will do to get away from boredom!

Running a company is pretty demanding.

I like the most provocative and most surprising partnerships on stage. Intensity and surprise.

To walk across the street is a risk.

In '74 it was really a very gloomy atmosphere, I would say, to put it mildly.

I - you know, I'm not an actor.

Acting is not my language at all.

I feel very uneasy with a lot of aspects of the Russian life and the Russian people.

It's what's left in life, to work with interesting people.

I gave away a lot of works for benefits and then people would also give me back.

Nothing is ever too expensive if it furthers the repertoire and artistic standards of a dance company.

You can be totally involved, you could admire just the shape of or you could be totally emotionally mushed up into the dance.

I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to to dance better than myself.

I found that dance, music, and literature is how I made sense of the world... it pushed me to think of things bigger than life's daily routines... to think beyond what is immediate or convenient.