Suzanne Farrell is an American ballerina widely regarded as one of the greatest dancers of the 20th century. Born on August 16, 1945, in Cincinnati, Ohio, she joined the New York City Ballet in 1961 and became a principal dancer in 1965. Known for her exceptional technique and artistic depth, she became George Balanchine's muse and performed in many of his signature works. After retiring from the stage in 1989, she founded the Suzanne Farrell Ballet in 2000 to nurture young talent. She has received numerous honors, including the Kennedy Center Honors and the National Medal of Arts.
Related Quotes
“Good theater should always send people away feeling changed.”
“After I stopped dancing, I was unable to listen to beautiful music.”
“As soon as I hear music, something in me starts to vibrate.”
“I was very happy that I was as normal as possible before I went into serious dance.”
“Once I started dancing, I was not the spoiled brat or the rebellious child that I was as a child.”
“You're never more of an individual than when you're a happy team player.”
“Do not brood. It makes the moment you are living in unavailable for learning and life.”
Source: Holding on to the air: an autobiography
“In fact, ballet companies did not exist in the Midwest when I was a child.”
“The body can do amazing things in a situation when it is really called for.”
“I could work out a lot of my emotions by going to class and dancing.”
“I liked tap, because I liked hearing the results of my movements.”
“I liked to read but, being a dancer, I didn't have a lot of time to read.”
“I loved tests because it was another form of competing, a healthy competition.”
“I'm thought of as a cool, unemotional dancer, but inside I'm not.”
“When you get on stage, you can be anything. You are removed from reality in a way, the real world.”
“There is pain and sacrifice in everyone's world. That's why, when I was dancing, I had no pain.”