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Gelsey Kirkland Biography

Gelsey Kirkland (born December 29, 1952) is an American ballerina. Kirkland joined the New York City Ballet in 1968 at age 15, at the invitation of George Balanchine. She was promoted to soloist in 1969, and principal in 1972. She went on to create leading roles in many of the great twentieth century ballets by Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, and Antony Tudor, including Balanchine's revival of The Firebird, Robbins' Goldberg Variations, and Tudor's The Leaves are Fading. Balanchine re-choreographed his version of Stravinsky's The Firebird specifically for her. She left the New York City Ballet to join the American Ballet Theatre in 1974.

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Gelsey Kirkland Quotes

At this stage of my life I would rather try and have some small impact within a company and suffer through those things than make such a big stink that nobody can trust to work with you. It's very important in an environment of a big institution that people don't feel threatened that you're going to expose them in any way.

Impact, Nobody, People, Stage, Suffering, Way

The nature of my compulsion was such that I danced in my sleep. The entire household was sometimes awakened by loud thumping sounds coming from my room.

Household, Loud, Rooms, Sleep, Sound, Thumping

The first year with ABT I learned 13 new roles. Most were lengthy ballets, more complicated than I was used to. I have suffered from tendinitis since I was 13, and it flared up again until the pain was paralyzing. There were times I prayed I'd be sick so I wouldn't have to go on.

Pain, Paralyzing, Roles, Sick, Tendinitis, Years

I embarked on a risky course of plastic surgery and silicone injections, major dental realignments and gruesome medical procedures. I pray that young dancers, those who imitate me at their peril, will avoid this blind alley. It is more than a dead end; it is a dead beginning.

Dancer, Medical, Plastic, Pray, Praying, Realignments

The dance goes on forever. So shall I. So shall we.

Dance, Forever, Goes On

Often, when you've reached a very high level of achievement, you almost become paralyzed by the idea that anything you might do might be imperfect. Perfection is just the striving, the effort, the struggle, but it's hard to remember that.

Achievement, High, Ideas, Perfection, Struggle

In saying my prayers, I discovered the voice of an innermost self, the raw nerve of my identity.

Discovered, Prayer, Saying, Self, Voice

I know my body. What happened is that I got so caught up in the applause I forgot how I should dance. All my life I've been what others wanted - in dancing and in life. Now I'm doing it my way.

Applause, Body, Dance, Dancing, Forgot, Way

Classical virtuosity is more than technique, line, proportion, and balance. It is as if the performer and spectator come together to hold in their hands a bird with a broken wing. The creature can be felt to stir, to struggle for freedom. Its life responds to human warmth; its wing might brush your check as it flies away.

Dance, Hands, Struggle, Technique, Wing, Wings

The voices of moral authority in the theatre demanded only punctuality and physical performance. In the light of continuing pressure and stress, the occasional lip service paid to moderation was meaningless. Starvation and poisoning were not excesses, but measures taken to stay within the norm.

Demanded, Stay, Stress, Taken, Theatre, Voice

Fortunately for children, the uncertainties of the present always give way to the enchanted possibilities of the future.

Children, Enchanted, Giving, Present, Way

There was a stage when Balanchine and I didn't talk. I was trying to develop my classical technique as opposed to the fast-track technique that he was pushing. We were very quiet with each other. But after two years he saw what I was doing and sent messages through other people that, yes, this is good.

People, Pushing, Talk, Two, Years

As unnatural as dancing is, you have to find a natural way to do the unnatural.

Dance, Dancing, Natural, Unnatural, Way

Ballet is a riddle of means and ends.

Ballet, Dance, Ends, Mean, Riddle

You've got to break through this idea of being light as a ballerina. The heavier you'll feel, the lighter you'll look.

Ballerina, Break Through, Ideas, Light, Look

As soon as you become afraid to make a fool of yourself, you're in trouble. I decided I may as well just see if I can live with myself making millions of mistakes and learn something from it.

Become, Fool, Making, May, Mistake, See

I danced with passion to spite the music.

Ballet, Dance, Danced, Music, Passion

When you are on stage you are having an affair with three thousand people.

Affair, Dance, Dancing, People, Thousand

. . . each action taken in this world has its echo in the heart.

Echo, Echoes, Heart, Taken, World