Katherine Dunham

The older I grow the more I see the influence of my family on my life. I didn't always see it. It was up to our parents to see that we had our education in a town that hadn't yet realized what racial prejudice was but actually knew and practiced it on occasion.

So many dancers paint. I used to paint. I started again recently. While I was dancing, I was very busy with my career. Start something else that makes use of your creative ability because if you don't you will die inside as a person.

If you dance, you dance because you have to. Every dancer hurts, you know.

I used to want the words 'She tried' on my tombstone. Now I want 'She did it.'