You don't enter a dance studio and say "I can't do that." If you do, then why are you in the studio in the first place?
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of a positive mindset and the willingness to challenge oneself in a learning environment.
Judith Jamison's quote encourages individuals to adopt an open and determined attitude when entering situations where they may face challenges or new skills to learn. By questioning the purpose of being in such an environment if one is not prepared to try, she highlights the importance of embracing growth and the opportunity to learn, rather than succumbing to self-doubt.
In practice
In a motivational speech for students about embracing challenges.
As a dancer, you really try to stay true to whatever the choreographer/artistic director is giving you. So, now the shoe is on the other foot and I have to trust everyone else - I have to trust the dancer. As I was trusted as a dancer, I trust my dancers.
It's never too early to teach your children about the tool of money. Teach them how to work for it and they learn pride and self-respect. Teach them how to save it and they learn security and self-worth. Teach them how to be generous with it and they learn love.
We can go on talking about racism and who treated whom badly, but what are you going to do about it? Are you going to wallow in that or are you going to create your own agenda?
I've always felt that complement of opposites: body and soul, solitude and companionship, and in the dance studio, contraction and release, rise and fall.
You wake up white, and you think about certain things every day. You wake up black, and you think about certain things. You wake up Chinese, and you think certain things - but those things aren't major. What's major is that you are good at your craft.
Maybe it's a generational thing, but I never wanted to be the best black dancer in the world. I just wanted to be the best.
They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time.
The demands of excellent NFL quarterbacking I always said took every piece of me, emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually. It was like it just took it all, and I think that was what was so energizing about it and unreplicable.
I'm going to keep going until I succeed β or die. Don't think I don't know how this might end. I've known it for years.
I have a confidence about my life that comes from standing tall on my own two feet.
I was on my death bed, and I remember hanging on to these words, 'Don't be scared. You are going to live an amazing life,' and I have.
There are three things, to my account, that I need each day. One of them is something to look up to, another is something to look forward to, and another is someone to chase.
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