The body says what words cannot.
Martha GrahamRead
In a dancer, there is a reverence for such forgotten things as the miracle of the small beautiful bones and their delicate strength.
Interpretation
The quote highlights the beauty and strength found in the small, often overlooked details of life, particularly in art and dance.
Martha Graham's quote speaks to the inherent beauty and strength that exists in the subtle and seemingly insignificant aspects of life, embodied in the art of dance. It emphasizes the reverence a dancer has for their own body, specifically for the 'small beautiful bones' that offer both grace and power, reminding us to appreciate the delicate intricacies that contribute to the larger picture of art and existence.
In practice
In a speech about the importance of appreciating fine arts, this quote can underline how details matter.
The body says what words cannot.
Nobody cares if you can't dance well.
Movement never lies. It is a barometer telling the state of the soul's weather to all who can read it.
What people in the world think of you is really none of your business.
No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a strange, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.
The body is your instrument in dance, but your art is outside that creature, the body.
I'll keep on acting 'til they wipe the drool. I like the business. I like to do different parts and diverse characters. I haven't lost my enthusiasm yet!
I'm very proud of the Rome episode of 'No Reservations' because it violated all the conventional wisdom about making television. You're never, ever supposed to do a food or travel show in black and white.
People are always asking me what my lyrics mean. Does it mean this, does it mean that, that's all anybody wants to know. F**k them, darling. I say what any decent poet would say if you dared ask him to analyze his work: If you see it, dear, then it's there. ... I think my melodies are superior to my lyrics. ... I was never too keen on the British music press. They've called us a supermarket hype, and they used to suggest that we didn't write our own songs.
I'm not a really firm believer in theatre that is 'about anything.' I don't think theatre can be about anything other than the people who show up and the value that they hold.
Animators can only draw from their own experiences of pain and shock and emotions.
I write essays to clear my mind. I write fiction to open my heart.
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