That which is not slightly distorted lacks sensible appeal; from which it follows that irregularity β that is to say, the unexpected, surprise and astonishment, are a essential part and characteristic of beauty.
Charles BaudelaireRead
Dancing is poetry with arms and legs.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Dancing expresses emotions and stories through physical movement, akin to how poetry uses words.
This quote by Charles Baudelaire suggests that dance is a form of artistic expression, much like poetry, where the movements of the body convey feelings, ideas, and narratives. Both art forms rely on rhythm, creativity, and the ability to engage an audience, making dance a physical embodiment of poetic expression.
Themes
DancePoetryArtExpressionMovement
In practice
Example use cases
Use this quote when introducing a dance performance to highlight its artistic nature.
More from Charles Baudelaire
All quotes βThe dance can reveal everything mysterious that is hidden in music, and it has the additional merit of being human and palpable. Dancing is poetry with arms and legs.
Charles BaudelaireRead
Who among us has not dreamt, in moments of ambition, of the miracle of a poetic prose, musical without rhythm and rhyme, supple and staccato enough to adapt to the lyrical stirrings of the soul, the undulations of dreams, and sudden leaps of consciousness.
Charles BaudelaireRead
There is no sweeter pleasure than to surprise a man by giving him more than he hopes for.
Charles BaudelaireRead
The priest is an immense being because he makes the crowd believe astonishing things.
Charles BaudelaireRead
I consider it useless and tedious to represent what exists, because nothing that exists satisfies me. Nature is ugly, and I prefer the monsters of my fancy to what is positively trivial.
Charles BaudelaireRead
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