Top 120 Quotes & Sayings by Sergei Polunin

The ballet world is so competitive, and for no reason. It's not a sport. It's an art. There's no winner.

I don't know how you completely destroy your dark side.

It's almost died, classical dance.

I struggle to get the big companies to trust me, or be willing to work with me.

I actually always have good intentions.

The most amazing feeling in the world is destroying. It takes so much strength and patience and time to build, and destruction is fast, fast, fast. Explosive.

When you're going a bit higher than you think you normally can, and you can feel the adrenaline and excitement of the public, that's really great.

I danced in corps de ballet for 11 hours a day. That was the hardest work I have ever done in my life. I haven't seen anybody else work more.

Once I went back to my old city and saw my best friend from childhood walking around with a gang, looking cool. I think I missed out by never having that street life doing stupid things.

I'd always been one of the best in my gymnastics school, so I transferred to trying to be the best dancer, without knowing anything about ballet. I learned it as a routine.

If you just stay still and don't create, you die as an artist.

There's no agents or managers to represent them. Dancers don't have any voice. They have nothing. Nobody can afford a flat to live in. They have to share to be able to survive. In a place like the Royal Ballet, that shouldn't happen.

It doesn't matter if you are gay or straight: the man should have strength to take care of families and take care of loved ones.

I never wanted to be a good example.

It's true that I got a bit lost. But that was because I had grown up in a system where I never made my own decisions.

It's not being bad; it's about trying to find yourself. It's strange how people take you.

The contemporary programs in London are harder and much more damaging for the body. With classical ballet you are relaxed mentally because it's what you learnt, but I want to push myself.

Some of my friends were going to dancing school and, when one of them was auditioning for a ballet school in Kiev, my mother saw an opportunity for me to do that, so we could move to a bigger, better city.

Some people go crazy. It's constant pressure. People don't eat well. They work a lot. There's no rest. People lose their mind by 30. They really go crazy - especially ballerinas.

I didn't choose ballet, it was my mum's choice.

I would have liked to behave badly, to play football. I loved sport. But all my family were working for me to succeed.

Plant or animal, black or white, gay or straight, man or woman, I always see things deeper than just a surface. I always look deep inside the person and you will see a beautiful person in every human being.

It's amazing how such a small piece of art can be such a powerful thing for people.

It is different in Russia. Here there is a television channel devoted to opera and dance.

I realized it's important to have love in your life, it's important to have friendship, it's very important to have mentors and family.

Art and war are opposites, so our goal as an artist is to build and create, not destroy.

You know when you believe in Christmas? I was like that with ballet. I thought I would reach a level where I'd have enough money to bring my family back together, and I would have freedom.

I want to do as much as I can.

I don't have time to party; I'm always on the plane.

The Royal Ballet is the best paid company, but the dancers get nothing. The stage crew get paid three times more than the dancers, and they have a job for life - dancers only have 10 years.

For artists to feel a real emotion to your partner is very important.

The Sensorium Galaxy Planet of Motion is the future. We are memorizing dance because dance will exist in a virtual world forever. The Planet of Motion is a game changer and I'm happy to be involved in this collaboration.

It's not about being modern or classical or about being sexy: it's all about exchanging energies with the audience.

As a dancer, you dance and you shut up. You don't open your mouth. I started using the media as psychiatrists, I guess, they were someone to talk to.

For an artist it is important to show what your mood is at that particular moment.

I did gymnastics, I went to school, then I did homework. I missed out on a childhood.

I thought about my future. In 10 years' time, I would be in the same position as when I started - the best dancer in the world, but still sharing a flat. You're an adult, but you live like a kid.

I was an artist, and I could create something, and that's what's stimulating.

Would I be happy just to be an actor? I don't think I would.

I always wanted to become an artist who unites things.

I like imperfections in the world.

For many years I saw the world as two sides: east and west, two powers. And I was trying to search what is white, what is black. Both sides wanted me.

Dance is the hidden language of the soul.

The Royal Ballet was good to me. They gave me everything I asked for. It's just... I felt tricked. I became a principal and I couldn't even afford to pay for dinner. I couldn't afford a flat.

I am very thankful to the Royal Albert Hall for the opportunity to dance here; it's been a long hope of mine.

Well, that's why ballet is one of the hardest disciplines - you kind of stay childlike, because you never really experience childhood, so you try to stay in that.

When I left The Royal Ballet, I didn't have anybody to talk to.

I couldn't come back to gymnastics because the floors were too dusty for my health.

I got the same recognition in Russia in one week that I got in London after five years.

I always hoped I would be injured so I didn't have to dance any more.

Sometimes I don't eat all day, then have four meals between 8 P. M. and 4 A. M.

I think often people know about Rasputin in Russian history - but know only a little bit. He's an interesting man, who in general I think meant well.

In the beginning, I was very passionate about it, I loved it. It wasn't until I actually reached the top that I became despondent. I felt like I was betrayed, betrayed by my family, my school. I felt very angry about the whole thing. You spend 12 hours a day, dancing, and then what?

In Russia it is great because you can concentrate 100 percent on your work, there are not as many distractions as London, so I've literally had a year concentrating on my dancing.

I go to bed really late - if I just sleep I won't have a life outside ballet.

Ukraine told me I couldn't return. They put me on a list of terrorists and war criminals.

Unfortunately, in our society, nobody wants people to think.

When you are low, you do tattoos and it gives you adrenaline for a couple of days and you're happy.

But yeah, I don't think you can conquer demons.

A few months ago, I was sure that I was going to stop dancing to become a good actor. But then when I was by myself for a week, I asked myself, What are you doing? You have that talent. Use it to the fullest.