All Ballets' fundamental steps are derived from the folk dances of
Western Europe.
- Dame Ninette de Valois, Director of the Royal Ballet of England
  Introduction to "Ballet in Britain", ed. Peter Brinson (London:
  Oxford University Press, 1962), p.3

Since 1850 there has been little change in Europe.  All further
innovations have come from the United States, Cuba, or South America,
and all broke with previous tradition.
- Agnes de Mille, "The Book of the Dance" (New York: Golden Press, 1963). p. 65

Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by the age of eighteen. 
- Albert Einstein

Jugend ist Trunkenheit ohne Wein -- Goethe

The truth is incontrovertible. Panic may resent it; ignorance may deride 
it; malice may distort it; but there it is. -- Winston Churchill 

A man is likely to mind his own business when it is worth minding. When it
is not, he takes his mind off his own meaningless affairs by minding 
other people's business. -- Eric Hoffer, The True Believer 

Listen to me and understand this: A man is not defiled by what goes into
his mouth, but by what comes out of it. -- Matthew 15:11 

Information is not knowledge   Knowledge is not wisdom   Wisdom is not truth
Truth is not beauty   Beauty is not love   Love is not music   Music is THE BEST
- F. Zappa

"Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work, driving
 through traffic in a car that you are still paying for, in order to get
 to a job that you need so you can pay for the clothes, car and the house
 that you leave empty all day in order to afford to live in it."
- Ellen Goodman

The reason why so few marriages are happy is because young ladies spend their
time in making nets, not in making cages.
- Jonathan Swift, *Thoughts on Various Subjects*

Watch your thoughts.  They become words.  Watch your words.  They become
actions.   Watch your actions.   They become habits.   Watch your habits.
They become character.   Watch your character.   It becomes your destiny.

I do not know what the spirit of a philosopher could more wish to be
than a good dancer. For the dance is his ideal, also his fine art,
finally also the only kind of piety he knows, his "divine service."
- Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)

To the dull mind all nature is leaden.  To the illumined mind
the whole world burns and sparkles with light.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Calling spam "free speech" is like calling rape "unsolicited love"
- Ron Schwarz (reply to usenet at clubvb.com)

When small men
Cast long shadows
The sun is going down.
- Venita Cravens

Be the change that you want to see in the world.  -- M. K. Gandhi

The time honored most accepted method of inviting and accepting a request for a
dance, is the eye contact and a head nod. It speaks highly of politeness,
courtesy and above all about avoiding uncomfortable and at times embarrassing
experiences. It also affords every dancer the privacy of choosing how to spend
an evening. It is unsettling being stalked by overzealous individuals or being
put into the difficult situation of accepting reluctantly or declining
uncomfortably. In spite of its popularity nobody appreciates being "used."
-- extracted from El Firulete

"I will not cut my clothes or my conscience to suit this year's fashions".
-- Lillian Hellmann
   in refusing to "name names" to the House Unamerican Activities Committee

Perhaps only people who are capable of real togetherness have that look
of being alone in the universe the others have a certain stickiness.
--D.H. Lawrence

In essentials, unity.
In non-essentials, liberty.
In all things, charity.
-- St. Augustine

"One should respect public opinion insofar as is necessary to avoid
starvation and to keep out of prison, but anything that goes beyond
this is voluntary submission to an unnecessary tyranny, and is
likely to interfere with happiness in all kinds of ways."
-- Bertrand Russell

"It is the repetition and monotony of the present Swing arrangements which 
bode ill for the future. Once again it is proven that when the artistic point 
of view gains commercial standing, artistry itself bows out, leaving 
inspiration to die a slow death."
-- Duke Ellington, Downbeat, Feb. 1939

"Dancing is very important to people who play music with a beat.
I think that people who don't dance, or who never did dance,
don't really understand the beat. ... I know musicians who don't
and never did dance, and they have difficulty communicating."
-- Duke Ellington, The World of Duke Ellington

When someone blunders, we say that he makes a misstep. Is it then not clear 
that All the ills of mankind, all the tragic misfortunes that fill our
history books, all the political blunders, all the failures of the great
leaders have arisen merely from a lack of skill in dancing.

          Moliere, 1622

Savoy, the home of sweet romance;
Savoy, it wins you at a glance;
Savoy, gives happy feet a chance to dance.
-- Ella Fitzgerald, Chick Webb, 1934

It's the same old syncopation - now they call it Swing.
Once again it sweeps the nation - now they call it Swing.
Rhythm had its seasons, Summer Fall and Spring.
And they started dancing - now they call it Swing.
-- Billie Holiday, 1937

Some folks say that Swing won't stay,
and it's dying out.
But I can prove it's in the groove,
and they don't know what they're talking about.
-- Marion Hutton (Glenn Miller), June Richmond (Andy Kirk), 1939 -- Wham!