47+ Martha Graham Quotes On Death And Creativity

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Martha Graham is one of the twentieth century’s most prolific and influential dancers and choreographers. Her quotes on art, life, and death are as inspirational as they are thought-provoking. Here are some of our favorite Martha Graham quotes:

“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium, and it will be lost. The world will not have it.”

 

Motivational  Martha Graham Quotes

  • “The only sin is mediocrity.”— Martha Graham
  • “The body says what words cannot.”— Martha Graham
  • “Discipline is liberation.”— Martha Graham
  • “The center of the stage is where I am.”— Martha Graham
  • “There is only one you in all time.”— Martha Graham
  • “The body is a sacred garment.”— Martha Graham
  • “I believe that we learn by practice.”— Martha Graham
  • “Repetition not for monotony but the ecstasy it induces.”— Martha Graham
  • “I get up, I fall down, all the while I am dancing.”— Martha Graham
  • “There is fatigue so great that the body cries, even in its sleep.”— Martha Graham
  • “Dance is the hidden language of the soul of the body.”— Martha Graham
  • “Dance is a song of the body. Either of joy or pain.”— Martha Graham
  • “In the end, it all comes down to the art of breathing.”— Martha Graham
  • “The body is a sacred garment. It’s your first and last garment; it is what you enter life in and what you depart life with, and it should be treated with honor.”— Martha Graham
  • “Practice means to perform, over and over again in the face of all obstacles, some act of vision, of faith, of desire. Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired.”— Martha Graham
  • “Wherever a dancer stands is holy ground.”— Martha Graham
  • “People have asked me why I chose to be a dancer. I did not choose. I was chosen to be a dancer, and with that, you live all your life.”— Martha Graham
  • “Some men have thousands of reasons why they cannot do what they want to, when all they need is one reason why they can.”— Martha Graham

 

Martha Graham Quotes   On   Death   &   Creativity

There is no question that Martha Graham was one of the most influential choreographers of the twentieth century. Her unique approach to dance, which she termed ‘Contemporary American Dance,’ revolutionized the art form and influenced generations of dancers. She was also a woman of great wisdom and insight, as evidenced by her many quotes on dance, life, and creative expression.

One of Graham’s most famous quotes is, “There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium, and it will be lost. The world will not have it.” This quote speaks to the importance of creativity and self-expression and how each person contributes uniquely to the world. It is a powerful reminder to follow our dreams and instincts, even when they seem impossible or impractical.

Another well-known Martha Graham quote is, “Dance is the hidden language of the soul of the body.” This quote highlights the emotional power of dance and how it can be used as a tool for self-discovery and communication. It also emphasizes the importance of the body in dancing – without a solid connection to our physicality, we cannot hope to express ourselves fully through dance.

 

  • “The spine is the tree of life. Respect it.”— Martha Graham
  • “There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique.”— Martha Graham
  • “Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance. Great dancers are great because of their passion.”— Martha Graham
  • “When you start with an idea, or something hits you, then you have to follow that through to the end, and it’s the following through to the end that makes the pattern. That, for me, is choreography.”— Martha Graham
  • “Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion.”— Martha Graham
  • “Fire is the test of gold; adversity, of strong men.”— Martha Graham
  • “We learn by practice. Whether it means to learn to dance by practicing dancing or to learn to live by practicing living, the principles are the same. One becomes in some area an athlete of God.”— Martha Graham
  • “Dance is communication, and so the great challenge is to speak clearly, beautifully and with inevitability.”— Martha Graham
  • “Freedom to a dancer means discipline. That is what technique is for – liberation.”— Martha Graham
  • “What people in the world think of you is really none of your business.”— Martha Graham
  • “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.”— Martha Graham
  • “You are unique, and if that is not fulfilled, then something has been lost.”— Martha Graham
  • “Movement never lies. It is a barometer telling the state of the soul’s weather to all who can read it.”— Martha Graham
  • “All that is important is this one moment in movement. Make the moment important, vital, and worth living. Do not let it slip away unnoticed and unused.”— Martha Graham
  • “We are all of us, unique – each a unique pattern of creativity and if we do not fulfill it, it is lost for all time.”— Martha Graham
  • “What makes a great dancer is not technique. What makes a great dancer is passion.”— Martha Graham
  • “It’s not my job to look beautiful. It’s my job to look interesting.”— Martha Graham

 

Famous Graham Quotes

  • “Art is eternal for it reveals the inner landscape which is the soul of man.”— Martha Graham
  • “Stand up! Keep your backs straight! Remember that this is where the wings grow.”— Martha Graham
  • “The body is shaped, disciplined, honored, and in time, trusted.”— Martha Graham
  • “It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how valuable it is, nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.”— Martha Graham
  • “If you feel depressed you shouldn’t go out on the street because it will show on your face and you’ll give it to others. Misery is a communicable disease.”— Martha Graham
  • “My dancing is not an attempt to interpret life in the literary sense. It is an affirmation of life through movement.”— Martha Graham
  • “I am absorbed in the magic of movement and light. Movement never lies. It is the magic of what I call the outer space of the imagination.”— Martha Graham
  • “No artist is ahead of his time. He is his time; it is just that others are behind the times.”— Martha Graham
  • “I have spent all my life with dance and being a dancer. It’s permitting life to use you in a very intense way. Sometimes it is not pleasant. Sometimes it is fearful. But nevertheless it is inevitable.”— Martha Graham
  • “The body is your instrument in dance, but your art is outside that creature, the body.”— Martha Graham
  • “Nothing is more revealing than movement.”— Martha Graham
  • “We look at the dance to impart the sensation of living in an affirmation of life, to energize the spectator into keener awareness of the vigor, the mystery, the humor, the variety, and the wonder of life. This is the function of the American dance.”— Martha Graham
  • “You don’t pick dance. Dance picks you.”— Martha Graham

 

Martha Graham once said, “No artist is ahead of his time. He is his time. It is the rest of us who are behind the times.” This quote has always stuck with me because it’s so true.

Artists are constantly pushing the envelope and pushing boundaries. They are continually innovating and creating new things that the rest of us haven’t even thought of yet. That’s what makes them so unique. They see the world differently than we do and dare to express it through their art.

Martha Graham was an incredible dancer and choreographer who changed the landscape of modern dance forever. She was a true pioneer in her field, and her quotes continue to inspire people worldwide. If you’re ever feeling stuck in a rut, just remember Martha Graham’s words and try to see the world through a different lens.

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