I didn't want to be a dancer... I just did it to work my way through college. But I was always an athlete and gymnast, so it came naturally.

The future of dance will always be tied up with the public's acceptance of the star. If they accept the star, then they'll accept the dance.

I arrived in Hollywood twenty pounds overweight and as strong as an ox.

I don't even want to discuss Flashdance. I'm no critic, but that's an interesting phenomenon, that picture.

I never played a rich man, I never played a prince. And to play a sailor or longshoreman you had to make your dance more eclectic and varied, but still keep it indigenous to your nationality, upbringing, and background.

There is a certain amount of pornography that exists throughout Purple Rain, but the appeal is obvious. You can really pick that picture apart and see where "A" fits into "B" and so on. It was very wisely done.

I didn't want to be a dancer... I just did it to work my way through college. But I was always an athlete and gymnast, so it came naturally.