Excellence is the name of the game.

I was a protege; by the age of 10, I was studying with ballet choreographer Anthony Tudor in a class of adults.

I felt the naivete of a child in my dancing. I cherished that feeling. I had what I call a knowledgeable naivete, and it worked for me.

Maybe its a generational thing, but I never wanted to be the best black dancer in the world. I just wanted to be the best.

I can't really hear the audience applause when I'm on stage. I'm totally immersed in the piece. But sometimes I get a lot of it and wonder, "Now, why did they applaud here?" If it's a white crowd, they usually applaud because they think it's a pretty movement. If it's a black crowd, it's usually because they identify with the message.

The word 'suffering' is not in my vocabulary.

Dancing is a gift. You are supposed to do it; it's like breathing.