It's a hard life... but if I could, I would do it all again.

To look back all the time is boring. Excitement lies in tomorrow.

All ballet, all reading, all music. That was my world, my inner world.

All of the very important events in my life happen by chance.

Even the ears must dance.

I don't keep my secrets or my knowledge to myself.

I really feel sorry for new generation. It's hard to find backbone. I never had crisis of identity. But I think many Americans have it.

I recently learn a new word: insatiable. That's me.

I think often that God is guiding me.

I travel like a gypsy, and I didn't know how I could perform and be a mother.

It's not possible to be perfect - you can always do something better. I'm never proud of what I've done. Sometimes, I'm not ashamed.

Many people thought I would never succeed, because I am so Russian. So Russian, hundred percent.

People tell me I'm dancing better than ever. I don't know what happened, but I have new enthusiasm and more endurance.

You cannot dance an arabesque in 'Swan Lake' and 'Nutcracker' the same way.

Dancers, many dancers today can do so much technically. You can give them steps that are complicated, then more complicated, pyrotechnical - and they can execute these steps to perfection. But to do simple steps with a pure classical line, that is truly difficult.

Technical things are getting more mechanical. Take 'Swan Lake,' the Black Swan pas de deux. Now, my goodness, they're turning not just 32 fouettes - but double or triple pirouettes.