Point shoes are torture devices.
Dancers use their bodies in extraordinary ways, so we are chronically pre-arthritic, because of how we use our muscles and our bones.
I went into dancing but damaged my knees so decided to become an actress instead.
I fell through a stage once. I was doing a truly African dance, and all of a sudden, I hit the ground with my foot and went straight through the stage. I guess they didn't have much money, so the floor was kind of rotting.
If you were ever a ballerina, you know the pain: just to be able to look like it's all so light, but when they take off their shoes, it's all bloody.
I danced for 10 years. I was on a competitive hip-hop team, but then I, like, grew seven inches in one year - not really, but I grew tall and really lanky, and I lost all my coordination.
With classical ballet you are literally injuring yourself.
I got kicked out of ballet class because I pulled a groin muscle. It wasn't mine.
If you start dancing too young, it can be torture. The bone is too soft, and it is going everywhere.
When I was starring as Roxie Hart in 'Chicago,' I got my stiletto heel caught in my fishnet tights and fell flat on my face. It was incredibly painful and not something you can cover up.
I'm a really bad twerker - I still haven't figured out how to do it. I actually hurt my back one day. I woke up the next morning, and my back was completely tweaked out... from twerking.
When you're a dancer who is injured, you are at the bottom of the food chain. We are so replaceable.
Shin splints are something I actually suffered with a lot in my younger years of dancing. I know the pain and it's not fun.
Every dancer has injuries, and your injury could happen that season that you were getting that one part that you've wanted to do your whole career. So you have to appreciate every single moment until it happens.
I danced so intensely, I learned the hard way that sometimes you can push your body too far.
I was a ballerina for a good 12 years. When I was 15 I had to stop. It wasn't a choice, it was an injury that prevented me from going forward in ballet unfortunately. Well, fortunately because I wouldn't be doing what I am doing now if that had not happened.
I believe it's extremely important to include some other type of fitness activity in your training, so cross training will help you to avoid injury when you are dancing.
I was born into a family of gospel singers. My early ambitions were many. I was going to be a ballerina. I almost had that one come true until I tore a tendon, so I transferred from my toes to my throat and that's where the talent settled.
I was a ballerina. I had to quit after I injured a groin muscle. It wasn't mine.
