Alonzo King

Alonzo King (1952), is an American choreographer.

Quotes

It doesn't work, when you're thinking. It doesn't work… It doesn't work, do you understand that? Because we see, the viewer sees: you're thinking. And so we're worried, we're preoccupied, right. Is she OK?

So, you have to be a leader. So you may think: what we're looking at? What do you think we're looking at? We are looking for the best qualities in humanity: we're looking for courage, fearlessness… That's what we are looking for: we are looking for qualities in humanity! Kindness, compassion… Do you understand me? And so when you think: "I'm a dancer!" No, you want to be a poet, so that you're taking people into ideas, not steps. Does that make sense?

And guess what: you don't need much technique to do that… You don't! You just have to live the idea. But some of you're afraid, you get it? And so you think and you pose. And honey there is nothing more boring. That's a whole other world, that's the world of phoniness, glamour magazines that devised us, right? And so in dance we want to see the truth, let's ride of that.

And so what you admire in human beings… Are they things you admire in human beings? Yes or no? And they're things that you don't like, right? And we also have those things inside of us, right? And so we wanna see, we wanna see what you're saying, what you're living, what you're experiencing, not pictures… What that's gonna do for me?

Because you're supposed to serve the art, right? So if I was your mother and your father, I would say: "This is my daughter, she is so cute…", right? But you're a human being in a brutal world who's looking to get… Ah beauty, I feel better. I want to be as beautiful, I want to be as honest, I want to be as fearless, I want to be as kind, do you understand me? That's what we're looking for… Because of the way that you dance, the way that you handle, because it's so honest.

You don't see much honesty… You don't! You don't see much honesty, do you? What's another very rare word: humility. You don't see it much. It's beautiful. You can have that in your dancing. It's like: "I'm not dancing, something's dancing me." So it's not: "Sir, I'm doing this!" No, I'm receiving something. It's beautiful. Sincerity. Do you get me? And so those are the things you have to live in. You don't need much technique to do that. But that's the important stuff. Does that make sense?

So when you have to ask yourself: "Why am I holding back, why am I doing pictures?" And it's usually: that's because you're afraid. Bottom line. And for great art you have to be brave. So that the whole world is going to laugh at you but you don't care, do you get me? And when they say: "Ah that's stupid!" You don't care. You follow that song. I'm sorry, it's true.

Women, you don't want to try to be pretty, it's a lie. You want to be beautiful, to tell the truth. Pretty is a manipulation. You want to be beautiful. To tell the truth. Truth is beauty.

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Alonzo King