Quotes from Sergei Polunin

Sometimes I don't eat all day, then have four meals between 8 P. M. and 4 A. M.

I think often people know about Rasputin in Russian history - but know only a little bit. He's an interesting man, who in general I think meant well.

For artists to feel a real emotion to your partner is very important.

I didn't choose ballet, it was my mum's choice.

You know when you believe in Christmas? I was like that with ballet. I thought I would reach a level where I'd have enough money to bring my family back together, and I would have freedom.

Some of my friends were going to dancing school and, when one of them was auditioning for a ballet school in Kiev, my mother saw an opportunity for me to do that, so we could move to a bigger, better city.

I go to bed really late - if I just sleep I won't have a life outside ballet.

When I left The Royal Ballet, I didn't have anybody to talk to.

The only family I knew was the Royal Ballet and I didn't feel I was part of it in a way. I moved up quite quickly so I didn't make many friends. You are on your own in that sort of place.

The most amazing feeling in the world is destroying. It takes so much strength and patience and time to build, and destruction is fast, fast, fast. Explosive.

The bad press started to play a big part in how people perceived me, and I started playing on that too, which was a big mistake.

Once I went back to my old city and saw my best friend from childhood walking around with a gang, looking cool. I think I missed out by never having that street life doing stupid things.

I want to create a platform where dancers can be creative away from their day jobs. I want them to be able to express their joy, their personalities and to have fun.

Ukraine told me I couldn't return. They put me on a list of terrorists and war criminals.

I wasted so many years just traveling and sitting in hotels, searching for things, not knowing.

I don't have time to party; I'm always on the plane.

I would have liked to behave badly, to play football. I loved sport. But all my family were working for me to succeed.

It's not about being modern or classical or about being sexy: it's all about exchanging energies with the audience.

It's almost died, classical dance.

It always felt as though there was a wall between me and contemporary dance. I didn't know how to get into it.

I danced in corps de ballet for 11 hours a day. That was the hardest work I have ever done in my life. I haven't seen anybody else work more.

For many years I saw the world as two sides: east and west, two powers. And I was trying to search what is white, what is black. Both sides wanted me.

What made my mind go free is that I wanted to become an artist. As soon as I said to myself, 'Oh I'm not a dancer; I'm not an actor,' it made me so free to do anything.

I didn't want people to think I'm a dancer. I'm much more. I'm a human being.