Chita Rivera Quotes

You take a plug and put it in a socket, and that's what the theatre is-it lights up right away. You speak, and they respond immediately.

Theatre is immediate gratification

I am young in my energy because I really still believe that we can share who we are, and we can wipe off on each other. I see this huge tapestry when we're born, and this red blob that's your soul or your heart.

Mother loved dance so much that she thought (ballerina) Margot Fonteyn should be the president.

The spirit of dance is an amazing thing. When the body and the spirit meet, it's a good thing.

It's communication - that's what theatre is all about.

I'm bugged because I can't believe I can't speak every language there is. But I feel I can when I sit and am with somebody, and I can dance for them. Because dance is dialogue without language.

Many of the shows I danced in don't exist on film, but they do exist in the memories of those who were in the theater for that single moment in time. And nothing can replace that.

My neighborhood was a great neighborhood; it was filled with all sorts of ethnic groups and things. So I grew up thinking I was a human being.

For some of us, the Gypsy years can go on forever ... That isn't such a bad thing. When all is said and done, they're a lot of fun. The truth is, I liked being a Gypsy. It's who I was. And it's still a lot of who I am. Gypsy, it's a good word.

Looking back doesn't have to be painful.

I love life. I love the live theater.

I'm not comfortable with just me, me, me. That's boring.

American audiences are affected by what the English people think.

I do believe that separation can be a bit damaging at times. To be happy about yourself and your culture and all of that is necessary and fulfilling, but the whole tapestry is what's important.

You know I've got a generator that's still popping.

I can tell you where my Tonys are. They're in a beautiful place in my living room, in a glass cabinet.

You can feel whether an audience is tightened up and pulled back. Of course the opposite is an audience like we've been having in LA, which is fabulous.

We were taking collections for people with AIDS in New York around Easter.

I have to make this love affair believable enough. It's very European.

My hairdresser and I found ourselves shopping at Bloomingdale's with nothing to do for days.

I was busy welcoming a new experience. I had never done a movie before.

San Francisco has just blown us all away. I also understand Angels in America didn't do well there.

It's important that the kids stay busy. It's important that they have something to focus on, and something that they feel good about.

I love to laugh, I love the joy of life, and I love sharing it.

I love the theater because the theater is alive. The audience is right there.

I never like the way I look. I don't. I never look at myself.

I really never felt any tremendous aggravation or separation.

Somebody told me once I wasn't Latin enough, and that made me laugh

I've played American, Italian, Greek, French. I've been really lucky that way.

After about 15 minutes, you feel that you're winning them over.

I have always loved a challenge.

Beauty is not everything!

A lot of Americans like happy endings, but life does not necessarily have a happy ending.

I have a blessed life. I really do. I have a great family, a great daughter, I love life, I love living, I love people. I love all the blessings that God's given me.

I never feel as though I'm ever, ever alone.

I have been very lucky, I have only had one bad experience.