I danced in a company of 'West Side Story' when I was very young. It was most of the original cast - Larry Kert, Chita Rivera - and Jerry Robbins directed. It was tough, a wonderful initiation for me.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I danced growing up. I had two friends of mine that, actually, one of them wound up dancing with Alvin Ailey.
I loved dancing as a young girl.
'The Unsinkable Molly Brown' was my favorite for me to be in because it was all dancing. There were other musicals that I made with Donald O'Connor and Gene Kelly that were wonderful pictures, and we had a lot of fun making them.
In high school, my first thing ever was I played Tony in 'West Side Story' when I was about 17. I was a really shy kid, and I just, like, forced myself to learn how to sing this one month because I loved 'West Side Story' so much, and I somehow managed to get the role.
I loved dance.
I was a professional ballerina. After becoming an actress, I did a lot of theater, which included musical theater. The first musical play I did was Murray Schisgal's 'The Pushcart Peddlers.'
Of course I danced a lot when I was making 'Swingers.' The swing music scene was big in Hollywood, and I went to places like The Derby. And, after I wrote it and was trying to get it made, I would go every week so I'd be good at dancing.
When I was younger, acting, singing, and dancing was what it was all about.
I used to be a dancer, and for me it was a really good combination of dance and acting.
In the Thirties, when I was in New York, I did the first surrealistic ballet in a show of mine.