Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
Being famous as a kid is weird and unhealthy.
I'm a thinker and feeler and dreamer and explorer.
I've had a very long career of being conservative.
Honestly, what keeps me grounded is my faith and my value system.
Music is really powerful. It's a universal language that connects everyone.
My sound is sort of India Arie meets Colbie Caillat. It's got a sweet-funk to it.
The first boy that I had a crush on and dated was Cole Sprouse... from 'Suite Life.'
I like to take risks as long as they're healthy, you know. They're good, smart risks.
I started dancing when I was 3 in Toledo, Ohio, and started hip-hop dancing at the age of 7.
I can love people of every gender identity and expression. It is the soul that captivates me.
In my generation, we sort of let the art speak for itself. We don't disclose our personal private lives.
I think generationally, as human progress does its thing, we are constantly impressed by the upcoming generation.
For all the challenges I've faced in my path to self-acceptance, I've also traveled it with my own set of luck and privilege.
I want to learn how to play an instrument. I want to break a world record. I'm just a very determined, motivated type of person.
I started dancing at the age of three in my hometown of Toledo, Ohio, and it really was my sister's dream to pursue dance professionally.
I enjoy going to the Y. I take all the fitness classes that my dad takes; that's sort of our bonding - anything athletic, anything sports related.
Some people in the industry warned me that I'd ruin my career, miss out on possible jobs, and potentially put my life in danger if I ever came out.
That's something that I think the best artists retain - the ability to invite you into their small, intimate inner space, and let that be what radiates.
I think what's important, as an artist who wants to be multi-dimensional, is learning how to shape-shift into those different paths fluidly and frequently.
I like to aim for significance over success because rarely can you be significant and also successful, but many people can be successful and not significant.
I'm a hip-hop dancer, but when I'm in my room it turns into this lyrical nonsense, and I listen to Phil Wickham and India Arie, who has the most precious songs.
You have to decide if you want something stable and safe or if you want to take a risk and go outside the formula and try something new. That's everything that dance embodies.
Honestly, without art and dance, I think I would be a very safe, black-and-white thinker. I wouldn't dare to take any risks or see so much of the world in myself and other people!
I love what I do, and I just remember that every breath and every moment is a gift and it can be taken away at any time, so I want to appreciate it and be grateful for it while it's here.
I'm very sensitive to the incredibly diverse range of opinions within religious and secular communities, and honestly, I'd appreciate if we focused first on the experiences and dignity of the people.
I'm very serious about what I write and who I allow to produce the music, because I want to make sure it's a true album, and not just something pushed out there to create hype and more fame for myself.
My favorite video to film was 'Work It' because it began the incredible road ahead. Missy was protective and thoughtful of us kids, removing us from the mature scenes and using the clean version when we filmed.
My relationship with God is what gives me a moral compass on what decisions to make and that stuff. I'm thankful that I have the people around me that I do, and they remind me each day of who I am and what I stand for.
To this day, I remember vividly Missy Elliott, Ludacris, and my grandma riding in a golf cart to set. My grandma went back to Ohio and told her bowling friends, 'Guess what? I was riding to set with Missy and Ridiculous!'
I think my favorite role was playing Sarah Baker in 'Cheaper by the Dozen 1.' It was my first movie, and I worked with amazing professionals who had such strong work ethics that I immediately learned how to work in this industry.
You know, I look at Britney Spears who can't even drive without paparazzi in her face, and if I ever get to that level, which I don't expect, but if it does happen and success does happen to come my way, then I'm going to be prepared.
I personally find that each instalment has a different director, cast and crew, and I've also been in a different season in my life for each of them, so I feel like each movie is a unique experience that centres around my undying passion for music and dance.
I don't think a young person ever really quite knows what's going on when their norm becomes going to the grocery store with sunglasses on at 11 years old. It's kind of weird, and I'll say it also went to my head the first little season, because that became normal for me.
I may be on set acting, I may be in the studio recording, I might be teaching dance class all in the same day - so how can I manage all of those needs, prepare for all of those things, and still grow and train in all of them? The best you can do is, when you're focusing on one, be there and be present.
I think that the success of the franchise is helpful for launching different aspects of my career. It's sort of the reliable cousin that you can always count on for every family reunion. Because of 'Step Up' I've been able to really take my career to the next level. I have them to thank for a lot of my success.
I am a pet person. My dog actually lives in Georgia now. But I work with animal trainers and pets quite often. I also volunteer at different places like animal shelters. It's good to be around pets. They kind of put things into perspective. They're easygoing, loyal, and they seem to get it, even when humans don't.
Sometimes I get a little confused because with dancing I can express my emotions with my body. With acting you have to do it with your face and your expressions, and then with animated shows you have to use your voice and use your inflections. So it's definitely a challenge to transfer from each genre of entertainment.
Being a perfectionist, I didn't want to settle for just getting by, so I enrolled in a vocal training program. I then learned that songwriting and studying the voice actually pair with a lot of troubles that I had expressing myself, being vulnerable, trusting other people, trusting myself, calming anxiety. It became a life instructor of sorts and that is what kept me engaged with it.
Also, with acting and dancing I portray a predetermined character and story for the most part, with music I have the creative freedom to create a song on a whim with whomever I choose and at whatever time I choose to do it. It's more liberating artistically and that's why I've stuck with it. It's a good balance to be able to portray a character and also be myself in avenues that I'm passionate about.
What's great is we actually have friends who belong or have previously belonged to the Amish community, so we got first hand stories and I was able to talk with them about visitors and visiting the Amish country. It was very enlightening to think this is very much going on as we speak. What was really interesting was that the upcoming Amish generation is actually closer to average American teenager in their use of the English language because of the use of technology.
The good thing is in my case I'm all about love and communications, so there was no hard feelings, it was like ok we reached the end of this season and I wish you well and it's time to move on. As a pop song it's definitely open to many different interpretations, I received a call from a cousin saying that it helped her heal after an abusive relationship and another friend said it represented her of a summer fling. We tried to write carefully so that it can be relatable to cover a wide audience.
For me it's a new experience every single time, because - The dance community has a great strength in synergizing immediately. So we recognize that opposed to being competition, which we are in the audition process, once we're on the job is about cohesion, it's about striving to highlight each individual in their own element, while also creating something that is visually tantalizing to the audience. While the ingredients of each movie has been different, the recipe for success is the same, which is to click immediately and make the best possible movie.