“The greatest act of love was to make a tape for someone. It was the only way we could share music and it was also a way of advertising yourself.”

“This is the starting point of dance: something -- the music, the steps, your partner -- holds you but you also have to hold it and, to achieve the necessary tension, hold yourself against it.”

“There are times when we need the rocket fuel of singing and dancing to power us through an act of blind faith. Falling in love is one of those times, when we need to move into a phase of enchantment with enough force so that when things cool and the air clears, we are locked into that person, that love. We fall in love and we sing as we walk down the street; we turn up the music and dance.”

“I got to know [teen music] as we absorb music in passing but can remember only its seriousness and weight.”

“[My mother] believed we could each change the world, but what convinced me this was possible was music.”

“Song and dance are explosion and interruption, and sometimes the only way to keep up with what's happening.”

“If you don't hear this kind of music [pop] at the right time, can it ever make sense to you?”