Scene & Heard: Best quotes of 2011

+ When to ditch your pointe shoes for cleats
“No, no, no. I would no more do a ballet class than fly. I was at that level once. Now it’s like, ‘Let me take Pilates or kick a soccer ball.’” — Jean Weidner, retired prima ballerina and founder of Sarasota Ballet, on whether she’s still got the urge to dance

+ Playing with fire is a rite of passage
“Maestro DeRenzi is showing me a real trust of power this year. He’s letting me carry an actual lit torch.” — Alex Koutelias, 13-year-old supernumerary at Sarasota Opera, on his role in last season’s “I Lombardi”

+ Clown antics can’t break bad habits
“I can get anyone to smile — unless they’re on their cell phone or picking their nose.” — Lynda Lilley, Sarasota’s 54-year-old “granny clown”

+ Take Tums before watching yourself on TV
“I got so sick to my stomach watching it. It was like I was experiencing it all over again. I ordered in pizza and I couldn’t eat any of it.” — Harpist Cheryl Losey on battling butterflies while watching herself in the PBS documentary “Harp Dreams”

+ How to keep your Grammy in perspective
“I think it would be a bad idea psychologically to think of it as the peak of my life. I would hope there are a lot of other things to look forward to, but it’s nice when I’m practicing to have it in the corner of my eye, reminding me of past happiness.” — East County violinist James Ehnes on how he regards his Grammy Award

+ Star etiquette 101: Don’t knock your roots
“I sang a lot of country music in cowboy boots and straw hats. We’ve had some silly experiences on the road that teach you stuff. It humbles you in a way.” — Teen vocalist Maria Wirries, who will perform this summer with Gloria Musicae

+ How a former circus aerialist stays grounded
“We used to do gestures together. Now we’re both too arthritic for that.” — Circus performer-turned-portrait model Seva Anthony on her 13-year-old Bichon Frise

+ There’s no business like show business
“I’m happy with what I’m doing now. I took a two-year break once and worked for a dermatologist. It wasn’t the right field for me. I thought it would be all creams and Botox and instead it was all skin cancer. There’s not much fun in that.” — J. Paul Wargo, box office manager at the Golden Apple Dinner Theatre

+ Sometimes big roles come in small packages
“Look, this isn’t a part for Denzel. The fact that it’s written for a short black man means it’s the part for me. I’m the only one in the program. If you’re going to be typecast as an actor, it’s OK if it’s for a part like this.” — The 5-foot-6 actor Will Little, graduate of the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training, on playing an African-American dwarf in last season’s “Las Meninas”