I wanted to invent some kind of American dance that was danced to the music that I grew up on: Cole Porter and Rodgers and Hart and Irving Berlin. So I evolved a style that certainly didn't catch on right away - but I had some good mentors in New York who encouraged me.
![I wanted to invent some kind of American dance that was danced to the music that I grew up on: Cole Porter and Rodgers and Hart and Irving Berlin. So I evolved a style that certainly didn't catch on right away - but I](http://cdn.myquotes.org/images/gene-kelly/i-wanted-to-invent-some-kind-of-american-dance-that-was-danced-to-the-music-that-i-grew-up-on.jpg)