I'm definitely happier dancing in Germany; in the U.S., there's a different level of competition. I find in general that I try to get my voice heard about protecting women. It comes from everything I've been through personally - I'm opinionated, and that doesn't make it that easy.

I've been with Semperoper Ballet in Dresden, Germany, for five years - I wanted to escape the competitive dance world and go somewhere where I felt appreciated for my talents. Stateside, it was always kind of a struggle. And the competition? Not into it.

I had some struggles to find my footing. I couldn't really find a place to appreciate me - I'm a little bit curvy for the dance world.

I was bullied a lot as a kid.

Great research universities must insist on independence from government and on the exercise of academic freedom.

To be stupid and selfish and to have good health are the three requirements for happiness. Though if stupidity is lacking, the others are useless.

The bottom line is, until we're helping people to stop smoking, screening for breast cancer, giving Pap smears, giving prenatal care to pregnant women, we should not go into publicly paying for the artificial heart, which will benefit at great cost only a few people.

While the protection of speech is at the bedrock of our democracy, it's critical as a nation that we exercise our right every day - and that includes embracing and engaging with those we may not agree with.