No dancer can watch Fred Astaire and not know that we all should have been in another business.

The quote is a hyperbolic compliment: Astaire’s dancing is so consummate that it makes other dancers feel they chose the wrong profession. Baryshnikov’s phrasing underscores how greatness can be both inspiring and humbling—true mastery resets the scale by which skill is measured. It also gestures to Astaire’s cross-genre authority: although associated with Hollywood and tap-inflected ballroom styles rather than ballet, Astaire exemplifies fundamentals—control, rhythm, phrasing, and clarity—that any dancer recognizes. The line ultimately celebrates artistic excellence that transcends schools, techniques, and hierarchies.