Why Misty Copeland Says This Dance Competition Helps Students 'Thrive': 'It's About the Journey' (Exclusive)

The professional ballerina works with nonprofit Youth America Grand Prix, a dance organization celebrating its 25th anniversary with an N.Y.C. gala on April 18

Misty Copeland’s support for young dancers is en pointe. 

The professional ballerina, 41, has been paving the way for the next generation of performers since she burst onto the scene in 2000, but thanks to the nonprofit Youth America Grand Prix, her work extends to even more of a “hands on” approach.

“The first person I met [in N.Y.C.] was YAGP’s first-ever winner, Leyla Fayyaz — who became my best friend. That’s how I learned about the competition. I remember it was such a big deal because it was this new competition for Americans, and it was really exciting for that generation of dancers to have a platform where they were able to be seen,” Copeland recalls of how she first teamed up with YAGP, founded in 1999 by Larissa Saveliev.

Related: Misty Copeland Opens Up About the Dance Teacher Who Changed Her Life: 'She Took a Huge Leap'

Copeland has worked with the organization — which hosts competitions and provides scholarships for dancers worldwide — as a judge, performer and mentor over the years, and she credits YAGP for really cementing ballet as an “American art form” and increasing its overall accessibility.

“Inclusivity and diversity was also so important. For years, YAGP has connected me with dancers of color, so I can be really hands-on and mentor them. It creates a pipeline for young students to come into professional dance companies,” says Copeland, who became the first Black female principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre in 2015.

Related: Young Ballerinas Celebrate Black History Month with Fierce, Misty Copeland-Inspired Photo Shoot

“There have been Black dancers as a part of this industry from the beginning who haven't always been allowed in, haven't always been given a chance to even stand and be a part of this platform," she adds. "So it means so much that [YAGP] has been doing this from the beginning.”

Saveliev, who, in addition to launching the program in 1999, also serves as its artistic director, is proud to speak to the organization’s early commitment to diversity.

“Right now, the world has really turned its attention to diversity. But that was always an important part of what we do: make sure our group of our dancers are very, very diverse and make sure our group of ballet educators are very diverse,” she says. “And that's why Misty was involved with us from literally the very beginning. She taught, she judged, she danced a zillion times.”

Adds Sergey Gordeev, YAGP's director of external affairs and institutional partnerships: "[Ballet] is for the audience, and it's important to show the audience people who look just like them. Humans sharing the human experience. This network exists for them."

In celebration of YAGP’s 25th anniversary, the organization is holding a gala (chaired by Marcella Hymowitz) on April 18 in New York City. The night, sponsored in part by bubbly rosé Aphrodise, will celebrate the story of YAGP with dinner and a performance featuring numerous alumni.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

So, while the sheer number of students YAGP is able to help train and shepherd into professional dance companies is more than admirable, for Copeland, the real reward is less about that final destination.

“It’s really about that journey and the character it builds,” Copeland says, “and creating an environment where these young people can be nurtured and thrive.”

For more information, go to yagp.org.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.