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Misty Copeland is one of, if not the, most famous black ballerina in the world. She’s served as an inspiration to little black and brown girls all over the country. She’s an amazing dancer and if anyone ever has the chance to see her, they should do just that. Her dancing is breathtaking and a sight to behold. While it’s just as likely that she’d have always been this good, there’s a chance people might not have ever been able to see what she could had it not been for Prince.

Misty spoke openly to PEOPLE about Prince’s influence and how much of an effect he’s had on her career.

“I wouldn’t be in this place in my career had I not met him,” Copeland tells PEOPLE at the launch of the new Misty Copeland Barbie. “[Had I not] been influenced by him and experienced being on stage with him.”

She credits Prince for instilling transferable skills she learned while performing on stage with him. She said that Prince pushed her in ways she “hadn’t been before” and that performing with him “allowed me to be on stage and explore. I feel like that’s when I really started to blossom as an artist.”

She also mentions that Prince donated to the American Ballet Theater and was “a huge part of the ballet community.”

SOURCE: PEOPLE | PHOTO: Getty