What is YAGP's fundamental principle?

Our principle is straightforward:

A competition result lasts for a moment.
A young dancer’s health can affect an entire lifetime.

For this reason, the health and wellbeing of the dancer must always take priority over a medal, placement, invitation or any other competitive outcome.

Health first. Performance second. Always.

Our Commitment

YAGP is committed to continually improving how young dancers are supported, informed and protected.

That includes creating greater transparency around:

the information we collect;

why we collect it;

who can access it;

how judging is conducted;

how conflicts of interest are addressed;

how concerns can be reported; and

how the wellbeing of young dancers is protected.

Transparency is not about pretending that every system is perfect.

It is about being willing to explain the system, examine it critically and improve it when better practices become available.

For YAGP, the ultimate measure of success is not simply how well a dancer performs on stage.

It is whether young dancers can pursue excellence while remaining healthy, strong, respected and able to build a sustainable future in dance.

Last updated September 22, 2026