Debbie Allen

Born in Houston, Texas, Educated at Howard University, BFA (with Honors), Studied with Ballet Nacional and Ballet Folklorico (Mexico); Houston Ballet Foundation, Houston Texas; New York School of Ballet. Married to NBA Alum Norm Nixon; children: Vivian Nicole, Norm, Jr.

Allen began her career as a dancer with George Faison Universal Dance Experience; AMAS Repertory Theatre; taught dance, Duke Ellington School

of Performing Arts; Television Mainstay as an actor, producer, director coreographer of various television shows, miniseries, and specials. Director: Everybody Hates Chris: All of Us: Life Is Not A Fairy Tale: That's So Raven: The Jamie Foxx Show: A Different World: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: Family Ties: Fame (television): Polly: Polly: Comin' Home Producer: Amistad with Steven Spielberg. Honors:

Debbie Allen was appointed by President George W. Bush as a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities.Emmy Awards,Golden Globe Award for Choreography,Ford Foundation Grant;Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame Clarence Muse Youth Award,Drama Desk Award,Out Critics Circle Award

when Debbie Allen became the producer-director of the popular television series, A Different World (which dealt with the life of students at the fictional historically Black college, Hillman, and ran for six seasons on NBC), Allen, herself,a graduate of historically black Howard University--drew from her college experiences in an effort to accurately reflect in the show the social and political life on black campuses. Moreover, Allen instituted a yearly spring trip to Atlanta where series writers visited two of the nation's leading black colleges, Morehouse and Spelman. During these visits, ideas for several of the episodes emerged from meetings with students and faculty

"Presently, Allen is one of the few African American women working as a director and producer in television and film. Her success in TV and film production has not deterred her from her love of dance and she continues to dazzle television viewers with her choreography. In 1982, she choreographed the dance numbers for the Academy Awards and for the past consecutive five years, her unique style of choreography has been featured on the worldwide broadcast of the Award ceremony. For over twenty years, Allen's contributions to television, on the three major networks and in syndicated programming, have highlighted the maturity of a performer and artistic producer with an impressive spectrum of talents in the performing arts. "
-Marla Shelton

Allen currently teaches young dancers at her Debbie Allen Dance Academy. She also taught choreography to former L.A. Laker dancer-turned singer, Paula Abdul. Her daughter, Vivian Nixon, played Kalimba in the Broadway Production of Hot Feet. She is the sister of Phylicia Rashād.

http://www.debbieallendanceacademy.com/