Debbie Allen

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Debbie Allen

Born Deborrah Kaye Allen
1950-01-16
Houston, Texas
Occupation Actor, choreographer, film director, television producer
Boards on President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities
Spouse Norm Nixon
Children Vivian Nixon


Debbie Allen (born Deborrah Kaye Allen on January 16, 1950 in Houston, Texas) is an American actor, choreographer, film director, television producer and a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. She is best known for her role as Lydia Grant in the hit television series, Fame.

She 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.


Contents

[edit] Fame

Allen was first introduced as Lydia Grant in the 1980 movie Fame. Although her role in the film was relatively small, Lydia would become a central figure in the highly popular 1982 - 1987 series which was adapted for television, Fame. During the opening montage of each episode, Ms. Grant told her students: "You've got big dreams? You want fame? Well, fame costs. And right here is where you start paying ... in sweat." Allen was also lead choreographer for the film and television series, winning two Emmy Awards and one Golden Globe Award. She then spun-off the Fame franchise into a reality show in 2003 but it met with only limited success.

[edit] A Different World

In an article from the play boyCommunications, the Hollywood Reporter is quoted as stating that 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" [1].

[edit] Select works

[edit] Actor

[edit] Guest appearances

[edit] Choreographer

  • The Academy Awards Show for five consecutive years
  • Carrie, the notorious Broadway flop (which ran for only 5 performances)

[edit] Director

[edit] Producer

[edit] Honors

, Debbie Allen was appointed by President George W. Bush as a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities.

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../d/e/b/Debbie_Allen_bd99.html"
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