At a Glance
About this studio
Debbie Allen Dance Academy is a nonprofit dance institution in Los Angeles, offering training in ballet, contemporary, hip hop, jazz, modern, musical theatre, pointe, tap, aerial arts, flamenco, and Latin dance for students of every age and level. DADA is committed to making high-quality dance education accessible, offering real financial assistance and community outreach programs alongside its core curriculum.
The academy hosts an annual Nutcracker production and offers studio rental space to the community, reflecting a broader mission of using dance to build discipline, confidence, and artistic excellence in the next generation of dancers.
Dance styles offered
Special programs
Our Faculty
Debbie Allen Dance Academy was co-founded in 2000 by Debbie Allen and Norm Nixon, created to give young dancers of color the training and opportunities Allen herself was denied as a child. DADA's pre-professional company, DADA Ensemble, has performed at the Academy Awards Governor's Ball, the Grammy Awards, and the Hollywood Bowl with Herbie Hancock, with guest performers including Misty Copeland and Desmond Richardson. The academy's Red Bird Program offers a signature scholarship track for young male dancers.
Notable Alumni
DADA alumni, known as the "DADA Diaspora," include actors and dancers Corbin Bleu, Taylour Paige, and Peyton Elizabeth Lee. Alumna Kylie Jefferson trained at DADA from age six, graduated from Boston Conservatory, danced with Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and starred in Netflix's "Tiny Pretty Things." Vivian Nixon, Debbie Allen's own daughter, trained at DADA before earning a degree at Fordham, dancing with Ailey II, performing on Broadway in "Hot Feet," and now serving as DADA's Associate Artistic Director.
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