Celebrating as Debbie Allen turns 75 and the Debbie Allen Dance Academy (DADA) celebrates its 25th anniversary.
FILM
Title: 100 Years of Debbie Allen
Genre: Documentary / Biography
Length: 38min
Synopsis:
100 Years of Debbie Allen is a powerful, intimate, and celebratory portrait of an icon whose artistry, activism, and impact have spanned generations. As Debbie Allen turns 75 and the Debbie Allen Dance Academy (DADA) celebrates its 25th anniversary, this feature documentary weaves together the personal and professional milestones that make up a century of cultural legacy.
From her formative years in Houston, Texas, to groundbreaking performances on stage and screen, Allen’s story is one of defiance, creativity, and unshakable vision. Through archival footage, dance performances, and an in-depth candid conversation with Allen herself speaking on those she’s mentored and inspired by, the film captures her journey from young dreamer to trailblazer—choreographing the future for Black and brown artists around the world.
At the heart of it all is Debbie Allen Dance Academy aka DADA: Allen's sanctuary and springboard for excellence, equity, and expression. As DADA turns 25, 100 Years of Debbie Allen reflects on the ripple effects of a woman who believed in legacy, lifted others as she rose, and proved—time and again—that art can change everything.
This is not just her story. It’s a celebration of every life she’s touched.
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SCREENINGS & Q/A
10/7 @ 7:00PM
University of Southern California
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CREDITS: A Film By Debbie Allen Dance Academy In Association with
Red Bird Productions.
Title: 100 Years of Debbie Allen.
Directed By: John Simmons A.S.C. Edited By: Oliver Bokelberg.
Executive Producers: Debbie Allen, Norman Nixon, Vivian Nixon Williams.
Producers: Haley Fonfa, Oliver Bokelberg. Associate Producer: Jill Bokelberg. Director of Photography: John Simmons A.S.C.
Gaffer/Key: Grip: Edgar Arellano. Electric/Grip: Melaka Williams.
Camera Tech/DIT: Ken Sexton. Sound by: Jose Smith.
Featuring: Debbie Allen, Shonda Rhimes, Vivian Nixon Williams, Misty Copeland, DADA RISE Students, DADA Alumni- Kylie Jefferson…and many more.
With Archival Footage From: Private Collections & Family Archives,
Fame (1982–1987), So You Think You Can Dance, Carol Burnett Show,
3 Girls 3, West Side Story, 57th Academy Awards (1985), Amistad.
Special Thanks: Berry Gordy,Wallis Annenberg, Shonda Rhimes, DADA Community, Debbie Allen Dance Academy Staff, All Those Who Keep the Legacy Alive.
Filmed on Location: Rhimes Performing Arts Center, Home of the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, Los Angeles, CA.
Copyright © 2025 Debbie Allen Dance Academy All Rights Reserved