# Debbie Allen Dance Academy

> Debbie Allen Dance Academy is a Los Angeles nonprofit that combines serious, multi-style dance and theater training with unusually broad access. Founded by Debbie Allen and Norm Nixon in 2000, it serves children, teens, adults, aspiring professionals, public-school students, seniors and people affected by cancer through tuition-based classes, donor-supported scholarships and free outreach. Its home, the Rhimes Performing Arts Center, turns that mix into a physical proposition: five studios, a 200-seat performance space and a middle school under one roof.

- **Founded:** 2000
- **Headquarters:** Los Angeles, United States
- **Founders:** Debbie Allen (Co-founder and Artistic Director), Norm Nixon (Co-founder and CFO)
- **Team size:** Approximately 43 employees (Apollo estimate)
- **Products:** Academy, Early Bird, Conservatory, RISE, Open Classes
- **Notable:** Opened the Rhimes Performing Arts Center in 2022 after a renovation costing more than $10 million., Built a 24,000-25,000-square-foot home with five studios, a 200-seat performance venue, classrooms, offices and an art gallery., Reports that more than 70% of Academy students receive some form of financial support.

## Products & services

- **Academy** — Audition-based, intermediate-to-advanced training for ages 9-19 across ballet, contemporary, Dunham, flamenco, hip-hop, jazz, African, Latin fusion, modern and tap.
- **Early Bird** — Developmentally appropriate dance, music, teamwork and play for children ages 3-8, with no prior dance experience required.
- **Conservatory** — A selective program for ages 12-18 with 10-12 classes per week, centered on classical ballet and modern dance and currently listed at $600 per month.
- **RISE** — Musical-theater training in acting, dance, voice, audition technique and performance for ages 5-19, ending in industry showcases.
- **Open Classes** — Beginner-to-advanced classes for ages 9 through adult in ballet, hip-hop, tap, aerial arts and other styles; a single standard class is currently $22.
- **Intensives and festivals** — Auditioned summer training plus focused ballet, tap and hip-hop events, including DADA On Pointe, Hollywood Tap Festival and BLAZE.
- **Debbie Allen Middle School** — An independent, tuition-based private school for grades 6-8 combining a standards-based academic program with daily dance and theater-arts training.
- **Community outreach** — Free school lecture-demonstrations, subsidized performances, Dance Free Day, senior movement through Colibrí Arts, and J.O.Y. classes for cancer patients and survivors.

## Achievements

- Opened the Rhimes Performing Arts Center in 2022 after a renovation costing more than $10 million.
- Built a 24,000-25,000-square-foot home with five studios, a 200-seat performance venue, classrooms, offices and an art gallery.
- Reports that more than 70% of Academy students receive some form of financial support.
- Created the Debbie Allen Middle School in 2021 for grades 6-8.
- The 2020 Netflix documentary Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker followed Allen and roughly 200 young performers preparing the academy's signature production.
- Expanded its annual calendar in 2026 with the inaugural BLAZE hip-hop intensive and a third community block party.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — Open classes list a fall 2026 schedule, with standard single classes at $22 and multi-class packs available.
- **2026-07** — The academy held the inaugural BLAZE hip-hop intensive, dedicated to choreographer Dave Scott.
- **2026-06** — DADA hosted its third annual community block party with the City of Los Angeles and Councilwoman Heather Hutt.
- **2026-06** — The four-week Los Angeles summer intensive ran at the Rhimes Performing Arts Center with tuition listed at $2,300.
- **2025-04** — Executive director Vivian Nixon Williams joined Debbie Allen and Norm Nixon at an Amazon employee event about creativity, leadership and community; she also described fundraising for people affected by Southern California wildfires.

## Links

- Website: https://www.debbieallendanceacademy.com/
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/debbie-allen-dance-academy
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/officialdadance
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbVQRqblPBQ8rnvO77POeNg
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialdadance/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialDADance/

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Last updated: 2026-09-15