Debbie Allen – the multi-award-winning and multi-hyphenate actress, dancer, choreographer, director, singer, producer, and artistic director and founder of the Debbie Allen Dance Academy – recently announced a new scholarship in honor of pop music legend Michael Jackson.
It is a three-year scholarship for attendance at the Debbie Allen Middle School (DAMS), which is located at the [Shonda] Rhimes Performing Arts Center, 1850 S. Manhattan Pl., in Los Angeles.
DAMS is a private arts education school for sixth to eighth graders. The program is a combination of dance training along with a science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics curriculum — simply coined as STEAM.
Named in honor of Allen’s good friend, the late Michael Jackson, the scholarship will support a young man who is entering into the sixth grade and who has an aptitude for acting, singing, and dancing.
“It has been such a wonderful and beautiful time at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy,” said Allen. “I just graduated my first eighth-grade class, and that’s three years in the making.”
Allen had a thriving career on Broadway as an actor, singer, and dancer before becoming a celebrated television and film actor and entertainment industry professional.
She is best known for her work on motion pictures such as “Fame” and “Amistad” and her TV credits for the small screen adaptation of “Fame,” “The Cosby Show” spinoff “A Different World, “In The House,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and so much more.
“I don’t get any breaks,” exclaimed Allen. “As soon as I finish directing ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ then I’m at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy. Then if I’m not doing that, then I’m off doing something for the Kennedy Center.”
Allen is a 2020 Kennedy Center Honoree, and she has produced several productions for the Center. She was also a member of the Artists Committee for Kennedy Center Honors.
“If I’m not doing that, then I’m in Atlanta working with the great Tyler Perry or this movie I just finished doing, “Fight Night,” where I played Terrence Howard’s gangster mama. I really enjoyed that – that was fun,” continued Allen. “I’m always busy.”
Allen said she enjoys everything that she does, especially working with young people. One of the big goals for the Debbie Allen Dance Academy is to use the arts to inspire interests in education among young people.
“We have this announcement of the Michael Jackson Scholarship… this is a scholarship valued at over a $100,000… and it is supported by Michael’s friends, family, and in his name,” said Allen.
She continued, “He was someone I was very close to – we spent a lot of time together, and it was always about dance.”
Allen said everyone is welcome and auditionees do not have to be expert performers. “You just need to come in and show me your skill,” said Allen. “Students move here to go to the Debbie Allen Middle School. It is a really state-of-the art school, which is very small.”
“Each class is not more than fifteen kids, and so they’re getting really good attention and great education and inspiration. So, we hope people will come out [to the Michael Jackson Scholarship audition]. We’re really excited about this new opportunity for our students – for young people,” concluded Allen.
Auditions for the Debbie Allen Middle School Michael Jackson Scholarship will be held on June 29. For more information, visit https://shorturl.at/RDvtX, and to learn more on the Debbie Allen Middle School, visit www.debbieallendanceacademy.com/middleschool.
