1 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:04,960 Speaker 1: Every day a waygo click your ass up the Breakfast Club, 2 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:07,360 Speaker 1: finish with y'all done morning. 3 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:11,479 Speaker 2: Everybody's DJ Envy Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne the guy. We are 4 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:14,360 Speaker 2: the Breakfast Club. Lonla Roses here as well. And we 5 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:18,160 Speaker 2: got a special guest in the building, a legendary guest, 6 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 2: the legend. Some guests are special, some a legendary and iconic. 7 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:25,280 Speaker 2: That's right, and we have the iconic, the legendary, Miss 8 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 2: Debbie Allen. 9 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 3: Welcome morning, thank. 10 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 4: You, good morning. 11 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:29,480 Speaker 3: How are you feeling. 12 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 4: I feel really good. I'm on New York Time, I'm 13 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 4: on New York Air. I'm feeling good to be in 14 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:38,840 Speaker 4: New York. I like I missed the city. Every time 15 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 4: I come. There's so much happening. Saturday morning, I woke 16 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:45,040 Speaker 4: up and there was this big protest outside the whole. 17 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 4: I heard all this noise and I looked down and 18 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:50,839 Speaker 4: there was like half a million people in Times Square. 19 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 4: And then I went to new restaurants and saw new shows, 20 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 4: saw two new shows. 21 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 3: I love New York absolutely. 22 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 1: Yeah. Condolences too on the loss. 23 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:07,960 Speaker 4: Of your mother, as I appreciate that. 24 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 1: Absolutely, and I was I was thinking about you when 25 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 1: you was coming in. Man, because you know, you've built 26 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:16,480 Speaker 1: such a legacy, you know, Broadway, television and film. When 27 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 1: you think about the word legacy, now, does it mean 28 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: what you've done. 29 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:22,440 Speaker 3: Or who you've helped? Do it? After you? 30 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 4: Oh, well, you know what, I would have to say, 31 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 4: who I'm helping, because that's real legacy. You know, I 32 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:35,400 Speaker 4: have so many hundreds of kids that I'm educating at 33 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 4: the dance school and across around the world with the 34 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:44,680 Speaker 4: you know, the internet has allowed us to be international 35 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 4: bink of you know, we can have these ig classes. Yeah, 36 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 4: Legacy I think has to do with the future and 37 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 4: what see if you're planning, what path you have lit 38 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:56,559 Speaker 4: that helps people find their way. 39 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 2: When you started dancing into drama, did you know that 40 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:03,280 Speaker 2: that was going to be your career? Did you know 41 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 2: that was that? Because even to this day, you know, 42 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 2: I have kids, I was telling you that dance, and 43 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 2: I always think to myself, well, what does dance take 44 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:11,639 Speaker 2: them to? But then when I look at your career, 45 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 2: I'm like, there's no, there's so many possibilities. Did you 46 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 2: ever think that that was going to be a career. 47 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 4: I was determined at four years old that that was 48 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:24,360 Speaker 4: going to be my career. Because we were watching television 49 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 4: and we would watch musicals would come on every Saturday morning, 50 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 4: and I so wanted to replace that Shirley Temple, honey. 51 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 4: I wanted that to be me going up and down 52 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 4: those steps with Bill Robinson and all those glorious musical films. 53 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:42,800 Speaker 4: I saw myself in that world. And then it was 54 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 4: a challenge to get the training in the segregated South 55 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 4: where I grew up. But Mom was always very resourceful 56 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 4: and she found ways. And yeah, I think children can 57 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:58,359 Speaker 4: see themselves, and this is why you have to make 58 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 4: it possible for them by letting them see other things. 59 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 4: I remember when Mom wouldn't let me go to the 60 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 4: circus because she wanted me to go and see this 61 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 4: East Indian dance company, and I was kicking and screaming, 62 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 4: I want to see those clowns and those lions. But 63 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 4: when I saw that dance company, I saw a whole 64 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 4: nother language of dance that I didn't know had not seen. 65 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:24,799 Speaker 4: I was probably eight years old. But this is why 66 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:27,280 Speaker 4: we have to expose our children to more, which is 67 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:30,680 Speaker 4: why right now we need more and more and more education, 68 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 4: more cultural problem programs for children, art programs, and just 69 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 4: take them on those field trips to take them to 70 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 4: see art exhibits, take them to see dance concerts or 71 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 4: music concerts or you know, little plays at the why 72 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 4: anything that is outside of the box of the video 73 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 4: game shots of it all and television. Mom used to 74 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 4: make us think that the television was broke, so we 75 00:03:58,880 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 4: would take our butts out. 76 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 2: That's what makes it so important to debiela Dance Academy. 77 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 4: Right, congratulations, it is quite a landmark. 78 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 2: Let's let's talk about what that means, because, as I 79 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 2: was saying, when I'm out there on the road with 80 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 2: my daughters, a lot of times we don't see too 81 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:18,719 Speaker 2: many people that look like us. Yeah, and a lot 82 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:21,360 Speaker 2: of that is not because we can't dance. It's because 83 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 2: we can't afford it. The traveling, the costumes, the privates, 84 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 2: it's it's a lot. And I didn't realize until I 85 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 2: jumped in and my wife bead like, we need another check. 86 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:33,120 Speaker 2: I'm like, another check, but it's so expensive. So talk 87 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 2: about the importance of opening that school. 88 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 4: Will The Debbiellan Dance Academy is in cultural Oases that 89 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:42,599 Speaker 4: now has a middle school, has programs for boys, elders, 90 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 4: cancer patients, but for young people. It is designed to 91 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 4: be an open door for whoever it is that has 92 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 4: the spirit of the dance and come through that door 93 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:56,479 Speaker 4: and find the class and I will get a program 94 00:04:56,560 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 4: for you. I basically said no to competent I've been 95 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 4: asked year after year after year, and I don't do 96 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:08,159 Speaker 4: them because I want children to compete with themselves. I 97 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 4: want them to be in the classroom. I want them 98 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 4: to be in the dance studio and see where am I? 99 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 4: Did I do that turn? Can I balance? Can I 100 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:19,479 Speaker 4: do the passe? Can I you know, what is it 101 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 4: that I'm learning? Can I do that tap? Break? And 102 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:28,279 Speaker 4: I think it's great, Like you say, the competition world 103 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 4: is a great experience. It teaches children performance and a 104 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 4: lot of things and does cost a lot of money, 105 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:37,919 Speaker 4: and so it would be not possible for so many 106 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 4: of us. It's just not possible. So where I'm living, 107 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:45,560 Speaker 4: I am raising money every minute of my waking life 108 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:49,040 Speaker 4: to give more opportunity to the kids. I mean, right 109 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:52,480 Speaker 4: now is very difficult with all the foolishness is going 110 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:55,839 Speaker 4: on in Washington, the foolishness is going on with the 111 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 4: nonprofit world. I mean, you can't even write a grant 112 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:04,280 Speaker 4: now and say you're you know, focused on brown and 113 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 4: black children. You can't even say that. You can't say 114 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:10,440 Speaker 4: you're dealing with disabled you can't. I mean, there's so 115 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 4: many this is ridiculous. So it means that we're going 116 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:16,839 Speaker 4: to just become more grassroots the way we were in 117 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:20,000 Speaker 4: the fifties hunting, because that's what it was. It was 118 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 4: you have to get your community together, and there's a 119 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:27,640 Speaker 4: big community of diverse people who want to see the 120 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 4: arts prevail and programs prevail because that's the future. What 121 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:36,720 Speaker 4: The creativity that it takes to create a vallet like 122 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 4: revelations is the same creativity that will cure cancer. It's 123 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:46,840 Speaker 4: the same part of your brain that we are developing. Creativity. 124 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 4: You have to think outside the box to figure these 125 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:53,360 Speaker 4: things out and to come to some you know, understanding 126 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 4: or level of accomplishments. And to me, creativity is the 127 00:06:56,760 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 4: closest you can be to God is to be creative. 128 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 4: So the Debbie all and Dans Academy is a real 129 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 4: purpose in my life and my husband, Norman Nixon's life, 130 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 4: my daughter's life, my son, the whole community. We have 131 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 4: a community of parents and people who love us in 132 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 4: the nationwide because we have to, you know, throw that 133 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 4: tin cup out there everywhere. I mean, if I could 134 00:07:21,640 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 4: say a million people just send me two dollars, it 135 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 4: would help us get through a whole year of programming 136 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 4: an opportunity. We have a program called we have a 137 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 4: program called Sons of Data, and that's for the boys. 138 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 4: I have more boys in my school than any school 139 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 4: I bet in America. I don't make them with the tights. 140 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 4: They can come to ballet class in their shorts or 141 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 4: the sweatpants, but they are there. I mean, I got 142 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 4: thirty boys, and there's a program Sons of Data that 143 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 4: offers a scholarship for them. If all they have to 144 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 4: do is say I want raise the hand, I want 145 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:05,520 Speaker 4: to come wow, and then they're there. David Coburn has 146 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 4: been very supportive of this program, but it needs to expand. 147 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 4: I just I just don't have enough hours in the 148 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 4: day to do all that I know I could do, 149 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 4: and I just have to keep working. And I have 150 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 4: a great team that is helping me. 151 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 2: Now while we're here. Just tell them how they can donate, 152 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 2: because people listening right now, and you talk about the school. 153 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 2: If somebody wants to donate that two dollars, Like you said, 154 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:29,560 Speaker 2: a million people, how can they donate? 155 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:32,720 Speaker 4: If you go on the Debbie Allen Dance Academy dot com, 156 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 4: you'll see there's a program called Rhythm of Giving. Or 157 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 4: you can just see how to get in touch with 158 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 4: Deanan Bartello, or just how to drop through you know, 159 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 4: PayPal or what gotcha you might want to do. 160 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 1: You know, it's interesting because you've been directing and choreographing 161 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 1: for decades. How do you keep your art evolving when 162 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 1: the culture itself always keeps shifting so fast. 163 00:08:56,640 --> 00:08:59,439 Speaker 4: Well, that's what's exciting, because I'm with these young people 164 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:04,120 Speaker 4: all the time, and there's a new language every you know, 165 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:07,440 Speaker 4: a couple of years that you have to you know, 166 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 4: I mean, the Afro beat right now is everything I was. 167 00:09:12,920 --> 00:09:17,240 Speaker 4: I have been Mariah Carey's creative director many times, and 168 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 4: last year when I worked with Jenna Tompkins to do 169 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:26,040 Speaker 4: her show, I introduced the style of dance, the Afro Beat, 170 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:30,880 Speaker 4: into the choreography and it was amazing to do Joy 171 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 4: to the world with that style of dance. The dancers 172 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 4: were on a respiraated child with the first number, because 173 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:42,319 Speaker 4: that afro beat is serious. Yeah, it's fast, but it 174 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 4: takes a lot of energy to do it, and they 175 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 4: loved it. So that's what's beautiful. The nature of the 176 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 4: universe has changed, and anybody that doesn't understand that, well, sorry, what. 177 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:58,200 Speaker 5: Do you teach or how do you teach the artist 178 00:09:58,280 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 5: you work with, like a Mariah Carey or even like 179 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 5: a you've been working with her for some time too, 180 00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 5: about longevity and as things change, because things will change, like, 181 00:10:06,559 --> 00:10:08,520 Speaker 5: how do you teach them how to you know relevance 182 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 5: and impact? 183 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:11,319 Speaker 4: Like what the career you have? Well, I don't think 184 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:16,719 Speaker 4: I have to teach Mariah Carey about longevity. I mean, 185 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:20,280 Speaker 4: she's been the song bird yeah for so long, and 186 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:23,599 Speaker 4: she's got a new album out. She is one of 187 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 4: these creative geniuses who writes her music and I've never 188 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 4: gone into a production where she didn't have an idea 189 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:36,120 Speaker 4: about what she thinks it is. So I don't know 190 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 4: if that's I mean you're asking me about. 191 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 5: I guess it's like the mentorship because even the way 192 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 5: that people look at you and how you handle just 193 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:46,760 Speaker 5: anything you deal with and throughout your career, there's a 194 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:48,720 Speaker 5: lot coming your way because of who you are. Mariah 195 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:51,160 Speaker 5: Carey has a lot coming her way every day. I 196 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 5: guess I'm asking what the mentorship between you and these 197 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:56,079 Speaker 5: women and men that you're working with that are these 198 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:57,440 Speaker 5: big stars, What does that look like? 199 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:01,800 Speaker 4: It's very personal, It's very personal. I think part of 200 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:09,480 Speaker 4: what I bring wherever I'm working is a motherhood, embrace, 201 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 4: push knowledge, idea. I mean, I just said a lot 202 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:18,760 Speaker 4: of things that I don't know if you got all that. 203 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:23,320 Speaker 4: But when people work with me, they know that I 204 00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:29,560 Speaker 4: come with a huge experience in many things, and sometimes 205 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:34,840 Speaker 4: it's very intimidating to people. I've had some battles that 206 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:38,040 Speaker 4: you would be surprised, and I think it has a 207 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:42,400 Speaker 4: lot to do with my expertise and ability. I'm an 208 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 4: executive producing director of Gray's Anatomy. We're in season twenty two. 209 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:51,320 Speaker 4: We know Shonda Rhimes put me there to be an 210 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 4: integral part of keeping that show in energetic and moving, 211 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:00,760 Speaker 4: and I hire all the directors. I hire new directors. 212 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:06,760 Speaker 4: Felicia Shaw just became a director on Gray's and Nat 213 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 4: yeah she's a new one. Yeah, we kind of like her. 214 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 4: But there to work with incredible showrun and make Marinus 215 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:22,920 Speaker 4: who you know, I read every outline. I'm part of 216 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:27,240 Speaker 4: the casting you know, and I've worked with dps who 217 00:12:27,240 --> 00:12:31,319 Speaker 4: are brilliant. I produced the movie Amista with Steven Spielberg, 218 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:36,040 Speaker 4: which will always be a big, big accomplishment for all 219 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:38,079 Speaker 4: of us. It's not just me. For all of us 220 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 4: to get that movie made, you'd be hard pressed to 221 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:44,600 Speaker 4: do it today the way things are going. But I 222 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:48,800 Speaker 4: have such a wealth of experience. That is a big 223 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 4: thing that I bring, So I see things very quickly. 224 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:56,439 Speaker 4: I can make decisions very quickly. You know, I'm here 225 00:12:56,920 --> 00:13:00,120 Speaker 4: doing auditions for Joe Turner's Coming Gone, and I'm I'm 226 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:04,120 Speaker 4: seeing such wonderful new talent that I had not known before. 227 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 4: But even in that process, I can see immediately this 228 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 4: one has the potential. This one is talented, but not 229 00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:16,679 Speaker 4: right for this part. I mean, it's just experience. 230 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:19,200 Speaker 1: I love people who got intention. You know, you said 231 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:22,240 Speaker 1: at four years old you knew you wanted to do dance. 232 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:25,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, how did that lead to something like fame? 233 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:31,160 Speaker 4: Well, because I stayed the course and I went and 234 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:34,000 Speaker 4: studied and did the work. I've been taking dance class 235 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 4: my whole life. I was here at the New York 236 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:40,319 Speaker 4: School of Ballet Richard Thomas, John Boy on the walterins 237 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:43,760 Speaker 4: his dad and mom had the best ballet school here 238 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:46,800 Speaker 4: in New York, the New York School of Ballet. And 239 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 4: I was like a little, you know, urchin trucking around 240 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:55,560 Speaker 4: the streets and bought my dance card. And in my class, 241 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 4: I'd look up and Rudolph new Rev would be in 242 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:02,400 Speaker 4: the class, or Mikhayel Barishnikov would be in a class, 243 00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:05,559 Speaker 4: Margot Fontang. These are icons in the world of ballet. 244 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:13,640 Speaker 4: And then right across town is Alvin Alely wow, Alvin 245 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 4: Ale you know you, I don't know. I think my 246 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 4: effort has proven successful because I've always done the work. 247 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:24,760 Speaker 4: When you come up in the dance world, it's like 248 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 4: being an athlete. It's why Kobe Bryant and I were friends. 249 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:31,280 Speaker 4: He loved dance and we had a very good relationship. 250 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 4: You train, train, train, train, train. You can't shoot enough, 251 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:42,200 Speaker 4: you can't practice enough, you know, jump shots, whatever they're practiced. 252 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 4: You know those drills that they do to stay in shape. 253 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 4: You have to do the work. And this is something 254 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 4: young people really need right now to understand that you 255 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 4: don't get to get there and stay if you haven't 256 00:14:56,040 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 4: done the work. Mister Copeland, Oh my god, mister Copeland, 257 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:04,520 Speaker 4: and you know, she's retiring tomorrow night from the American 258 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 4: Ballet Theater. Wow. I would be on stage with her. 259 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:11,280 Speaker 4: She invited me to be on stage with her. But 260 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 4: this is not an ending, but a beginning of what 261 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:18,160 Speaker 4: else she's gonna do. Yeah, but she trained train train, 262 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:20,600 Speaker 4: train train. You know, I've had parents come in you 263 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 4: you your daughter's and dance, and I've had parents say, well, 264 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:26,800 Speaker 4: my daughter, you know, she just miss Allen. She just 265 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 4: feels like, you know, she's doing the same thing all 266 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:32,640 Speaker 4: the time. I said, because she needs to. She has 267 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 4: to learn how to point that foot turning out. I say, 268 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 4: damn it. 269 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 2: You said you and Kobe were friends. How did y'all 270 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:45,240 Speaker 2: get tight? How did y'all get so cool? 271 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:49,840 Speaker 4: Well, Kobe actually grew up in Italy. Fame was one 272 00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 4: of the biggest shows internationally Italy. I still can't walk 273 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 4: down the street, it was that popular. So I came 274 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 4: to a Laker game and he was on the court. 275 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:02,560 Speaker 4: He looked at me and he was like ah, And 276 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,040 Speaker 4: I was like I'm looking at him, like oh wow. 277 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:11,040 Speaker 4: And then that admiration was there. And then years later 278 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:17,560 Speaker 4: he actually was interested in learning how to tap dance. Well, 279 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 4: we didn't get to that. But we were going to 280 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:23,680 Speaker 4: get to that. And it was Michael Jackson's death that 281 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:28,240 Speaker 4: really kind of brought us closer because Michael was somebody 282 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:34,160 Speaker 4: that I was very close to. And I was talking 283 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 4: about Michael on television as saying he was he practiced practices. 284 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 4: I said, he was like Kobe Bryant. I said that 285 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:44,360 Speaker 4: in an interview, and then Kobe called me, said, Debbie, 286 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:47,800 Speaker 4: Michael and I were friends. I'll say what. He and 287 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 4: Michael had become friends, and so we started talking and 288 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 4: he was writing these incredible books, and we were making 289 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,640 Speaker 4: plans to turn one of his books into the most 290 00:17:00,640 --> 00:17:06,440 Speaker 4: incredible Broadway show. We were making plans. He had all 291 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:12,679 Speaker 4: universe that he was creating with animators and composers, and 292 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:15,840 Speaker 4: he brought me in because he respected what I do 293 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:20,000 Speaker 4: and what we could do together. And when we were 294 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:23,000 Speaker 4: building the Debi Allan Dance Academy, which is now the 295 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:27,400 Speaker 4: Rhymes Performing Arts Center, because Shonda Rhymes gifted us the building, 296 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:32,639 Speaker 4: which was amazing, amazing, but we had to raise a 297 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:35,359 Speaker 4: lot of money to build it, and so we took 298 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:39,520 Speaker 4: a meeting and Kobe was the first one. He was 299 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:43,760 Speaker 4: He put a million dollars towards building the DeBie Allen 300 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:44,639 Speaker 4: Dance Academy. 301 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:45,200 Speaker 3: Wow. 302 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:47,880 Speaker 4: And now we have a wall called the Kobe Bryant 303 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 4: Wall of Light that has all the donors and his 304 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 4: name at the top of that. And so we had 305 00:17:56,400 --> 00:18:00,359 Speaker 4: a lot of plans and he loved dance. You know, 306 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 4: it's being an athlete to be a dancer. So Kobe Bryant, 307 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:11,040 Speaker 4: Wallace Sandenberg, Barry Gordy, Shonda Rhimes, the Ford Foundation, they've 308 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:12,880 Speaker 4: been our big angels. 309 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:16,600 Speaker 5: Outside of the discipline that you just talked about and 310 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:19,479 Speaker 5: doing the work, what else did your role as Lydia 311 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:22,400 Speaker 5: and Fame teach you that like served you so well 312 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:23,359 Speaker 5: for the rest of your career. 313 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:30,879 Speaker 4: Well, I actually got an opportunity to create these dances, 314 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:33,560 Speaker 4: and as a child, I was watching them in the movies. 315 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:36,720 Speaker 4: I was watching the movie. Now I was able to 316 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:39,880 Speaker 4: be in charge of what the camera was doing, and 317 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:42,439 Speaker 4: I had all of these ideas from when I was 318 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 4: four years old and so on Fame, I worked with 319 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:48,320 Speaker 4: one of the old jacks, Bill Spencer. He had been 320 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:51,720 Speaker 4: the a camera operator on all those big MGM musicals 321 00:18:52,320 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 4: and he was just say, oh, kid, we can't do this, 322 00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 4: we can't do that. I said why Bill, And then 323 00:18:57,280 --> 00:18:59,359 Speaker 4: if he couldn't give me an answer, then he would 324 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:03,879 Speaker 4: go figure it out. So we became friends. So fame 325 00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:07,359 Speaker 4: was like going to graduate school. It was like getting 326 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:14,280 Speaker 4: a PhD in directing because it was new. Nobody was 327 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:16,600 Speaker 4: there to tell us or to tell me how to 328 00:19:17,119 --> 00:19:19,960 Speaker 4: make this work week to week to week. I had 329 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:22,600 Speaker 4: to figure it out. And then one day he took 330 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:26,000 Speaker 4: me in the archives of MGM. Because I used to 331 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:28,920 Speaker 4: write dance notes so people would understand where we it 332 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:31,520 Speaker 4: would say the music, how long it is, what the 333 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:34,199 Speaker 4: action was with the choreo, what the camera shot is. 334 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:38,959 Speaker 4: He took me in the archives of the MGM musicals 335 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:41,520 Speaker 4: from back in the day and showed me that's what 336 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 4: they did to and nobody taught me. It was just 337 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:51,520 Speaker 4: a way to communicate. So fame really set me up 338 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:55,920 Speaker 4: to do everything that I'm doing right now all the way. 339 00:19:56,560 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 3: Now, I've heard you say dance is storytelling with the body. Yeah, damn. 340 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:01,760 Speaker 3: Expound on that a little bit. 341 00:20:02,359 --> 00:20:04,440 Speaker 4: Well, you know, in the dance where you don't have words, 342 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:09,359 Speaker 4: you're not singing, you're through your physical being expressing what 343 00:20:09,560 --> 00:20:14,159 Speaker 4: is the story? You're expressing love, you're expressing joy, anger, 344 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:21,520 Speaker 4: it's I think the most ancient of all art forms 345 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:27,680 Speaker 4: is dance because when you look at ancient civilizations before 346 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:31,160 Speaker 4: they could write or could know the language, they were 347 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:40,400 Speaker 4: stamping on the ground for rain, for harvest, birth movement, 348 00:20:41,119 --> 00:20:45,959 Speaker 4: that proclaiming your existence on this earth. That dance, and 349 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:48,720 Speaker 4: it goes back to Mother Africa where we were stamping 350 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:53,680 Speaker 4: on that ground. I mean, that's the beginning. That's the beginning. 351 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:58,199 Speaker 4: That's the one. That's what Jason Samuel Smith, it is 352 00:20:58,240 --> 00:20:58,640 Speaker 4: the one. 353 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:02,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was it about the movement of the perfection? 354 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:10,640 Speaker 1: Is the movement of perfection? 355 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:13,000 Speaker 3: What is it? 356 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:16,040 Speaker 4: All of that? But it's that spirit. See the spirit 357 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:20,240 Speaker 4: in you is what makes you move like that. That 358 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:24,480 Speaker 4: is something that's in your blood memory. That's your DNA speaking. 359 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:29,880 Speaker 4: That's the universe telling you what you already know. It's community, 360 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:33,120 Speaker 4: it's that call and response. Yeah, it's there. We all 361 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:35,120 Speaker 4: have it. We all have it. 362 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:37,800 Speaker 2: Who was the most difficult person to teach how to dance? 363 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:39,280 Speaker 3: That was like they just don't. 364 00:21:39,119 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 4: Have it now, you know, I can't say people you 365 00:21:43,119 --> 00:21:44,240 Speaker 4: know that would be so. 366 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:45,239 Speaker 3: Let's change it. 367 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:47,600 Speaker 2: Who was the hardest to teach because they just were 368 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:49,640 Speaker 2: so good and needed to be pushed to the next level. 369 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:56,280 Speaker 4: Then, Oh, I've had students, some that you might not know. 370 00:21:56,560 --> 00:21:59,440 Speaker 4: Are you talking about people that I work with professional, Well, 371 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:02,959 Speaker 4: let me put it this way. I worked with Sammy 372 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 4: Davids Junior. He did a special with me. I've never 373 00:22:08,119 --> 00:22:12,560 Speaker 4: seen anybody like him. I could show him something one time, 374 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:19,960 Speaker 4: and he did it. He was incredible. So it was 375 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:24,520 Speaker 4: difficult to do much because he'd be like, okay, kid, 376 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:27,080 Speaker 4: what else you got? All right, Sammy, I'm done now. 377 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:29,000 Speaker 4: I think I'm good. It was a challenge for me 378 00:22:29,359 --> 00:22:30,560 Speaker 4: to work with him. 379 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 1: You don't get discussed enough. I don't feel like Sammy 380 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:34,879 Speaker 1: gets discussed enough. 381 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:39,000 Speaker 4: You know, there's an effort to do plays and movies 382 00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:42,199 Speaker 4: about him. I know Lena Waite as one she's working on, 383 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:46,119 Speaker 4: and I'm excited that she's thinking about making it into 384 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:49,600 Speaker 4: a show I did. We were working on a Broadway 385 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:52,639 Speaker 4: show called Sammy with the original people that did all 386 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:56,840 Speaker 4: his music and everything, and I did a workshop of 387 00:22:56,880 --> 00:22:59,560 Speaker 4: this years ago. This might have been Oh my god, 388 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:04,640 Speaker 4: it had to be almost twenty years ago. And in 389 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:08,320 Speaker 4: that workshop everybody came because it was about Sammy. We 390 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:10,720 Speaker 4: raised a million dollars that day to do the show, 391 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 4: and it didn't go forward because the people that were 392 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:19,320 Speaker 4: in charge of the script just couldn't understand that we 393 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:22,160 Speaker 4: needed to whittle it down. It was you know, when 394 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:25,080 Speaker 4: you have a life story that that full. I mean, 395 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:28,959 Speaker 4: Josephine Baker was a mini series. Yeah, or either you 396 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:30,720 Speaker 4: have to figure out what part of their life are 397 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:34,159 Speaker 4: you going to tell? Because I worked with Bob Fosse 398 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:36,680 Speaker 4: and Sweet Charita, and he told me and I believed 399 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 4: him and I learned that from him. Kid, if anything 400 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:45,560 Speaker 4: over three hours is too long, too long, baby, you know. 401 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:49,400 Speaker 4: But Sammy is someone that he's one of the most 402 00:23:49,680 --> 00:23:54,000 Speaker 4: legendary and incredible artists to ever step on a stage. 403 00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:57,760 Speaker 4: As a child, you can look at that film of 404 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:04,880 Speaker 4: him when he's five exists. He was a deer man 405 00:24:04,920 --> 00:24:09,800 Speaker 4: who had quite a struggle, quite a struggle in his lifetime. 406 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:16,080 Speaker 6: Barbie is honoring you with your own tribute doll. What 407 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:19,040 Speaker 6: went through your mind when you first got that call. 408 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:21,080 Speaker 6: I'm assuming that you're getting your own Barbie doll. 409 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:24,200 Speaker 4: I know it was like getting an Oscar. It was like, yeah, 410 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:28,600 Speaker 4: because I grew up in Texas and we didn't have 411 00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:32,959 Speaker 4: any dolls that looked like us at all, and I 412 00:24:33,160 --> 00:24:36,800 Speaker 4: was big on playing with my dolls, and I knew 413 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:41,480 Speaker 4: about the Barbie Tribute collection, and I was so excited 414 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:44,359 Speaker 4: when they made Shonda Rhimes a Barbie doll, and I 415 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:47,920 Speaker 4: was just loving that and mister Copeland. But then when 416 00:24:47,960 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 4: they called to say they wanted to make me one, 417 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 4: I just was so touched because I knew this had 418 00:24:56,119 --> 00:24:59,280 Speaker 4: more to do with young people than anybody. Although all 419 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:01,560 Speaker 4: of my older friends to buying them up, child to 420 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 4: buy them up, but the kids. I showed this doll 421 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:08,399 Speaker 4: to some of the students in my school. I actually 422 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:12,199 Speaker 4: videotaped it. It was so precious. They were so proud 423 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:15,040 Speaker 4: of it. They all wanted it. It looks like them, 424 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:18,040 Speaker 4: somebody that looks like them, that is dancing, that's you know. 425 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:21,520 Speaker 4: And so we worked on what she was going to 426 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:24,320 Speaker 4: look like and how she was going to dress. And 427 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:28,840 Speaker 4: I said, let's dress her like fame, because that's your idea. Amazing, 428 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:31,959 Speaker 4: Let's do fame. And I used to wear these pants 429 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:38,360 Speaker 4: designer Giovanni Demura. I don't know where he is now, 430 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:41,560 Speaker 4: but I had those pants in every color. I went 431 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:46,400 Speaker 4: around the world, and I'm just excited about it, and 432 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:52,480 Speaker 4: everybody's excited about this. Yeah, it puts me in a 433 00:25:52,600 --> 00:26:01,240 Speaker 4: one more realm of history that is very humbling. Yeah. 434 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:06,640 Speaker 1: Another image of black excellent. Yeah, You've created a lot 435 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:08,800 Speaker 1: of them. So I'll be wondering what's your measure for 436 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:11,080 Speaker 1: authentic representation today? 437 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:13,760 Speaker 4: You know, I don't know if I ever measure it. 438 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:18,560 Speaker 4: I experience it and it speaks to me or it doesn't. 439 00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:28,520 Speaker 4: I mean that movie centers absolutely ooh, it said so 440 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:33,240 Speaker 4: many things. But when Ryan Coogler took that dance floor 441 00:26:33,280 --> 00:26:36,239 Speaker 4: and went in and out of time, you know, I 442 00:26:36,280 --> 00:26:41,000 Speaker 4: wanted to go and be that boy's mama, wanted to 443 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:44,760 Speaker 4: go over there and just love him. Get over here, 444 00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:49,160 Speaker 4: come over here. He honored all of us doing that. 445 00:26:49,160 --> 00:26:55,359 Speaker 4: That was breathtaking. So it's coming in different waves. Or 446 00:26:55,359 --> 00:26:58,280 Speaker 4: when I see the the artwork of the kids that 447 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:03,800 Speaker 4: I see, or you know, black excellence is something that's 448 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:06,000 Speaker 4: on the rise, and it's just gonna get stronger. Now. 449 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:10,359 Speaker 4: The challenges we have is gonna make us stronger, not 450 00:27:10,440 --> 00:27:11,960 Speaker 4: gonna shut us down. 451 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:16,000 Speaker 3: I agree. I have a strange sense of optimism about 452 00:27:16,040 --> 00:27:17,680 Speaker 3: all of this. I do, I really do. 453 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:21,399 Speaker 4: I think you're right that you're here, that you all 454 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 4: are here, and you are speaking every day. You have 455 00:27:24,119 --> 00:27:28,639 Speaker 4: millions of people, millions of people's attention. You have a 456 00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:33,840 Speaker 4: platform to plow through a lot of bs and you 457 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:37,320 Speaker 4: do on a daily basis, And so we are grateful 458 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:39,920 Speaker 4: that you're here and you're gonna be here. 459 00:27:40,119 --> 00:27:42,840 Speaker 2: I gotta ask you know this week, this week coming 460 00:27:42,920 --> 00:27:45,879 Speaker 2: up is homecoming week, right. A different world was the 461 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:48,280 Speaker 2: reason why I went to HBCU. I got to see it. 462 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:50,160 Speaker 3: I seen what it was. So I have to ask, she. 463 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:52,280 Speaker 6: Is not gonna teach you a one two one two 464 00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:53,320 Speaker 6: to go at the. 465 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:56,120 Speaker 2: Home different world off of what college? 466 00:27:58,080 --> 00:27:58,600 Speaker 3: What college? 467 00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:01,200 Speaker 2: This is every about it? 468 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:04,720 Speaker 4: Okay, So let me say this. A different world existed 469 00:28:04,760 --> 00:28:07,480 Speaker 4: for a year before I got there, and I was 470 00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:12,560 Speaker 4: brought in by the creative of the executives to come 471 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:15,600 Speaker 4: and see what was wrong and fix it. And I 472 00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:19,800 Speaker 4: did because I had that HBCU experience, which none of 473 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:23,119 Speaker 4: the people there had. I went to Howard University. 474 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:24,960 Speaker 2: Sorry, and Howard University. 475 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:27,840 Speaker 5: I'm sorry for both of y'all because university is where. 476 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:31,919 Speaker 2: Sorry, but Hampton is great. 477 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:38,520 Speaker 4: But you know, Howard, we were the school, the first 478 00:28:38,520 --> 00:28:42,520 Speaker 4: school to take over the a building the school because 479 00:28:42,560 --> 00:28:47,360 Speaker 4: we were demanding black studies. We pulled up the gate 480 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:51,560 Speaker 4: and threw it on the dean's desk. You at Brown 481 00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:54,920 Speaker 4: let us. I was had my big afrochi and I 482 00:28:55,000 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 4: was all up in there to us later. You know, 483 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:03,640 Speaker 4: we didn't think about dying and nothing like that. The 484 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:07,120 Speaker 4: parents were sending us orange juice and boiled eggs and 485 00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:09,840 Speaker 4: begging us to come out. We're gonna come out when 486 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:12,560 Speaker 4: we get where we were. Then what how many months 487 00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:15,680 Speaker 4: later Kent State did that and four kids were killed 488 00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:21,560 Speaker 4: by the National Guard. What the hell we knew? Say 489 00:29:21,600 --> 00:29:24,479 Speaker 4: it loud, black and I'm proud was our anthem. We 490 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:28,080 Speaker 4: had Mary McKee bo coming, We had Stokely Carmichael named them. 491 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:35,800 Speaker 4: They all came to Howard. We were in Washington, d C. Wow. 492 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:40,720 Speaker 4: So coming into a different world, we could no longer 493 00:29:40,840 --> 00:29:45,040 Speaker 4: do shows about people walking around holding eggs. We had 494 00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:52,719 Speaker 4: to do shows that were culturally relevant, socially responsible, and 495 00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:56,640 Speaker 4: stilled a lot of fun. And we did that and 496 00:29:56,720 --> 00:30:00,320 Speaker 4: so Susan fails Hill. She is one of the most 497 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:04,720 Speaker 4: incredible writers on this planet. She was the showrunner with 498 00:30:04,840 --> 00:30:08,880 Speaker 4: a real book of all when we did La Riats, 499 00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:14,040 Speaker 4: Mammy Dearess, all those shows that are so memorable, it 500 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:18,920 Speaker 4: starts with the writing and Susan and who else was 501 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:23,480 Speaker 4: in that writing room. Gina Prince bythewood, Reggie bythewood, Gina 502 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:25,840 Speaker 4: Prince is getting rid of child y'all getting rid of 503 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:29,040 Speaker 4: woman King was one thing, honey, Yes, but she is 504 00:30:29,480 --> 00:30:34,520 Speaker 4: the director of the Children of Blood and Bone. This book. 505 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:36,600 Speaker 4: I don't know if you know about it, but actually 506 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:39,640 Speaker 4: Kobe Bryant gave me this book before he died. He said, Debbie, 507 00:30:39,640 --> 00:30:44,000 Speaker 4: you gotta read this. They were all in the writer's room, 508 00:30:44,080 --> 00:30:47,400 Speaker 4: along with Yvette Lee Browser who you know she is 509 00:30:48,400 --> 00:30:52,000 Speaker 4: other There was so much talent and energy and she 510 00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:57,120 Speaker 4: h together, we just engaged. And I was always in 511 00:30:57,160 --> 00:30:59,800 Speaker 4: the principal's office. I say, I was always called into 512 00:30:59,840 --> 00:31:03,440 Speaker 4: the network. Really, oh god, oh my god, y'all have 513 00:31:03,520 --> 00:31:05,880 Speaker 4: no idea what I had to go through. And still 514 00:31:06,200 --> 00:31:08,720 Speaker 4: and still what were their upsets? Why were they calling you? Oh, 515 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:09,800 Speaker 4: because you. 516 00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:11,560 Speaker 3: Took it from a sitcom to a social movement? 517 00:31:12,120 --> 00:31:15,840 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, you know, because we did the first show 518 00:31:15,880 --> 00:31:19,760 Speaker 4: about AIDS, right Whooping Goldberg. We knew whoo people was 519 00:31:19,800 --> 00:31:24,240 Speaker 4: gonna win that Oscar. She's been my friend forever. I said, Whoopy, 520 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:28,120 Speaker 4: would you come Debbie? You know I'm there. She came. 521 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:32,320 Speaker 4: I had her. They didn't care. I said, AIDS is 522 00:31:32,440 --> 00:31:36,560 Speaker 4: killing our people, your people, everybody. We need to do this. 523 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:41,360 Speaker 4: And they were going to strike that show down. Bill 524 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:47,040 Speaker 4: Cosby stood up and said, all right, we might not 525 00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:49,880 Speaker 4: have advertisers, but you're gonna get to do the show. 526 00:31:50,080 --> 00:31:50,360 Speaker 3: Wow. 527 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:56,080 Speaker 4: He stood up single handedly and made it happen. So 528 00:31:56,720 --> 00:31:59,280 Speaker 4: doing shows about date rape or you know, I was 529 00:31:59,320 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 4: just always called into the office. Why did we have 530 00:32:01,680 --> 00:32:03,360 Speaker 4: to do Why did I said, Chad, we can't just 531 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:06,280 Speaker 4: talk about you know, somebody bumping in the corner. We're 532 00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:07,240 Speaker 4: gonna do some of that too. 533 00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:11,960 Speaker 1: We'll give you the courage to continue to make those 534 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:14,320 Speaker 1: changes because a lot of people would conform, right, A 535 00:32:14,320 --> 00:32:16,680 Speaker 1: lot of people would see the networks complaining and saying 536 00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:19,240 Speaker 1: you're gonna lose sponsors and be like, Okay, I have 537 00:32:19,320 --> 00:32:20,920 Speaker 1: them dancing with you know what I mean? 538 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:24,520 Speaker 4: Yeah, But I had an army at my back. Susan 539 00:32:24,640 --> 00:32:31,400 Speaker 4: Fails was right there ahead writing I had but cast 540 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:34,240 Speaker 4: we you know, I gave them a voice. That was 541 00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:38,000 Speaker 4: part of what I did because sometimes in Hollywood when 542 00:32:38,040 --> 00:32:41,080 Speaker 4: I was first starting, the writers were like gods and 543 00:32:41,120 --> 00:32:43,000 Speaker 4: the actors are like Okay, you just do what I 544 00:32:43,080 --> 00:32:46,840 Speaker 4: tell you. And that has changed because actors have to 545 00:32:46,880 --> 00:32:50,360 Speaker 4: have a voice. That's you know, Gary David Goldberg, who 546 00:32:50,360 --> 00:32:54,760 Speaker 4: did Family Ties, wanted me to take a big seat 547 00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:57,680 Speaker 4: at that show when I chose a different world. But 548 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:00,400 Speaker 4: I had worked with him in Michael J. Fox. And 549 00:33:01,040 --> 00:33:04,680 Speaker 4: what I loved about Gary David Goldberg after every table reading, 550 00:33:05,880 --> 00:33:10,000 Speaker 4: he opened the floor to the actors with them sitting 551 00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:12,920 Speaker 4: there with the writers, what did you think? What are 552 00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:18,440 Speaker 4: your ideas? That's a real collaboration that was not happening 553 00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:23,160 Speaker 4: and we made it happen. And you know, God bless 554 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:29,560 Speaker 4: the whole staff, crew, actors, writers, it was. It's not 555 00:33:29,640 --> 00:33:30,920 Speaker 4: just me, it was all of us. 556 00:33:31,200 --> 00:33:35,160 Speaker 1: So what's your process for I guess telling hard truths, 557 00:33:35,760 --> 00:33:38,120 Speaker 1: you know, without losing I guess the entertainment value of 558 00:33:38,160 --> 00:33:40,200 Speaker 1: it all because I know you're directing the reboot too. 559 00:33:40,200 --> 00:33:40,800 Speaker 3: I think I saw. 560 00:33:41,080 --> 00:33:45,680 Speaker 4: Yeah, I've been working with the reboot on Netflix and 561 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:48,760 Speaker 4: there are some changes there that we're trying to make. 562 00:33:49,160 --> 00:33:51,280 Speaker 4: You see where it goes? Well, what is your question? 563 00:33:51,560 --> 00:33:53,480 Speaker 1: How do you tell the hard truths? How do you 564 00:33:53,520 --> 00:33:55,560 Speaker 1: tell hard truths and still keep it entertaining? 565 00:33:55,600 --> 00:33:58,360 Speaker 4: Basically because that's the way the world is. In the 566 00:33:58,360 --> 00:34:00,840 Speaker 4: middle of all this, you'll find something to laugh about. 567 00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:03,920 Speaker 4: In the middle of this, you'll see somebody you want 568 00:34:03,920 --> 00:34:08,360 Speaker 4: to kiss. Yeah, that riot is happening, but ooh baby, 569 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:12,319 Speaker 4: look at that boy over there. Who is that? You know, 570 00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:18,319 Speaker 4: real life doesn't stop because of it will stop you. 571 00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:21,719 Speaker 4: It makes you think and have to talk and address 572 00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:23,600 Speaker 4: but it goes on. 573 00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:25,520 Speaker 2: Miss Debbie Allen has to leave as well too. 574 00:34:25,560 --> 00:34:29,239 Speaker 3: Guys, Yes, okay, you got last I do have a 575 00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:30,359 Speaker 3: last one, you know what I mean? 576 00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:33,200 Speaker 1: Like Fame showed what art could be, right and a 577 00:34:33,239 --> 00:34:36,040 Speaker 1: Different World showed what education could be. How do you 578 00:34:36,040 --> 00:34:38,839 Speaker 1: think your work has shaped how young people now see 579 00:34:38,840 --> 00:34:42,800 Speaker 1: the intersection between art and intellect and activism. 580 00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:45,239 Speaker 4: You know, there's such a good question. And I appreciate 581 00:34:45,280 --> 00:34:50,480 Speaker 4: that question because because Netflix just rebooted A Different World 582 00:34:51,040 --> 00:34:54,120 Speaker 4: the original on and a lot of people are talking 583 00:34:54,120 --> 00:34:57,960 Speaker 4: to me and asking me. But the mind of young people, 584 00:34:58,040 --> 00:35:01,759 Speaker 4: the curiosity is what you want. You want them to 585 00:35:01,880 --> 00:35:06,320 Speaker 4: be curious. And I think when they see these shows, 586 00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:10,399 Speaker 4: when they see me and I make myself accessible, they 587 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:14,280 Speaker 4: feel like they could do something too. That is really 588 00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:16,680 Speaker 4: that's what it's about. They could do something to do. 589 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:20,480 Speaker 4: I'm still learning. I'm still at this ripe old age. 590 00:35:20,600 --> 00:35:24,600 Speaker 4: I'm getting ready to direct August Wilson's Joe Turner's Coming 591 00:35:24,719 --> 00:35:28,520 Speaker 4: Gone on Broadway in the spring, and I am in 592 00:35:28,600 --> 00:35:31,840 Speaker 4: school because you can't come up there. It's like you 593 00:35:31,880 --> 00:35:35,160 Speaker 4: can't direct Shakespeare if you don't understand the language the period. 594 00:35:35,560 --> 00:35:40,200 Speaker 4: I am up in the August Wilson school of thought. Deep, deep, 595 00:35:40,239 --> 00:35:43,520 Speaker 4: deep deep. So by the time we open in April, 596 00:35:44,600 --> 00:35:45,800 Speaker 4: that show is going to be amazing. 597 00:35:45,880 --> 00:35:46,799 Speaker 3: But oh, I can't wait. 598 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:48,640 Speaker 4: Who is going to be a child? Ticks to go 599 00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:52,080 Speaker 4: on sale November fifth. I have to say that out loud. 600 00:35:53,600 --> 00:35:58,880 Speaker 4: Brian Morland, who actually produced Othello Denzel's Othellos, is our producer. 601 00:35:59,120 --> 00:35:59,640 Speaker 2: Amazing. 602 00:36:00,160 --> 00:36:03,520 Speaker 4: I'm just saying, I'm still in school. So I'm putting 603 00:36:03,520 --> 00:36:09,200 Speaker 4: together a whole pack of information about nineteen eleven. What 604 00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:12,680 Speaker 4: was happening, what was the music? Who's president? What's happening 605 00:36:12,719 --> 00:36:15,319 Speaker 4: in Europe? You got to know all of these things. 606 00:36:15,320 --> 00:36:18,080 Speaker 4: What was happening not to in Pittsburgh. Where were we 607 00:36:18,160 --> 00:36:23,120 Speaker 4: with the Great migration? Where are we with emancipation? Where 608 00:36:23,120 --> 00:36:26,440 Speaker 4: are we legally with civil rights? You got to do 609 00:36:26,520 --> 00:36:31,240 Speaker 4: the work, and I am still doing the work. 610 00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:38,080 Speaker 6: Mss Debellen, have you ever taught a proper twerk? I 611 00:36:38,160 --> 00:36:41,360 Speaker 6: just want to know. I don't know through all your lessons. No, 612 00:36:41,520 --> 00:36:43,920 Speaker 6: you need help through all your lessons. I just want 613 00:36:43,960 --> 00:36:47,799 Speaker 6: to know, like, have you ever taught twurkage ever? 614 00:36:50,520 --> 00:36:52,920 Speaker 4: Well, you know, I don't know if I've taught it, 615 00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:56,080 Speaker 4: but my husband is always on me to stop doing it. 616 00:36:56,239 --> 00:36:56,560 Speaker 4: That's all. 617 00:36:59,120 --> 00:37:01,359 Speaker 3: Yeah, even married so long. 618 00:37:01,440 --> 00:37:08,960 Speaker 4: Okay, I want me to do it in public. I 619 00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:15,200 Speaker 4: could do it in the bedroom, yes, ma'am. Okay. 620 00:37:15,360 --> 00:37:17,279 Speaker 2: Let me appreciate you for joining us. If you're out 621 00:37:17,280 --> 00:37:18,879 Speaker 2: and about, make sure you pick up her Barbie doll. 622 00:37:19,000 --> 00:37:22,000 Speaker 2: Also donate to the school and thank you so much. 623 00:37:22,000 --> 00:37:24,319 Speaker 2: And please don't be a stranger. Anytime you in the city, 624 00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:25,000 Speaker 2: pull up on us. 625 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:27,400 Speaker 4: I'll be coming back here to direct that player. I 626 00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:27,959 Speaker 4: come and visit. 627 00:37:28,040 --> 00:37:31,000 Speaker 3: You'll think I'm always I will definitely be there. 628 00:37:32,719 --> 00:37:35,280 Speaker 2: It's miss Debbie Allen. It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning, 629 00:37:36,800 --> 00:37:40,160 Speaker 2: every day, Breakfast Club.