Allen Debbie Dance Academy

The Debbie Allen Dance Academy (DADA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit at 1850 S. Manhattan Pl. in Los Angeles offering a comprehensive dance curriculum to students from about age three or four upward, with a stated focus on serving disenfranchised Black and Latino communities through dance and theatre training. Programs include Early Birds for ages 3-7 (2-7 classes weekly), the Academy for committed students aged eight and up (9-10 classes weekly), Fundamentals for beginner-to-intermediate students 9-19, a Conservatory track centred on classical ballet and modern dance, the hand-selected Red Birds program, Sons of DADA, a scholarship program for male dancers aged 8-13 covering ballet, African, hip hop and tap, the RISE musical theatre program for ages 6-20, and drop-in open classes for ages nine and up. The pre-professional Ensemble draws on students and alumni and has featured guests such as Misty Copeland and Desmond Richardson. DADA also runs the Debbie Allen Middle School for the Arts (grades 6-8), summer and pointe intensives, the Hollywood Tap Festival, recitals and the annual Hot Chocolate Nutcracker.