Debbie Allen Shows Amazon Employees How Dance Can Foster Creativity, Leadership, and Community

Dance is more than body movements set to music. Like most art forms, dance is an impactful means of expression, willpower, and even leadership.

"Dance is a way to process emotion," Vivian Nixon told a packed audience in March at Amazon's LAX22 location. The executive director of the Debbie Allen Dance Academy (DADA), Nixon shared the Black Employee Network (BEN) and BELegal sponsored panelwith her legendary mom and dad, former NBA champion, Norm Nixon.

Kim Bundy, head of content standards at Amazon, moderated the fireside chat, which celebrated Black History Month, Women's History Month, and the 25^th anniversary of DADA. Following the chat, DADA students delivered an exclusive and breathtaking dance performance for employees.

"Dance is a way to bring the community together," Nixon added, explaining how DADA has been actively raising funds to help those impacted by the recent wildfires in Southern California. "Dance is therapeutic in its expressiveness. It's a modality we've used to help cancer patients. It's something we've used to reintegrate battered women and children, and something we've used to help underprivileged youth find their voice."

Allen, who also directs and produces movies and television series, explained that dance has long been a means of communication for her and a way to escape racial oppression. Dance is also a way to become better at school and work, she said, because of the discipline it requires. One of DADA's earliest investors was actor Harrison Ford. In 2021, Allen created Debbie Allen Middle School, an independent, tuition-based private school for dancers in Los Angeles.

"Dance was a way out for me as a kid growing up in Texas in the 1950s, when segregation was a way of life," Allen shared. "We couldn't do anything. We couldn't go to the movies, to restaurants, or even public restrooms without seeing 'Whites Only' signs. We grew up in that kind of separation and my mom was brilliant. She packed us up and, along with our dad, moved us to Mexico. And Mexico embraced us. Dance fueled me and mom found a way."

Norm Nixon, who used dance to heal from injuries when he played for the Los Angeles Lakers, credits dance with opening his mind and showing him other forms of recovery and resilience. The couple, who recently celebrated 40 years of marriage, co-founded DADA together.

"Ballet and all these things can be elitist," Norm Nixon explained, sharing that his past work in sports and entertainment contracts makes him best qualified for running the business side of DADA. "My wife always wanted to start a school, where anyone could come regardless of economic background and physical type. She put it together and we just hit the ground running."