It is impossible to separate Debbie Allen’s career as the most versatile of American artists from her leadership role in arts education. Even as she achieved fame on stage and screen as an actor, dancer, choreographer, director, producer, author, and international representative of the United States and its culture, her work and life remain rooted in the Debbie Allen Dance Academy here in Southern California. The breadth of her experience—as both global entertainer and local educator—make her perspective on the arts, on their role in our society, economy, and public health, and on arts education vital to today’s Los Angeles. How should we teach the arts in a time of diminished education budgets? What new paths are emerging for those who seek to devote their lives to artistic excellence? And, how do we best democratize the performing arts so that we all can dance? The incomparable Debbie Allen visits Zócalo for a wide-ranging discussion on the future of the arts in our community.

This event is made possible by a generous grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.