Allen Dance Academy relocates to Crenshaw

Renowned school relocates to South L.A. from longtime home in Culver City.

The Debbie Allen Dance Academy is leaving its longtime home on Hayden Avenue in Culver City, shown here, and will relocate this week in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza. (Photo by Gary McCarthy)

By OLU ALEMORU, Staff Writer

Story Created: Jun 24, 2009 at 7:38 PM PST

Story Updated: Jun 26, 2009 at 1:25 PM PST

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The acclaimed Debbie Allen Dance Academy has committed itself to the regeneration of South Los Angeles following its announcement that it will be moving to a new home at the Baldwin Hills Plaza after nine years in Culver City.

The academy, which is relocating to a former bistro on the corner of Marlton and Santa Rosalia Avenues, is planning a three-day celebration June 25- 27 to mark the occasion.

During its tenure in Culver City, DADA has enrolled close to 400 children ages 4-18, granting many full and partial scholarships. Students are taught classes in ballet, pointe, tap, modern, jazz, hip-hop, African, and flamenco, with special workshops in acting and voice.

The festivities begin Thursday with the academy’s innovative and high-energy summer dance series, “Up on the Roof.”

A welcoming party hosted by Allen and her husband Norm Nixon is scheduled the next evening, where one of the studio spaces will be dubbed the Berry Gordy Room in honor of the Motown legend.

According to Jeff Fisher, a spokesman for Chicago based Capri Capital Partners, LLC, which owns the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza mall, DADA’s move is the first sign of the redevelopment of the site.

“Bringing the dance studio here was one of the first things our chairman, Quintin E. Primo, talked about when the company bought the property,” said Fisher. He added that the redevelopment process will be in three phases by which time Capri will have invested $750 million into the facility.

“This is great for the community and for the dance studio,” said Nixon, who as The Wave went to press revealed that his wife was on a flight back from London, where she was helping cast a production of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” slated for Broadway. “The new building is a wonderful place and we’re delighted to be there.”

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