I remember seeing the Nutcracker on TV as a six-year-old girl, in Nairobi, and wanting more than anything to be on stage dancing like everyone was watching. I did not want to be a ballerina per se, but I wished that I had an outlet to realize my creative goals; a place where I could go to explore and learn what it meant to dream with purpose. Fast forward to present day having watched the Netflix documentary film Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker, and my heart is pregnant with childhood memories, tears, joy and gratitude that little black girls (and boys) have the opportunity and space to live out their dance dreams under the trained eye of a dedicated teacher intent on getting them to where they need to be. It’s magical!
Executive produced by Shonda Rhimes, the Netflix documentary, Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker shines a light on the work of trailblazing icon Debbie Allen and her reimagining of the classic ballet performed annually by the gifted students of the Debbie Allen Dance Academy (DADA).
Equally magical is how black female visual artist, Tara James, pays homage to Debbie Allen in celebration of Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker by creating amazing Hot Chocolate Holiday Digital Art Images. She brings the scenes to life in her visuals in the most beautiful and heart-warming fashion. See artwork below!
Over the last 50 years, Allen’s incredible career has spanned the spectrum of the arts – from acting in, choreographing, and directing the iconic series Fame, to her prolific work directing, producing, choreographing, dancing, and writing for film, television, and theatre – garnering her Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe, and multiple Tony nominations in the process. Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker features intimate interviews with Allen, her family, DADA’s world class dance instructors, and her inspirational students, and provides fascinating insights into Allen’s own personal journey pursuing an art form where she did not always see herself reflected in its imagery. The film also offers front row access to the grueling rehearsals, the passion and leadership of Allen and DADA’s dance instructors, and the huge commitment and undertaking by the dancers of all ages and backgrounds who come to train at the academy each year regardless of their socioeconomic circumstances or traditional expectations of the dance community. Rehearsed for just over three months, The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker has become a staple holiday performance in Los Angeles and the largest fundraising event on the school’s calendar. Watch official trailer below!
Social Media: Debbie Allen (@therealdebbieallen) • Instagram photos and videos | Debbie Allen (@therealdebbieallen) • Instagram photos and videos | Tara James (@bymsjames) • Instagram photos and videos
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