In addition, Debbie Allen has added the credit of author to her impressive array merits. Allen has composed two children's books entitled, Brothers of the Knight , and more recently, Dancing in the Wings , both for Penguin Putnam Publishing.

Allen was inspired to write Brothers of the Knight after she staged a musical for the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. entitled Pepito's Story , which was loosely based on the classic fairy tale, The Twelve Dancing Princesses . After changing the main characters in the musical from girls to boys, Allen came up with the premise for her book. Her most recent Kennedy Center Productions were Dreams in 2000, Pearl , an adaptation of Snow White also played to SRO crowds, and Brothers of the Knight.

Debbie Allen has moved forward with yet another exciting project proving that she is, indeed, one of the hardest working individuals in Hollywood. In 2001, Allen fulfilled a lifelong dream by opening the Debbie Allen Dance Academy in Los Angeles, California.

Allen's academy offers a comprehensive curriculum for boys and girls ages four to eighteen in all the major dance techniques including Classical Ballet, Modern, African, Jazz, and Hip-Hop. In addition, special workshops are held for concentration in the Peking Opera, Martial Arts dance techniques, Flamenco, Salsa, and Tap. Debbie has been able to use her prestige to lure instructors from famous institutions such as the Kirov Ballet, and the Peking Opera.

In a classic example of, “life imitating art,” the Debbie Allen Dance Academy will bring Debbie back to her days where she played the title role of dance instructor, “Lydia Grant,” on the long-running, hit television series, Fame . Similar to the show, Allen's studio provides a safe haven for kids to go to after school where dance professional motivate, and teach them to excel in their style of dance. Debbie plays an active role in each student's career as a dancer by offering her own hands-on instruction.

In the year 2000, Debbie hosted and produced her own documentary series on the Women's Entertainment cable television network. The show chronicled the lives of ordinary women who do extraordinary things in their communities. During the same time period, Allen directed, co-produced, and co-starred along with her sister Phylicia Rashad in the critically acclaimed PBS Special The Old Settler .

Allen's film work is also quite extensive with her last project being the successful and highly acclaimed Dream Works production, Amistad – the story of a famed mutiny aboard a slave ship in 1839. With Debbie Allen producing, Amistad was the first film that Steven Spielberg chose to direct for Dream Works. Written by David Franzoni, and Academy Award winner Steven Zaillian, Amistad brought to life the dramatic and heroic story that Allen has possessed for more than 10 years – a credit to her dedication and passion for the film.

Perseverance and passion are no stranger to Allen, who received favorable notices for her role as Richard Pryor's feisty wife in the semi-autobiographical film, JoJo Dancer, Your Life is Calling . Her other feature films include Milos Foreman's Ragtime , and The Fish That Saved Pittsburg , which she also choreographed. Allen also directed the feature film Out of Sync , starring L.L. Cool J, Victoria Dillard, Yaphet Kotto, and Howard Hesseman. Set in the underground world of rave music, this film told the story of a down and out DJ trying to get his life back on track.

Allen received two Emmy's and one Golden Globe for her role as “Lydia Grant” in the hit series, Fame . She then forayed from acting to directing; first with the series Fame , followed by Family Ties , Bronx Zoo , and the Fresh Prince of Bel Air before taking the reins of NBC's A Different World as director and producer in 1988. By steering the creative thinking toward pertinent issues on a college campus, Allen's leadership helped A Different World place in the Nielsen's ratings top five on a consistent basis. More recently, Debbie Has directed episodes of The Parker's , and The Twilight Zone , and she has continued to appear in television commercials, and prime time episodic television series such as The Division . Debbie Allen continues to be one of the most sought after director/producers in the television industry.

Debbie Allen got her start on Broadway in the chorus of the show Purlie , which brought her instant recognition. She then proceeded to perform in Raisin , and the 1979 production for West Side Story for which she received the prestigious Drama Desk Award, as well as her first Tony Award nomination. Allen received another Tony Award nomination in 1986 for her role in Bob Fosse's Sweet Charity . In 1988 Debbie went behind the scenes of the theatre to choreograph the new American musical Carrie with the Royal Shakespeare Company. In addition, Debbie Allen holds the distinction of having choreographed the Academy Awards for five consecutive years.