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Debbie Allen turns 71 years old today, and you wouldn’t believe it the way she still finds it in her body to move and dance. Allen began dancing at the age of 3 years old and by the age of 4 she had become determined to be a professional performers. Fortunately, her loving parents enrolled her in dance classes at the age of 5 and the rest was history. Debbie Allen studied privately with a former dancer from the Ballet Russes and later after her family moved from her hometown of Houston, Texas to Mexico City, she danced with the Ballet Nacional de Mexico. Her talents have taken her across the world as an overall entertainer and today she continues to keep the dance community alive and thriving.

Mrs. Allen shares a birthday video to Instagram this morning simply put, “This is 71. Thank you for all the birthday wishes!” She highlights in the video that, “This is what 71 looks like. Honey, join the club if you’re lucky. See you in class.”

Even on her birthday she’s headed to class to teach and inspire the next generation of performers, and we believe that’s the secret to her effortlessly aging well into her 70s with vibrance, grace and class. Debbie Allen continues to foster the dance community with her company Debbie Allen Dance Academy (DADA). DADA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization committed to expanding the reach of dance and theater arts for young people.

The founder and visionary recently announced that she will provide intensive dance training to middle school students. Debbie Allen’s academy offers training at the highest level in dance and performance arts with a certified educational curriculum. It isn’t an easy program to be accepted into, but it is proven that all of her students go onto have great success in the entertainment world.

Debbie Allen is a gift that must be cherished and celebrated. Her moves continue to bring us so much joy years later. She continues to provide us with entertainment, and she was especially a light during the early quarantine months often sharing on her live special dance classes to get people up and moving safely in their homes.

The birthday queen wears many hats. As executive producer of ABC’s hit television series Grey’s Anatomy, founder of a premiere dance studio and academy, and entertainment extraordinaire, Debbie Allen has been giving to the entertainment industry for years and we appreciate her for all of her many gifts. Today, we celebrate the gift that keeps on giving to the dance community and beyond.

It’s the content for us with today’s leading acts. We are enjoying her most on this new Facebook Messenger series with Cardi B where Mrs. Allen teaches the rap superstar some new moves.

Happy Birthday, Debbie Allen! Thank you for continuing to keep dance alive and sharing your amazing gifts with the world. We love you!

Happy Birthday, Dance Legend: Debbie Allen Keeps Dance Alive For 68 Years  was originally published on globalgrind.com