Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / June 4, 1992, edition 1 / Page 18
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Debbie Allen comes full circle at NCSA graduation ? Twenty-five years ago, the dancer/choreographer/director/producer was rejected by the NCSA. Saturday, she got her degree anyway By YVETtE N. FREEMAN Community News Editor Twenty-five years ago, a young dancer by the name of Debbie Allen auditioned for admission at the North Carolina School of the Arts. The young 17-year-old from Houston, Texas was told she wasn't meant to be a dancer. nI gave a great audition only to be told that I should go into something else; that my body was not right for dancing," Allen told the graduating class of the School of the Arts Saturday. She then strutted around the podium to prove to the audience that ? w i r T nothing could be further from the truth. The audience wholeheartedly agreed with yells, screams, and applause of approval. Allen was the keynote speaker at the ceremony held at thfc Stevens Center. She also received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree. During her address, she told the crowd that she wanted so badly to be a graduate of NCSA. However, in the end, the rejection gave her the strength and moti vation to keep striving for her dream. "In that one day, I learned a lesson that molded and shaped and directed my entire career. I got off the plane. My mother met me at the airport; tears streaming down my face. - I ran to embrace I her and she Dabble Allen gets to know one of her North Carolina relatives following the graduation ceremony. slopped me cold. And she said, 'You failed.' I said 'Mama, 1 was great in the audition.' She said 'You failed.' I said 'Mama, they used me to illustrate; to show the other people w hat to do.' She said 'You failed.' I said 'Mama, they didn't want me because I was black.' She said "You failed, Deb orah. You failed,' recalled Allen, now 42. "That was a challenge. It was hard to face the truth of the situ ation; that I failed. She was challenging me. She was em bracing me. She was teaching me that if I was going to wallow in self-pity, meander in self-doubt and justify my anger and hurt because of what 1 thought was somebody else's bad decision, then it was totally over for me, like that I had to deal with the truth that if 1 wanted a career, 1 had to learn how to be equal to the situation," she continued. Allen challenged the graduates that they themselves will have to be "equal to the situa tion" and believe in themselves and their abil ities. "The truth in your mind can become reality," she told them. "You can do it." Allen herself indeed became "equal to the situation," and with a vengeance. After graduating from Howard University, she made her Broadway debut in the production of Pur lie and later Raisin . In 1979, she starred in West Side Story, for which she received the prestigious Drama Desk Award, and the first of two Tony nomina tions. During the 1980s, she starred on the hit television series Fame , as dance teacher, Lydia Grant, for which she received two Emmys and a Golden Globe Award. . Then, in 1988, Allen took the helm of A Different World , the spinoff of the Cosby she has helped the show to rank consistent ly in the top five by dealing with such issues as apartheid, racism, date rape, and AIDS. Other shows in which Allen has direct ed include Family Ties , The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and Quantum Leap. Most recent ly, Allen showcased her directoral talents in the television movie Stompin' at the Savoy, which aired this past April. In addition to her directing duties, Allen has continued her dancing and choreography career. She choreographed both the 1990 and 1991 Academy Awards shows, and received her third Emmy Award in 1991, for her chore ography of Motown 30: What's Goin' On! Today, she is one of the most sought after talents in the television industry. "I have become the top director, producer, choreographer in television. I said the top dt Debbie Allen Is one of the top television directors end producers, ss well ss choreographers, In the industry. choreographer, director, producer. I did not say woman. I did not say black," Allen said with conviction and pride. "I have gone full circle. It may have taken me 25 years, but that's okay because here 1 am back at the North Carolina School of the Arts." During an interview following the cere mony, Allen stated that she harbors no ill will towards the school and felt no hesita tion to return as the commencement speak er. "When they called me, I said Honey, when is it? What time? Darling, I'll wear my best dress. When am I coming?,'" she said laughing. She also admitted that she chose to attend the ceremony rather than being home for her daughter's birthday. "She said 'Mommy, can't you tell them you don't feel good?' I said 'No, baby, 1 have to go because it's something 1 have to do,'" Allen explained. Allen is married to NBA All-Star guard Norman Nixon, and they have one daughter and one son. COMMUNITY EVENTS CALENDAR ?0J! How to Schedule Your Event: Send your information, con cisely and neatly printed or typed, to the Chronicle Calendar, 617 N. Liberty St., Winston-Salem, N.C. 27101, before 5:30 p.m. the Monday preceding the week in which your event will occur. Our_FAX number is (919) 723-9173. June What you want is what you get." McDonald's "Ask for me, Bennie McBride for the best price on any new Chevy, Geo or used car." HnbEftMl4* and Broad St Chevrolet ? Geo and Broad 722-4191 Bennie Mc Bride Printing on: ? Mugs * Award Plaques ? Plates ? T-Shirts ? Caps and much morel We guarantee satisfaction and on time delivery. Comer of Sixth and Trade St. 722-3324 25% OFF ON ANY AMOUNT OF DRY CLEANING Pre?nt This Coupon When Dropping Off Your Dry Cleaning And Receive 25% Off Your Ticket Total. 1 2-Day Turnaround Order must be picked up within 10 days of drop off to qualify for discount Excludes Wedding Dresses, Furs, Leathers, Suedes & Draperies. COUPON GOOD JUNE 4 TO JUNE 10 THURSDAY, JUNE 4 6 p.m. ? The WS/FC Board of Education 9 9 meeting scheduled for tonight has been can celled. ? There will be a Fire Prevention Festival at the Family Outreach Center, 1125 Highland Ave. For more information, call Mary Johnson at 773-7965. 7 p.m. ? The WS chapter of Self Help for the Hard of Hearing will hold its monthly meeting in room 211 of the American Red Cross build ing, 690 Coliseum Dr. For more information, contact Bonnie Richardson at 969-9878, or Danielle Malbasa at 777-1354. 8 p.m. ? The Little Theatre of WS will present The Little Foxes at the Arts Council Theatre, Hanes Community Center, 610 Coliseum Drive, today, Friday, and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sun day. Tickets prices Thursday through Saturday are $9 for adults, $7.50 for students and senior citizens, and $6 for children 12 and under. Tick ets for Sunday's performance are available at a $2 discount. For more information, call 725 4001. SATURDAY, JUNE 6 8 a.m. ? The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive at the WS Convalescent Center, 1900 W. First Street, until 12:30 p.m. 9 a.m. ? The Forsyth County Public Library's Annual Book Sale will be held in the auditori um of the main library, 660 W. 5th St, until 1 p.m. The price for all books is still $.50. Some sets, records, and audiovisual materials may be priced separately. For more information, call 727-2156. ? A free Community Networking, Capacity Building, and Empowerment Workshop will be held until 3 p.m. at the Winston Lake Family YMCA, 901 Waterworks Rd. A continental breakfast and lunch will be served. All youth ages six and up are encouraged to attend along with parents, community leaders, and residents. Transportation to and from this event will be provided to public housing residents by the Housing Authority of WS. For more informa tion on the workshop, contact Veronica Bitting at 723-1783. For transportation information, call Lucille Ransby at 727-8500. SUNDAY, JUNE 7 5 p.m. ? The Daughters of Isis of Sethos Court #105 will hold their annual musical recognition program at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, 795 NW Crawford Place. The public is invited. 6 p.m. ? The African-American student body of the class of 1973 of R.J. Reynolds High School will hold an organizational meeting to plan its 20 year reunion to be held in the sum mer of 1993. The meeting will be held at the American Legion Post, 526 Waughtown St For more information, call Fernandez at 777-8150, or Wanda at 765-7383, or mail your name, address and phone number to Class of 73, PO Box 13177, Winston-Salem, NC, 27110. MONDAY, JUNE 8 9:30 a.m. ? The YWCA, 1201 Glade SL, is offering a one-hour "Fit and Trim" class for mothers and children, beginning today. Mother's must be members of the YWCA, but children can attend at no cost. For more information, contact Heather Moricle at 722-5138. 7 p.m. ? The Women's Center at Forsyth Memorial Hospital is offering a free three- ses sion series on the benefits of nursing your baby and on the fundamentals of breastfeeding for expectant mothers and their families. The class will meet in the main lobby. To register, call 760-0122. 7:45 p.m. ?The YWCA, 1201 Glade St, will offer a snorkel in g class beginning tonight The cost is $36 for nine lessons. For more informa tion, call Jane Robinson at 722-5138. TUESDAY, JUNE 9 4:30 p.m. ? The Board of Directors of the Legal Aid Society of Northwest North Carolina, Inc. will meet at the Legal Aid offices, 216 W. 4th St The public is invited. For more informa tion, contact Kay House at 725-9166. WEDNESDAY, JUNE10 10:30 a.m. ? First Line: Beyond the Phone will present a free community forum on Sub stance Abuse Services will be held until 12 noon at the Miller Park Recreation Center, 400 Leisure Lane in meeting rooms A-B. 12 p.m. ? The Triad Minority Supplier Devel opment Council will hold its monthly meeting at the Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel, 1-40 and Guil ford Jamestown Rd. in Greensboro. Fore more information, call Janet Rumley at 373-2192. 7 p.m. ? The Forsyth County Genealogical Society will meet in the auditorium of the main library, 660 W. 5th St. The program topic will be "Warts and All" by Nelson Weller. Visitors are welcome. PU BLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS ? The WS Braves Beepball team needs volun- t, teer umpires and coaches. All practices are held at Hine Park on Home Rd. Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-8 p.m. For more informa tion, call 727-2505. ? Herbalist and author Steven Foster will teach a workshop at the Sawtooth Center for Visual Art on macro-photography with an emphasis on herbs as food, medicine, and flowers. The work shop will meet Thursday and Friday, June 11 and 12, from 9 a.m. -5 p.m. The fee is $66. Pre registration is required. For information and registration, call 723-7395. Please see page B5 CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS WITH FLOWERS "A COMPLETE SERVICE FLORIST SHOP " "Make Someone Happy Today With Flowers" Wire Orders and Credit Cards Welcomed 896-A N. Liberty St (Corner of Liberty and Patterson Ave.) 723-0364 Barbara K. Phillips, President 24hr Answering Service ?EoJIf3 BORDERMAN 661-0661 Custom Borders and Wall Printing with Paint ? Wont Bubble or Tear ? No Seams ? To Remove, Paint Over It ? Non-Flammable ? 50% Cheaper and Faster ? No Paper Involved Cliff Jones II, Owner Magnificent Sam's Beauty I Salon Relaxer Carefree Curl -?S8S8 with this coupon good through June 20. 1092 Q^> Q^> U ^ 616 Monmouth Street Winston-Salem, NC 27107 Contact Debra Boozer or JoAnn Albright (919) 784-4908 I North Carolina South Carolina Virginia Now Leasing Stations to Licensed Beauticians BE YOUR OWN BOSS! No Commissions Charged! Call EMMA'S PROFESSIONAL STYLING SALON for more information (919) 761-0987 2821 New Walkertown Road (Jetway Shopping Center) Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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June 4, 1992, edition 1
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