Debbie Allen, the six-time Emmy-winning actress, producer, director, and choreographer, is partnering with the new Disney Junior show “Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes” to showcase the transformative power of dance. The animated series follows Kiya, a 7-year-old girl who loves dance and martial arts and, along with her friends, uses magic crystal headbands to activate superpowers that help them bring joy and peace to the world.
Allen’s dance academy will lead lectures that demonstrate how dance builds community at Los Angeles elementary schools, inspired by Kiya’s story. The academy, which was founded in 2001, provides classes for kids, elders, and cancer patients, filling a void in the arts for many people.
Debbie Allen has a storied career that includes being an executive producer, director, and actress on the hit ABC medical drama, “Grey’s Anatomy,” for almost a decade. Her character, Catherine Fox, is the urologist married to Dr. Richard Webber, the former chief of surgery at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.
What keeps viewers coming back to “Grey’s Anatomy” for 19 seasons, according to Allen, is the show’s focus on real-life issues and emotions. The show has tackled the COVID-19 pandemic, reproductive rights, love, betrayal, and competitiveness.
Many viewers can see themselves in the show and have been inspired to pursue a career in the medical field, especially young women. The show’s legacy, according to Allen, is already determined, and it will be watched and rewatched for years to come.
Debbie Allen’s partnership with “Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes” spotlights the transformative power of dance and shows how communities can come together through the arts. The show premieres on Disney Junior and Disney+ on Wednesday, March 22 at 4 p.m.
