Legendary dance icon
and
Debbie Allen Vivian Nixon,
her daughter Passing the torch Interview: Chelsea Logan Photos: drew xeron Chelsea Logan: You’re here in DC for your production, Brothers of the Knight. Thousands of kids auditioned for this. What was the one thing you looked for? Vivian Nixon: Storytelling. There are so many gifted people in this world; they can do all the dance styles and retain the information. The biggest challenge I had was being in the room and seeing these talented people who lacked the ability to tell a story through their dancing. Who are you in the story? Where’s the joy? Where’s the passion? Debbie Allen: I’m looking for that sparkle, that spirit of the dance that just pervades their whole being and speaks about them before they even start doing a thing. You know, you can tell. I mean, I’ve had a lot of experience auditioning people, and I can do it rather quickly even though sometimes I let them linger and give them time, but I kind of know after I see them do a couple of steps. I know. CL: You mentioned that you look for the spirit of the dance. Is that something that can be taught? DA: That’s something they have or they don’t have. It’s not something that can be developed. Vivian has it; she has had it since she was little.
If you just change one person’s life, you feel like you’ve done something. But if you can change a whole lot of them and get them looking at themselves differently, it’s amazing.” —Debbie Allen DEBBIEALLENDANCEACADEMY.COM | BROTHERSOFTHEKNIGHT.COM 18 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
CL: You refer to Vivian as “the next great one.” What greatness do you see in her? DA: Vivian just has this thing about her. She’s so elegant. Her arms, her legs—they are so graceful. At the same time, she is very powerful. She’s dynamic, she can bring tears to your eyes, or she can make you laugh out loud. She’s got it. CL: What does it mean to you when you hear your mom refer to you as “the next great one,” Vivian? VN: That means pressure! [Laughs.] She sees things in people, and she sees things in me, and it means a lot ’cause my mom’s no BS and I respect her. CL: What has been the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome in your career? VN: My self-assurance and self-worth. I trained and worked really hard all my life in dance classes. I always fell into the shadows of my mother, and it was hard for me to really realize that I had done the work. Yes, she took me to the best teachers, but I did the work. CL: How have you been able to maintain your mother-daughter relationship and working relationship without the two colliding? VN: Space, respect, and girl time. It’s really important for us to find and carve out those moments where we get to be “Debs” and “Viv,” because she’s so busy. Sometimes, I just have to yank her in a room and be, like, “OK, Mom, we are going to sit down and watch The Real Housewives, and that’s it.” CL: Debbie, you’ve been in this industry for a very long time. What is your secret to longevity? DA: I’m driven by passion. I mean, I am tired right now. I work to a point of abandon. I am fueled by my understanding of the need for selfexpression that exists for young people. This production [Brothers of the