Debbie Allen, one of the biggest names in the entertainment and dance industry, has recently moved her acclaimed Dance Academy into a permanent facility that provides spacious, state-of-the-art studios in Los Angeles, California. The Rhimes Center for Performing Arts support’s the nonprofit organization’s commitment to diverse programs and encourages more participation in dance and theater arts amongst young dancers in the LA community.   

The design team at Gensler transformed and added to a former warehouse space to create a two-story dance center and performance space. The top-tier facility contains a 200-seat theater and five dance studios as well as the Berry Gordy Control Room, the D.A. Fly Aerial Room named for Will and Jada Pinkett Smith; the Chandra Wilson Education Center, the Wallis Annenberg Performance Space honoring Wallis Annenberg; and the Kobe Bryant “Wall of Light” which features the names of major sponsors.

The new 25,000-square-foot performing arts facility triples DADA’s previous space, expanding from four dance studios to five, larger studios, and also features classrooms. The team at DADA chose Harlequin Floors to outfit all of the dance studios, complete with sprung dance floors topped with vinyl marley performance surfaces as well as Harlequin Glassless Mirrors and both Harlequin Freestanding and Wall-Mounted Ballet Barres. Three of the studios were equipped with Harlequin’s WoodSpring® sprung floor system topped with the beloved Harlequin Cascade™ vinyl marley floors. Harlequin’s Contracts team also installed WoodSpring in the remaining two dance rooms, finished with a prefinished maple hardwood surface. 

For more information on Debbie Allen Dance Academy visit: https://www.debbieallendanceacademy.com/. 

For information on Gensler visit: https://www.gensler.com/.