Debbie Allen gives the Sugar Plum Fairy a makeover in “Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker.” A new trailer for the upcoming Netflix documentary sees the “Fame” actress and choreographer reimagining “The Nutcracker” and transforming the classic ballet with her students at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy (DADA).
“As a young girl ‘The Nutcracker’ was so important to me, but I decided to take it on with different styles of dance and music and make it fun,” Allen explains in a new trailer for the doc.
“She’s a groundbreaker,” we’re told of Allen. “The woman has choreographed the Oscars 10 times.” One of the Emmy and Golden Globe winner’s students describes DADA as “a family,” and it’s clear that Allen is trying to teach the dancers more than choreography. “Where are you trying to go in life?” she asks. “Every day is not just a rehearsal for ‘Nutcracker’ — it’s a rehearsal for the rest of your life.”
The doc highlights “dancers of all ages and backgrounds who come to train at the academy each year regardless of their socioeconomic circumstances or traditional expectations of the dance community,” according to its official synopsis
“Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker” launches on Netflix November 27. Shonda Rhimes is among the project’s exec producers.
