By Walter Rutledge
Happy Birthday to one of the dance world’s icons Debbie Allen. We had the opportunity to talk to Ms. Allen about a wide range of her life experiences from segregated dance classes in her native Texas, to heartless rejection and finally coming into her own in New York City. We pay tribute to a living dance legend and activist born on January 16th.- Walter Rutledge
In 2015 O&A NYC Editor-in-Chief Walter Rutledge interviewed Debbie Allen at the Faison Firehouse Theater for Dance Noir Magazine (DNM). The print article would discuss her relationship with Katherine Dunham. The video was produced as visual notes for the upcoming Dunham article. When the magazine suspended publication, out of respect for DNM Founder/Editor-in-Chief Carol Lloyd, we held the material with hopes of eventually printing the article for DNM. After eight years Ms. Allen’s words remain relevant, inspiring and informative and should be shared. We call this first installment Empathy. Continue reading
Optimistic an urban contemporary gospel song by vocal and instrumental ensemble Sounds of Blackness, was released as the group’s first single from their debut studio album The Evolution of Gospel (1991). 
Here and Now (1989) by music icon Luther Vandross, is from the compilation album The Best of Luther Vandross… The Best of Love. The song became Vandross’ fifth single to peak at No. 1 on the Hot Black Singles, and his first single to chart in the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 6. 
Judah Stretch Animation‘s bible movie Birth of Christ gives young audiences a version of the Nativity like never before experienced. 
