Philadelphia dance students learn from actress Debbie Allen

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Dozens of high school students spent Tuesday morning refining their dance skills and getting some tough love from one of the best in the business.

For 90 minutes the students danced to the sound of drums and intently listened to the instructor's voice.

But this was not just another class.

This year the Mann Center's Artist-in-Residency program partnered with award-winning dancer and ABC's Grey's Anatomy actress Debbie Allen.

The program consisted of master classes at Philadelphia's String Theory Charter School and the city's High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA).

Allen's daughter, Vivian Nixon, herself a professional dancer and actress, assisted.

Tuesday's classes were a once-in-a-lifetime experience, where students were able to get individualized feedback and insights from Allen, whose career spans more than three decades.

Her numerous accolades include choreographing the Academy Awards a record 10 times, three Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe for her performance in the television series "Fame".

But if you ask Miss Allen, these dance classes give her a different sense of fulfillment.

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