Debbie Allen has officially joined the Barbie club. The legendary dancer, director, and cultural icon has been immortalized as the newest member of Mattel’s Barbie Tribute Collection.
For Allen, seeing herself as a Barbie doll feels both humbling and surreal.
“Just getting a Barbie was everything,” she told theGrio in a recent interview. “I mean, I’ve gotten a lot of things and a lot of really wonderful accolades for work, but becoming Barbie was really very special and different from all of these things. I was so excited!”
The new doll gives a nod to the 75-year-old’s iconic look from Fame, where she portrayed tough-love choreographer Lydia Grant. This particular role put the actress on the map, making her the first Black woman to win a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a television comedy or musical.
When Allen looks at the doll, she says she sees every version of herself, from the young dancer chasing dreams to the award-winning director and proud mom she is today.
“Oh, my goodness, I see that Debbie on Fame, that’s for sure. Who traveled the world with a show called Fame that really used the arts as a diplomatic ambassador to help uplift and inspire the world,” she shared. “[Who was at] the height of her dancing [career]. That Debbie who ran off to do Sweet Charity with Bob Fosse. That Debbie, who started directing all the shows all over television. And the Debbie that became a mom for the first time with Vivian. That’s what I see when I look at my Barbie that I love so much.”
For the S.W.A.T. star, the honor goes far beyond personal recognition.
“It’s wonderful for children to see that image of themselves in me,” she said. “And for any child I work with, whether they’re Black, Latin, white, or Asian, for them to be able to touch someone and then see their Barbie, that’s a big deal.”
Through the Debbie Allen Dance Academy and Debbie Allen Middle School, she continues to build pathways for young people to dream big and move with purpose. That mission, she says, is what keeps her inspired. “These things are just bigger than me personally,” she reflected.
“For me, it is a mission of purpose and [is] very targeted and focused, to give young people a real glimmer and a path of light, because that is something that we don’t have enough of. Right now. There’s just so much arguing and fighting and blaming all over the place, and at some point we need leadership that speaks of the positive part of the world that looks up in the sky, that sees the sun rise every day and set that, you know, gives homage to something more or greater than themselves. Personally, that keeps me going.”
Even after decades of groundbreaking success, the multi-hyphenate entertainer shows no signs of slowing down.
“I honestly feel like I have to keep going because I don’t know anybody [who] quite does all the things that I do. Where I’m sitting right now, and the amount of people that I can pull forward with me. The millions of children that I can pull forward with me, that is a real purpose in my life.”
And what would she tell “Little Debbie,” the girl from Houston, Texas who once played with Barbies before becoming one? “Keep going, stay curious the way you are right now, and never be afraid, and just know that your name is already written on that lit path where you going to go so child, put on your dancing shoes and kickball change up the lane.”
The Debbie Allen Barbie Tribute Doll is available now at Mattel Shop, Amazon, and select retailers. Get yours now and make sure that it is under your tree for Christmas.
Photo Credit: Debbie Allen Instagram
