Award-winning choreographer, performer and director Debbie Allen will receive the Television Academy’s 2021 Governors Award at the Emmys.  

The Television Academy made the announcement on Thursday, calling Allen an “industry trailblazer.” She will receive the award “in recognition of her numerous contributions to the television medium through multiple creative forms and her philanthropic endeavors around the world.”  

Allen was selected by the Television Academy’s Board of Governors, which she will receive during the 73rd Emmy Awards ceremony on Sunday, September 19. The Governors Award honors a person or organization in the television arts and sciences whose achievements are exceptional and universal, beyond Emmy Awards recognition. 

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“Debbie Allen has been a creative voice for a generation of performers and storytellers and has left an indelible mark on the television industry,” said Eva Basler, the co-chair for the Governors Award selection committee. “Debbie’s commitment to mentoring underserved communities has been nothing short of extraordinary. She has shared her gift and love of dance and choreography with countless aspiring performers across the globe.”  

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Allen’s career spans over 30 years. She has received three Emmy Awards in choreography for Fame and The Motown 25th, and other accolades including a Golden Globe, five NAACP Image Awards, a Drama Desk, Astaire Award and the Olivier Award. During her esteemed career, she has received four honorary Doctorate degrees and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.   

“This has been an amazing year for me,” Allen said, “To be celebrated by the Television Academy is an overwhelming honor that humbles me and says to my community of dancing gypsies, actors, writers and musicians that if you stay passionate about your craft and do the work, you can go far.”  

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