Vivian Nixon
Encyclopedia
Vivian Nixon is a dancer who recently made her debut on Broadway as Kalimba in Hot Feet
. She is one of two children of former NBA
star Norm Nixon
and dancer/choreographer/producer/director/actress Debbie Allen
. She was named after her grandmother Vivian Ayers-Allen. Her aunt is actress Phylicia Rashad
and her younger brother is basketball player Norm E. Nixon Jr. Vivian took gymnastics until she was 13, but when a fellow gymnast fell and was seriously injured, her mother took her out of the sport. She went on to study at the Kirov Academy of Ballet
in Washington, D. C. and at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy in Los Angeles, CA.
While still in her final year of the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program in Dance, she was cast as Kalinda by Hot Feet's conceiver/director/choreographer Maurice Hines
. Hot Feet follows the classic storyline of The Red Shoes with a '70s funk facelift, and Kalimba is the ambitious girl at the center of it who can't stop dancing (literally).
She was named of the top "25 to Watch" by Dance Magazine in 2007.
Broadway: Hot Feet (Kalimba). Regional: Alan Johnson’s West Side Story (Anita), Bayou Legend (Sara), Pearl (Pearl), Soul Possessed, Dreams, Brothers of the Knight and The Chocolate Nutcracker. Tours: Joey McKneely’s European tour of West Side Story (Anita), Alvin Ailey II and Opera Ebony’s Harriet. Film: 500 Days of Summer, Great Observer and Bolden (all in post-production). Television: Glee, Eli Stone, Everybody Hates Chris, Songs of Soul and Inspiration, That’s So Raven, Cool Women and Polly. Ms Nixon has also been a feature performer on four of the Annual Academy Awards.
Hot Feet
Hot Feet is a jukebox musical featuring the music of Earth, Wind & Fire, a book by Heru Ptah and was conceived, directed, and choreographed by Maurice Hines. The musical opened on Broadway at the Foxwoods Theatre on April 30, 2006 and closed on July 23, 2006.Hot Feet is about a beautiful young...
. She is one of two children of former NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
star Norm Nixon
Norm Nixon
Norman Ellard "Norm" Nixon is a retired American professional basketball player for the NBA, who spent twelve seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers.-Early life:...
and dancer/choreographer/producer/director/actress Debbie Allen
Debbie Allen
Deborrah Kaye “Debbie” Allen is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, television director, television producer, and a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities...
. She was named after her grandmother Vivian Ayers-Allen. Her aunt is actress Phylicia Rashad
Phylicia Rashad
Phylicia Rashād is an American Tony Award winning actress and singer, best known for her role as Clair Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show....
and her younger brother is basketball player Norm E. Nixon Jr. Vivian took gymnastics until she was 13, but when a fellow gymnast fell and was seriously injured, her mother took her out of the sport. She went on to study at the Kirov Academy of Ballet
Kirov Academy of Ballet
The Kirov Academy of Ballet of Washington, D.C. is a ballet school that serves students in grades 7 through 12 and offers a high school diploma in addition to its dance instruction...
in Washington, D. C. and at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy in Los Angeles, CA.
While still in her final year of the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program in Dance, she was cast as Kalinda by Hot Feet's conceiver/director/choreographer Maurice Hines
Maurice Hines
Maurice Hines is an American actor, director, jazz singer and choreographer.Born in New York City, Hines began his career at the age of five, studying tap dance at the Henry LeTang Dance Studio in Manhattan. LeTang recognized his talent and began choreographing numbers specifically for him and his...
. Hot Feet follows the classic storyline of The Red Shoes with a '70s funk facelift, and Kalimba is the ambitious girl at the center of it who can't stop dancing (literally).
She was named of the top "25 to Watch" by Dance Magazine in 2007.
Broadway: Hot Feet (Kalimba). Regional: Alan Johnson’s West Side Story (Anita), Bayou Legend (Sara), Pearl (Pearl), Soul Possessed, Dreams, Brothers of the Knight and The Chocolate Nutcracker. Tours: Joey McKneely’s European tour of West Side Story (Anita), Alvin Ailey II and Opera Ebony’s Harriet. Film: 500 Days of Summer, Great Observer and Bolden (all in post-production). Television: Glee, Eli Stone, Everybody Hates Chris, Songs of Soul and Inspiration, That’s So Raven, Cool Women and Polly. Ms Nixon has also been a feature performer on four of the Annual Academy Awards.