By Allison Watkinson
TLL Reporter
The Debbie Allen Dance Academy has partnered with Hasbro’s Entertainment One Studio for its new animated TV series, Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes.
The Debbie Allen Dance Academy, also known as DADA, is a non-profit organization committed to providing dance and performing arts education to youth across the U.S. and around the world.
Based in Los Angeles, DADA places a particular emphasis on supporting the education of the disenfranchised Black and Latino communities.
The licensing partnership for Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes was officially announced at DADA’s Free Community Block Party to celebrate Black History Month.
As the exclusive dance studio launch partner for the series, DADA will run Kiya-inspired lecture demonstrations for elementary schools located in California. The lectures will incorporate theme songs and elements from the upcoming series to teach how dance brings people together and builds community.
The Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes animated series follows the adventures of seven-year-old protagonist Kiya and her friends as they use magical crystals to become superheroes. The crystals transform Kiya’s passion for dance and martial arts into powerful abilities that allow her to spread joy across the South African inspired Kimoja City.
“The themes of Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes really resonate with me as they mirror much of what our dance academy instills in the young people we’ve inspired through the years,” said DADA founder, Debbie Allen. “Kiya inspires kids to tap into their unique passions to find power in who they are. Passions are what give the characters’ their superpowers and the series, like DADA, invites kids to see their own passions as heroic aspects of themselves.”
DADA’s Free Community Block Party event featured a licensed Kiya & the Kimoja Heroes booth that included a immersive experiences, life-size illustrations, a crystal-inspired hair station, photo opportunities, and giveaways.
“Kiya and the Kimoja Heroes is a show which celebrates confidence, diversity, and community. Kiya and friends are regular kids who transform their passions into powers to overcome challenges,”
said Entertainment One SVP, Jessica Murphy. “We’re thrilled to partner with the Debbie Allen Dance Academy given the work they do to inspire and drive confidence in children through dance and performing arts.”
Entertainment One Ltd. is an independent studio that specializes in the development, acquisition, production, financing, distribution and sales of entertainment content. The studio is a division of the global toy and entertainment company Hasbro.
Kiya and the Kimoja Heroes will officially premier this spring on Disney Junior and Disney+.
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