Quick Menu:   ABOUT   AWARDS   TESTIMONIALS   RESUME

ABOUT

Debbi Dee has earned the honor of being referred to as a “teachers” teacher.  She is known as a true technician as well as a Dynamic Stylist, Innovative and whose Energy is unsurpassed.

Her expanding knowledge can be seen on platforms through-out the United States and has taught Internationally as a “Master Teacher” in Japan, France, South America and Canada.

Debbi has been a guest faculty for “Tradition-In-Tap” in New York, National Tap Dance Day in Dallas, St. Louis Tap Festival, Motor City Tap Festival, So Flo Tap Festival and The Big Apple Tap Festival, where she has also been given the honor of hosting the history talks for many years.  Along with many other tap events through-out the U.S., she has held choreography positions as well as being a “Master Teacher” at Walt Disney World, Florida.

Debbi currently works on Convention Platforms for many major dance organizations.  Some of these organizations, past and present include: Dance Masters Of America, Florida Dance Masters, Dance Olympus, Dance Educators of America, Tap Dance  Detroit, Sheer Talent, Dance Teacher Summit, Intrigue, NADAA, DanZa, Northeast Workshop For Dancers, Dance Power Express, Chicago National Association of Dance Masters, Dance Makers, Dance Teachers Club of Boston and New Jersey, San Diego Civic Dance Association and many more.  She also has held guest positions at OCU (Oklahoma City University), University of Buffalo, many performing arts schools, private studios, and was Artist in Residence at Palm Beach Atlantic University where she continues to do master classes. She is also guest artist for Maltz Jupiter Theatre Conservatory program. Debbi was the first to hold “Tap Intensives” in Florida known as the “Debbi Dee Tap Intensive”.  These intensives were exclusively for dance teacher, assistants and advanced tap dancers and was recognized by Dance Teacher Magazine as a higher education course for teachers. This program was a certified program that Debbi continues to bring to private studios through-out the U.S. upon request.

During her prestigious teaching career, Debbi owned and operated her own dance studios in upstate NY.  Her technique has been documented on over 25 educational DVD’s and written training aids for teachers and are still sold through-out the world.  Debbi orchestrated and produced 27 LP’s, cassette and CD’s for Statler Records, and wrote 3 Manuals to go along with her tap intensive workshops. She is currently working on a Tap Workbook and also gives lectures on Tap and its rich history.

Debbi’s teaching career also brought her to faculty positions at some of the most prestigious dance studios in New York.  She held these faculty positions at Henry LeTang Studios, Hines and Hatchett, and Broadway Dance Center where she continues to be a guest faculty when her schedule allows, and Steps On Broadway as a guest teacher.  Debbi is a protégé” of Henry LeTang and cherished working side by side with him.  Debbi has won numerous awards for her choreography.  She also had the honor of choreographing and or assisting with countless Off Broadway Shows, Off Off Broadway shows, community theater as well as touring companies.  She choreographed routines for Star Search, Disney, Night Club Acts, fashion shows, Industrials, pageants, health clubs and or private coach to many stars and dancers.  She has worked with some of the biggest names in show business and values all of these adventures in her teaching career.  Earlier in her teaching career Debbi specialized in teaching special needs students and has always maintained that they taught her how to develop the Debbi Dee technique that she still uses today. She taught at Dance Camps, Eastman School of Music and hundreds of private studios.  She is proud of her many students and their accomplishments as they now own studios of their own along with careers on Broadway, Disney, Las Vegas, Rockettes, TV, Movies and World Cruises.

Debbi has received many honors for her teaching career.  In March 2011, Debbi was Honored with “The Living Treasure In American Dance Award” from OCU. (Oklahoma City University) She was also honored for her contribution in Tap Education from The Northeast Workshop For Dancers.  In 2015 Debbi was given a Lifetime Achievement Award from NADAA.  In 1980 Debbi was given the key to the city in Cartagena, Colombia when she was a judge for the Miss Colombia Pageant.  In 2016 she was given recognition from DanZa for her teaching career and most recently in September 2017 Debbi was given a Lifetime Achievement Award from ADCC, (the Association of Dance Conventions & Competitions).  Debbi has graced the covers of Dancer Magazine, Dance Teacher Magazine and The Dance Magazine of Florida.  She has also had numerous feature stories in Dance Magazine, Dance Spirit Magazine, Dance Teacher,  On Tap, Dancer, Dance News & Reviews, Inside Dance, Dance Studio Life along with many newspapers through-out the US and has been published in many of those same publications.

Debbi has performed professionally as a Soloist on National Tours, Off Broadway, Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, In Las Vegas at the Flamingo Hilton, The Dunes and The Jockey Club where she performed as an opening act for various stars.  She performed at USO shows, as well as touring on the State Fair circuit with “The Count Basie Orchestra and The Lawrence Welk Orchestra.  She performed on numerous television shows including the Original Ted Mack Amateur Hour at the young age of 8 years old.  She was featured with Frank Sinatra Jr. in his Celebrity Cabaret Night Club Live Show in Las Vegas. Debbi’s nightclub act took her to various stages through-out the U.S. where she sang and danced.  She experienced working on several movies and television sets. Debbi turned professional at 13 years old and although performing was a learning experience for Debbi, her heart was always intrigued behind the scenes from a very early age and loved the process of creating and or teaching.

Although tap has always been her first love, Debbi studied extensively in Ballet, Jazz and Voice training.  She also studied, baton twirling, (which today helps her with teaching and using props), piano, acting, and even did drum corps (where she learned how to do formations).

She has taught for over 50 years and yet feels that when you are doing something you love, it seems like just yesterday.  Debbi is now working with dance studios and their owners developing and or helping with their syllabus in tap and working along with their tap teachers in helping with their personal needs in teaching this great “art form”

Debbi’s DVD collection, CD collection and written material is now part of The Jerome Robbins Dance Division at Lincoln Center, New York Public Library.  Her DVD collection has also been donated to: University Of Buffalo, Oklahoma City University, Pace University, Maltz Conservatory, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Boynton Beach High School Magnet Program and various dance schools through-out the US.

Her professional reviews have often compared her to Eleanor Powell and Ann Miller, yet she has her own magical style.  Debbi continues to challenge herself and others to be the best they can be. As a teacher, you are always learning, and it is in that learning process you are able to pass down your craft.   She is often copied, but never duplicated, Debbi Dee is truly…Born To Tap.

"One of the most beneficial and rewarding experiences during my career as a dancing instructor was having the opportunity to study under Debbi Dee. Debbi Dee is an outstanding instructor."

Vilette Finke, Brenham, TX

---

"At the Tap Intensive we learned how to communicate to our students the necessary steps for effective tap technique... I have already started restructuring my tap classes and look forward to learning more from this inspiring and innovative instructor"

Nicole Trombetto, Boca Raton, FL

---

"Debbi took a lot of time to break down her teaching method for the class...She taught us how to teach. I use the material she provided every day. That notebook is like my bible"

Roxie Roy, Hollywood, FL

---