<Tr> <Th> Awards </Th> <Td> 1982 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography (Fame) 1982 Golden Globe Award for Best Actress--Television Series Musical or Comedy (Fame) 1983 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography (Fame) 1991 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography (Motown 30: What's Goin' On!) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Website </Th> <Td> Debbie Allen Dance Academy Debbie Allen Twitter </Td> </Tr> <P> Deborah Kaye "Debbie" Allen (born January 16, 1950) is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, television director, television producer, and a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities . She is perhaps best known for her work on the 1982 musical - drama television series Fame, where she portrayed dance teacher Lydia Grant, and served as the series' principal choreographer . She currently portrays Catherine Avery on Grey's Anatomy . She is the younger sister of actress / director / singer Phylicia Rashad . </P> <P> Allen was born in Houston, Texas, the third child to orthodontist Andrew Arthur Allen Jr. and Pulitzer Prize - nominated artist, poet, playwright, scholar, and publisher, Vivian (née Ayers) Allen, She went on to earn a B.A. degree in classical Greek literature, speech, and theater from Howard University . She holds honoris causa Doctorates from Howard University and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts . She currently teaches young dancers . She also taught choreography to former Los Angeles Lakers dancer - turned - singer, Paula Abdul . Her daughter, Vivian Nixon, played Kalimba in the Broadway production of Hot Feet . </P>

Who plays catherine avery on grey's anatomy