Debra Emerson Boyd
Director & Owner – Dance Fusion Company
Debra Emerson Boyd has been the proud Director and Owner of Dance Fusion Company since 2002. Owning a dance school and sharing her lifelong passion for dance has been a natural and fulfilling step in her career.
Debra’s professional journey began at the young age of eleven, performing with Ronnie Reddick’s City Slam. Since then, she has performed for countless major brands and productions, including Adidas, Microsoft, Reebok, Coca-Cola, Bill Graham Presents, E-Trade, Bloomingdale’s, Disney, FOX, Oracle, MTV, and more.
Her students—both current and former—have gone on to do remarkable things. Among them are Nick Lazzarini, winner of the first season of So You Think You Can Dance, as well as finalists Ryan Ramirez and Katy Sheen. Others have been accepted to and graduated from top universities and dance programs such as Juilliard, LMU, NYU, San Jose State, and Long Beach State. Her students’ professional accomplishments include appearances on The Voice, The Grammys, The American Music Awards, Dancing with the Stars, The X Factor, and House, as well as national commercials for GAP and Dr. Pepper, and even performances with the Göteborg Ballet in Sweden.
Debra’s passion for travel and global dance began early—at age 12, she performed at the World’s Fair in Australia and Fiji. Since then, she has taught and performed throughout the United States, Mexico, and Costa Rica. She has choreographed and taught master classes at Danceworks in San Jose, Costa Rica, and was a proud faculty member of the Jazz Dance Fest on the beautiful Guanacaste coast. She also brings her talent to New York City as one of the founding faculty members at SOCAPA (School of Creative and Performing Arts), an international summer intensive for young performers.
Debra has also choreographed and performed for numerous high school, college, and professional dance teams. Her credits include the Golden State Warrior Girls, San Francisco 49er Gold Rush, Orlando Magic Girls, Sacramento Kings Fast Break, San Francisco XFL dance team, and collegiate programs such as USC, UCLA, UC Davis, and BYU. She has served on the jazz staff of the United Spirit Association (USA) and has choreographed for many nationally ranked high school teams across the Bay Area.
Despite her extensive professional experience, Debra’s heart lies in teaching. She has taught at many of the Bay Area’s most respected studios, including Dance Attack (Sunnyvale & Mountain View), Teen Dance Company (Mountain View), and Yoko’s (Fremont).
Debra Emerson Boyd is a dynamic and passionate teacher, choreographer, and mentor. She is committed to creating an energetic and supportive environment where dancers of all levels can grow. Her teaching philosophy blends focus and fun, challenging each dancer to reach their full potential—on stage and in life. Surrounded by a talented team of teachers, dancers, and friends, Debra continues to inspire her students to dance—and live—full out.
Debra lives in Montclair, Oakland with her husband, their two beautiful daughters (ages 12 and 16), and a lively collection of pets—including two cats and a dog (she lovingly refers to it as “a zoo”). In her free time, she enjoys Pilates and traveling. If you’re ever heading off on an adventure, be sure to let her know—she loves hearing about new places and gets genuinely excited when others explore the world!
