Debbie Allen went viral after sharing a dance-floor moment with gospel singer Kirk Franklin at the 2026 EBONY Power 100 Gala. The interaction caught viewers' attention, especially since both artists had been married to their respective spouses for decades.Debbie Allen, 76, has been married to Norm Nixon, a former NBA player, since April 27, 1984. In 2024, the couple celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary, and together they have created a family and various creative endeavors.Who is Debbie Allen married to? Norman Ellard Nixon, who is also called Norm Nixon, is a former NBA player who played with the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Diego Clippers. Nicknamed "Stormin' Norman," he was picked 22nd overall in the first round in 1977 and led the Lakers to championships in 1980 and 1982. He was also named an All-Star during his stint with the Clippers in 1984-85.Debbie Allen and Nixon initially met in 1979 while working on the movie The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh. Allen acted in the film and choreographed some of it, while Nixon played basketball. Their professional introduction turned into a friendship, and they finally started dating.Nixon later recalled that he had more fun with Allen than the other ladies he was dating. The couple married on April 27, 1984.Their family consists of three children: DeVaughn Nixon, Nixon's son from a previous relationship, to whom Allen became a stepmother, and their two children together, Vivian Nixon and Norman Nixon Jr. Their daughter Vivian is also a dancer and actress, having played Dr Hannah Brody in 18 episodes of Grey's Anatomy. The couple has two grandkids through Vivian.Beyond their family life, Allen and Nixon have collaborated professionally. In 2001, they co-founded the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, with Nixon serving as its CFO and executive director.Debbie Allen, the actress who has been on Grey's Anatomy since 2011, reflected on their marriage in a September 2024 interview with PEOPLE, saying it was based on friendship and similar interests such as reading, movies, travel, and raising their children.She also admitted that their four decades together had not been without hardships.Allen told the publication:“Over 40 years, child, we've hit some rocks and hit some walls. But at the end of the day, we really love each other, and we sleep together every night, and we love our family.”How did the Debbie Allen and Kirk Franklin dance go viralThe viral moment occurred on Monday, November 9, at the EBONY Power 100 Gala, hosted at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles.Franklin was performing his song This Time when he left the stage and approached the fans. The gospel singer, dressed in a checkered suit, proceeded to sing while Debbie Allen, clad in a black evening gown and red wrap, turned around and began dancing near him.Some spectators compared Debbie Allen's moves to twerking. Franklin placed a hand on her shoulder, and Allen briefly caressed his face. Guests could be heard giggling during the exchange, and Debbie Allen stared at the camera before walking away. On November 10 and 11, clips of the interaction were shared on Instagram and Facebook, eliciting mixed reactions from viewers. Is Kirk Franklin married?Yes. Kirk Franklin and Tammy Franklin have been married since January 20, 1996.The pair met at a water park in Texas when they were both 18. They reconnected four years later and started dating again in March 1995, after Tammy called him. They got married the next year.When they married, both already had children from prior marriages. Tammy had a daughter, Carrington, and Kirk had a son, Kerrion. They later welcomed two children together: daughter Kennedy (born in 1997) and son Caziah (born in 2000).The couple has also spoken candidly about overcoming obstacles in their marriage. Tammy stated that they had attended marriage counseling on and off for four years, crediting therapy with improving their relationship.What is Franklin's This Time about?The song playing during the viral conversation was This Time, Franklin's collaboration with rapper GloRilla. In September 2026, he premiered the unreleased single on the Joe and Jada podcast, playing it for Fat Joe and Jadakiss.Fat Joe responded excitedly, telling Franklin:“That might be your biggest song ever right there.”Released on September 25, 2026, ahead of Franklin's album I Am What I Am, the song focuses on preserving faith in terrible circumstances. Franklin and a choir sing about adversity and God's protection, while GloRilla calls herself a "prayer warrior" and raps about being "blessed and highly favored."Stay tuned to Soap Central for more information.