Kathy Thibodeaux

Kathy Thibodeaux is co-founder and Artistic Director of Ballet Magnificat!.

Born Kathy Denton, she studied under American Ballet Theater’s Albia Kavan and Rex Cooper at the Jackson Ballet School (later Ballet Mississippi). In 1976, she married Keith Thibodeaux, a former child actor and musician, best known for playing "Little Ricky" in "I Love Lucy" and "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour" television shows. (He was credited for those series as Richard Keith.) In 1978, Kathy became one of Jackson Ballet Company’s first contracted dancers, dancing as a principal until 1986.

After becoming a Christian in 1979, Kathy’s desire was to serve and honor her Lord Jesus with the gifts He had given her. She began to see dance as a way to express worship and praise to God. God gave her a greater joy in her dancing, and her motivation for dancing – worship – began to manifest itself in her performances. When people often could not put their finger on what was “different” about Kathy, she knew it was very simple: The reality of Jesus had changed her life.

Kathy stepped into the spotlight of the international dance world in 1982, winning a silver medal at the II USA International Ballet Competition which rotates between Russia, Finland, Bulgaria, and Jackson, MS. For the third contemporary round in that competition, against the advice of many, Kathy chose to express her faith in a dance to Sandi Patty’s "We Shall Behold Him".

Longing to see the art of dance restored to the church for the glory and honor of Jesus Christ, in 1986, Keith and Kathy founded the Ballet Magnificat! Tour Company. Kathy had a vision for something totally unheard of – a touring Christian ballet troupe that would dance to the glory of God. She envisioned Christian dancers coming together for the purpose of glorifying God in dance. In addition to bringing people into worship, Kathy wanted the group to be an outreach ministry in which dancers would share the love of Jesus with their audiences.

With space donated by Belhaven College, and the help of Kathy’s friend and choreographer Gregory Smith, the fledgling company - the world’s first professional Christian ballet company - was soon dancing and touring across the country.

Now in her 50s, Kathy is still a principal dancer and choreographer with the Ballet Magnificat! Alpha Company.