KATHY THIBODEAUX
Founder of Ballet Magnificat!
Principal Dancer
Kathy began her dance training at the age of six with the Jackson Ballet School under the direction of Albia Kavan and Rex Cooper. When the Jackson Ballet Company became a professional company in 1978, Kathy was one of the first contracted dancers and soon became Principal dancer, a position she held until 1986. During her tenure with the Jackson Ballet (later Ballet Mississippi) she appeared as the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, the Pigtail Girl in Graduation Ball, Odette in Swan Lake Act II, Taglioni in Pas de Quatre, and had leading roles in Les Sylphides and La Bayadere Act II. She has danced lead roles in John Butler’s Othello, Todd Bolendar’s Stillpoint, Jean-Paul Comelin’s Daughter of Morning, and William Christensen’s Bravura, as well as such traditional grand pas de deux as Don Quizote, Le Corsair, and Raymonda. In 1982, Kathy was awarded a silver medal for her performance at the II USA International Ballet Competition where she premiered her solo piece We Shall Behold Him. She was featured in the 90 minute ABC/PBS documentary,"To Dance for Gold". She has been a teacher at the USA International Ballet Competitions and has been asked to perform for several of their Gala's. Her desire to use her God-given talent of dance to share her faith in Jesus Christ led Kathy to resign from Ballet Mississippi and found her own company, Ballet Magnificat! In her home state of Mississippi in 1983, Kathy Thibodeaux Day was proclaimed by order Governor William Winter. A commendation by Governor Ray Mabus was issued in 1989 and a resolution commending Kathy was also given by the Alabama Senate in 1998. In 2006, Kathy authored a childrens book based on her ballet "A Christmas Dream" which she choreographed. In 2008, Governor Haley Barbour of the State of Mississippi along with Peavey music Founder Hartley Peavey presented her with the annual Peavy Award of Excellence. Kathy is married to Keith Thibodeaux, drummer and former child actor on the I Love Lucy show. Kathy and Keith have one daughter, Tara, a dancer also, who married college star and NBA player, Bryce Drew.