Faculty

Kathy Thibodeaux

TRAINEE FACULTY | ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

  • Kathy Thibodeaux 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 turned professional in 1978, Kathy was one of the first dancers to be contracted. Soon after being a contracted dancer, Kathy soared to the highest levels of the company, becoming a Principal Dancer, a position she held successfully 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 principal 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 Quixote, Le Corsaire, and Raymonda.

    In 1982, Kathy was awarded a silver medal for her performance at the II USA International Ballet Competition (IBC), where she premiered her solo piece We Shall Behold Him. She was featured in the 90-minute ABC/PBS documentary, “To Dance for Gold", where it documented her progress through the II USA IBC and her silver medal win. She has been a guest instructor at several of the USA International Ballet Competitions and has performed for their Gala in Jackson, Mississippi.

    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 1986. Through the creation of Ballet Magnificat!, Kathy has performed many ensemble, solo, and principal roles as well as choreographed several works for the company and these pieces include: Creation (1987), Regathering (1988), Light Eternal (1989), Joy (1989), Thy Kingdom Come (1989), A Christmas Festival (1991), Praise Magnificat (1992), Sanctuary (1992), sections of Savior (1996), Unveiled Hope (1997), Freedom (2002), A Christmas Dream (2006) sans the “Battle Scene”, and sections of Snow Queen (2011). In 2006, Kathy authored a children's book based on the ballet A Christmas Dream which she choreographed in honor of Ballet Magnificat!'s 20 anniversary.

    In 1983, “Kathy Thibodeaux Day” was proclaimed by order of Mississippi Governor William Winter, a commendation by Mississippi Governor Ray Mabus was issued in 1989, and a resolution commending Kathy was given by the Alabama Senate in 1998. In 2008, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, along with Peavey Music Founder Hartley Peavey, presented Kathy with the annual Hartley D. Peavey Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence.

    In February 2017, Kathy and Keith pioneered Ballet Magnificat! Brasil, a professional trainee program and performance company headquartered in Curitiba, Brazil. Later in 2017 Kathy transitioned from full time touring with the Alpha Company to oversee more of the day-to-day operations of the Company, Trainee Program and School of the Arts in the Jackson, MS office. She and Keith travel to Brazil several times each year to direct and build the Ballet Magnificat! Brasil program.

    Kathy’s passion for the Lord is so evident and she pours herself into serving God and His people through praising Him with the dance. She feels very grateful to be living this life of service and working with her husband, Keith Thibodeaux. Kathy and Keith have one daughter, Tara Drew, a dancer, teacher, and choreographer, who is married to Bryce Drew, former player in the NBA and the current men's head basketball coach at Grand Canyon University. Tara trained at Ballet Magnificat!, performed with the company for several years, and has set many works on the companies including The Arrival and Stratagem. Tara and Bryce Drew have one son, Bryson.

Sol Maisonet

REHEARSAL DIRECTOR | MASTER TEACHER

  • Ms. Sol Maisonet was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. At age 12 she started her training in classical ballet. Ms. Maisonet received many scholarships from the Puerto Rico Institute of Culture to continue training in Cuba and in New York City. Her instructors included Madame Maggie Black, Ramón Segarra, David Howard, Melissa Hayden, Juan Anduze, and José Pares.

    For more than 25 years, Ms. Maisonet performed professionally as a Soloist and Principal Dancer with companies such as Ballet Puertorriqueño, Ballet Theatre of San Juan, Ballet Concierto, and Ballets of San Juan. In 1983, she was invited by the government of Colombia to perform as a Principal Dancer with the “Ballet Nacional of Colombia,” under Artistic Director Ramon Segarra. During her time there, she danced as the lead role in several original ballets choreographed especially for her, such as "Val’s of Ravel," Stravinsky’s "Firebird," "Symphony in Three Movements," and "Ciclos."

    She performed principal roles in many classical ballets, including "The Nutcracker," "Les Sylphides," "Swan Lake," "Rites of Spring," "Tango Expectro," "The Merry Widow," George Balanchine’s "Rubies," "Serenade," "Who Cares."

    In 1990 she was invited to represent Puerto Rico in Barcelona, Spain, at the 5th Iberoamerican Festival. Performing Cuban choreographer Petra Bravo’s piece, “Que Signo Lleva el Amor,” she became a finalist. In 1992, she joined recognized choreographer Gabry Christa from Holland and Gloria Llompart from Puerto Rico to found the dance company "Danzadentro."

    In 1994 she once again represented Puerto Rico in Barcelona, this time with her own choreography, "Una Vez al Mes." Ms. Maisonet represented Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, performing in the Latin-American Dance Congress with Bravo's choreography, "Un Solo Dueto," and Gabry Christa's "Matutina.”

    Ms. Sol Maisonet has taught classical ballet since 1977. She developed and enhanced the Dance Department Ballet Curriculum for the School of the Arts in Carolina, Puerto Rico and choreographed for several children’s musicals including “Lilipun” and “Aladdin.”

    She has been the Guest Master Teacher for Summer Intensives at San Augustine Conservatory of Dance in FL, Rejoice Dance Academy in MS, Ballet Aviv in LA, and Ballet 5:8 in IL. She has served as the Ballet Magnificat Trainee Program Director and the Ballet Magnificat II Artistic Director. From 2001-2011 she served at Ballet Magnificat! as the School of the Arts Principal and developed the Upper School Ballet syllabus which is still in use today. From 2011-2016, she served as adjunct Dance Faculty for Belhaven University and was the Dance Ministry Ensemble Artistic Director. In addition, she served as Rehearsal Director for the fall and spring Belhaven dance concerts. She has trained many successful professional dancers during her career.

    Currently, Ms. Maisonet is the Ballet Mistress for Ballet Magnificat! Company and School of the Arts, and is a Rehearsal Director and Master Teacher for the Trainee Company.

Allie Milkey

TRAINEE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR | TRAINEE FACULTY

  • Allie Milkey was born and raised in Concord, NC, and attended college at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She joined Ballet Magnificat! in 2023, drawn by the opportunity to combine professional dance with gospel-centered ministry. After completing the Trainee Program and touring with the Events Company in 2025, she joined staff as Events Company Tour Director and Office Assistant. In March, 2026, she stepped into her current role of Trainee Administrator and Events Company Tour Director.

    Allie earned her Bachelor of Arts in Applied Dance and Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, graduating summa cum laude with University Honors and a Professional Training Certificate with Charlotte Ballet. During her time there, she explored the connection between faith and the arts through choreography, research in sacred dance, and Christian leadership on campus, even publishing research in peer reviewed papers.

    Allie has seven years of teaching experience and has worked with dancers of all ages across multiple styles. She especially loves teaching ballet and enjoys helping students build strong technical foundations while cultivating a deeper appreciation for the beauty and discipline of dance.

    Whether on stage or behind the scenes, Allie loves using her gifts to help make Jesus known through the beauty and power of dance.

    "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." – Colossians 3:23

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Jennifer Tyndall

TRAINEE FACULTY

  • Jennifer, from Rochester, New York, trained and performed with the School of Classical Ballet of Rochester and the Flower City Ballet, and also earned a degree as a Physical Therapist Assistant. Jennifer moved to Jackson to participate in the Ballet Magnificat! Trainee Program and performed with Ballet Magnificat! II. She also toured with Ballet Magnificat!'s professional company throughout the United States and internationally.

    Jennifer has been teaching since 1997 and currently teaches ballet in our School of the Arts, as well as ballet and conditioning classes in the Trainee Program, bringing her combined experience in art and science to the classroom.

    Jennifer is married to William, and is the mother of three boys, Dante, Kaden and Rylan, and a daughter, Layla.

Natalie Heard

TRAINEE FACULTY

  • Natalie Heard, born and raised in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia (Canada) finds great fulfillment in sharing her passion for dance and professional expertise to eager and willing students.

    Natalie became an Associate of the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) at the age of 18, after completing the RAD vocational examinations under the instruction of Janet Gittens. While Natalie’s student and teacher training was primarily RAD, and having received excellent results in all grade, vocational, and teacher examinations, she ventured to find her love and exuberance for the performing arts later after graduating high school, working with various coaches (Tania Brossoit, Annette Jakubowski, Suzanne Ouellette, and Beverley Bagg, to name the most influential), choreographers, and fellow artists across the world. Curious and excited to learn how to use professional ballet as a way to worship and glorify God, Natalie moved to Jackson, MS in the Fall of 2008, to continue pre-professional training with Ballet Magnificat’s Trainee Program. Her relationship with Ballet Magnificat has continued ever since in various degrees. After retiring from the Alpha Company in 2017, Natalie moved back to Canada to teach for several years, and in the meantime has set choreography for Ballet Magnificat’s Events Company. In May of 2023, she was invited back to be a full time teacher and choreographer in the School of the Arts! Natalie is overjoyed, and praises God for the opportunity to serve once again at Ballet Magnificat!

Cherie Pelser

TRAINEE FACULTY

  • Cherie Pelser was born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa and has been dancing since the age of four. From a young age, she has experienced dance as a form of worship in church and has participated as a dancer in musicals that sought to share the gospel through the arts. 

    Cherie’s initial training in ballet began recreationally in RAD (Royal Academy of Dance) and Cecchetti, completing Cecchetti exams from grades 1-5 under the tutelage of Karen-Koehn Jooste and Johan Jooste of West Coast Dance Academy. She trained vocationally from the ages of 12-15, completing all of the major exams in Cecchetti, RAD, and AIDT modern dance, as well as internal and external exams in Vaganova, Flamenco, Latin Ballroom, and Rhythmic Gymnastics. She also had the opportunity to study the French technique at the Paris Opera Ballet School for two weeks at their summer dance intensive. 

    After completing her exams in 2015, Cherie danced with Cape Town City Ballet from 2016-2017, participating in professional productions of Coppelia, Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Sleeping Beauty, and Romeo and Juliet. 

    In 2017, she left South Africa to join the trainee program at Ballet Magnificat! She graduated from the trainee program and was promoted to Student Apprentice with the company in 2020, and in August of 2022 she was promoted to Company Artist. Cherie has toured with the company to over 30 States and 17 different countries, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ through the medium of ballet. She retired from full-time dancing in July 2026. 

    Cherie’s teaching experience includes workshop classes in ballet, pointe, improvisation, and contemporary during her time in the company, as well as experience as a variations teacher for the galas of Ballet Magnificat’s Summer Dance Intensive in years 2022, 2024, 2025, and 2026. 

    She is excited to see what the Lord has in store for her students. Her prayer as a teacher is to help cultivate an understanding of dance as a gift from God and a form of worship to Him, as well as a craft to be honed and sharpened through consistent effort. Cherie believes that every dancer has something unique to offer, as we have all been created in His image for His beautiful purpose for our lives.