School Staff & Faculty

Kathy Thibodeaux

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," which 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, including 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 companies, 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.

Anna Joyner

SCHOOL OF THE ARTS DIRECTOR

Anna Joyner was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. She began training with Ballet Magnificat! at the age of 4 and was inspired by watching the company perform when she was 8 years old. This awakened a desire to share the love of Jesus through her dancing so that others would come to know Him.
At age eleven, Anna was selected to play the part of "Little Amy" for the next three years in Ballet Magnificat!'s A Christmas Dream. Anna was a member of Magnificat! Youth Ballet in high school, performing with the group for four years, and acting as Team Captain for one.
Her teachers included Tracey Thompson, Suzanne Sanders, Hannah Beaver, and Brittany Bischoff. She is grateful for the encouragement and training they poured into her while she was a student in the Ballet Magnificat! School of the Arts.
Anna attended Ballet Magnificat!'s Summer Dance Intensive for four years and was selected to be a part of the Pre-Professional level at the intensive, performing the ballets Deliver Us and Will you or Won't You.
Anna joined Ballet Magnificat!'s Trainee Program in 2014. In 2015, she was selected to be in the Events Company and began performing with them for the next two years, traveling locally and across the world to Honduras, Guam, and East Asia. In 2017 she was promoted to Student Apprentice with the Company, in August of 2018 she was promoted to Senior Apprentice, and in August of 2020 she was promoted to Company Artist.
In August of 2022 Anna retired from her role as a Company Artist and became the Magnificat! Youth Ballet Director. In June of 2023 she stepped into the role of School of the Arts Director. She is excited to use her experience to teach students in the place where she was trained herself! In November 2023, Anna married Zakary Joyner and together they reside in Jackson, MS.