Magnifying God Through Dance!
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In 1986 The world premier Christin ballet company, Ballet Magnificat! was formed. The beginning was not easy, but today it is very successful, and tours the world!
How did it all start? Kathy Denton began taking dance classes when she was 6 years old. She trained at the Jackson Ballet School, and joined the Jackson Ballet Company (now Ballet Mississippi) in 1978. After her sister Amy died in a car accident at the age of 16, Kathy began to awaken to spiritual matters. A little later, she met Keith Thibodeaux, a drummer in a Christian band, David and the Giants, and perhaps best known as Little Ricky from the I Love Lucy television show. Three months later, they married, and Kathy gave her heart to the Lord. (A Ballerina's Dream Come True)
When Kathy became a Christian, she had a hard time deciding whether or not to continue ballet professionally. She finally decided that because the Lord had given her the talent, she should use her talent to glorify Him. (Ballerina's Dream Come True: The Lord and Dance) In 1982, she had an opportunity to live out her faith.
The Internationale Ballet Competition had come to Jackson, Mississippi! As part of her repertoire, Kathy chose to dance to the song We Shall Behold Him during the competition. Although she was pressured by her superiors not to dance to a Christian song, she stuck with it, and went on to win the silver medal.
Now she had the chance to become a member of any ballet company she chose! However, giving up the high-paying and prestigious jobs, Kathy Thibodeaux went on to start the world premier Christian ballet company, Ballet Magnificat! (A Ballerina's Dream Come True: God's company, balletmagnificat.com/A_history)
At first, Ballet Magnificat! used space loaned them by Belhaven College in Jackson, Mississippi. Through God's providence, in 1989 they were able to open the School of the Arts in their own studio. They currently teach over 400 children and trainees there each year, passing on the art of glorifying God with the dance. The company is committed to putting God first, while receiving excellent training. (balletmagnificat.com/G_dance)
That same summer Ballet Magnificat! began the Summer Dance Intensive and Teacher's Forum. Students come from all over the nation and the world to learn from Ballet Magnificat! for 2-4 weeks. It's also a chance for teachers to come and to be refreshed.
Today Ballet Magnificat! is being abundantly blessed. It currently has two touring companies, that go all over the world bringing God's light through the gift of dance. They also strive hard not to neglect being held accountable, to each other and to the church body.
Their missions statement is as follows: To present the gospel of Jesus Christ to the widest possible audience through the medium of dance, dance/drama and personal witness. To help in the restoration of dance as a worshipful part of the life of the Church, by exploring with congregations the part that movement and action can play in the expression of faith. To present public performances for special audiences, such as children’s homes, hospitals, prisons, and senior citizen’s centers, in recognition of their special place in the eyes of God. To provide a visual and artistic witness to the arts community in particular. (balletmagnificat.com/A_history : Missions Statement)
Ballet Magnificat! currently also has a trainee and apprentice program, designed to train dancers to prepare for a professional career in dance, often as a part of their own company. It is a 2-4 year program, after which they let the trainee go, or invite them to join the touring company. In all they do, they strive to keep their hearts focused on God, starting each day with prayer and devotions.
Their most current production is the Biblical story of Ruth, which will be premiered December 2005. It was choreographed by Jiri Sebastian, who is in charge of the trainee program. The touring program is also available to be booked by anyone desiring to bring them to their community.
As Ballet Magnificat! continues to grow, they remain focused on magnifying God, through the beautiful art of dance.
Works Cited
Christian Reader article, A Dancer's Dream Come True
Ballet Magnificat's website, http://balletmagnificat.com