Christian Ballet Company To Perform In Chapel

by Amanda Lewis, Student Newswriter

Ballet Magnificat! will perform selections from its full-length ballet production, "The Journey of the Prodigal Son," for Baylor University students during Chapel at 10 and 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 1, in Waco Hall. The performance is inspired by the Parable of the Lost Son found in Luke 15 of the New Testament.
Named for the Latin word meaning "to magnify Him," professional dancer Kathy Thibodeaux, along with her husband Keith, founded the group to fulfill their dream of spreading the gospel through the art of dance. The traveling company strives to "restore dance of worship to the church and to disciple dancers to spread the gospel to all nations" by performing in such countries as the United States, Canada, Greece, Belgium, Singapore and the Czech Republic.
"Since art often draws in people who might not otherwise come to a church setting, Ballet Magnificat! is a unique evangelistic tool. This group of talented young dancers performs with the sole purpose of glorifying and lifting high the name of Jesus Christ at their programs through prayer, testimony and personal ministry," according to the company's web site.
Company members have classically trained at the nation's finest ballet academies, as well as the group's own facility in Jackson, Miss. The Ballet Magnificat School of the Arts opened in 1989 and trains more than 400 students annually in the art of various styles of dance and the importance of spiritual growth.
For more information on Chapel or Ballet Magnificat!, contact the Office of University Ministries at 710-3517. Chapel can be viewed live at www.baylor.edu/um .