Everyone loves a good redemption story. Now, one of those stories is coming to the city – through dance, Ballet Columbus Director Laura Beth Berry told The Dispatch.

Berry said her dance school has invited the touring ballet company Ballet Magnificat! to perform its show “The Prodigal’s Journey” at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 6 at Vibrant Church, 500 Holly Hills Rd.

“All of their performances are designed to share the Gospel,” Berry said. “All wholesome, good stories, and just beautiful ballet.”

Ballet Columbus is a dance school that was founded in 1989 by Cynthia McCaskill in an effort to “return the arts to Christ,” Berry said.
The school typically teaches tap and ballet to students ages 3 and up in the area.

However, when Berry saw the chance to invite Ballet Magnificat! to the area, she leapt at the opportunity to bring the professional dance company to Columbus.

“It’s been a long time since we have had professional ballet,” Berry said. “I remember 30 or 40 years ago, we had a production of ‘Rodeo’ at (Mississippi University for Women). Maybe then another ‘Nutcracker.’ But I haven’t seen anything in a long time. We’re due.”

Ballet Magnificat! was founded by Kathy Thibodeaux, who won the silver medal at the II USA International Ballet Competition. She founded the Jackson-based company in 1986, a press release from the company said, along with a school of the arts bearing the same name a few years later.

The touring company presents more than 200 programs each year throughout the United States and abroad, including to audiences in Germany, Puerto Rico, the Netherlands, Greece, Costa Rica and more, the release said.

The show the company will be presenting, “The Prodigal’s Journey,” follows the company’s guiding desire to “see the arts restored to the church, and to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the largest possible audience through the medium of dance.”

“Life in a small town is shaken up when a young man forsakes his loving family in an ambitious attempt to find freedom and enjoyment in life,” a show summary reads. “Heartbroken, his father struggles to forgive him and eagerly awaits his return. The journey the young man thought would bring pleasure only produces sorrow and regret. In desperation, after reaching the lowest point in his life, the prodigal son returns home and is shocked to be received with open arms and forgiveness from his father.”

Berry said she has a long history with Ballet Magnificat!, as growing up in Hattiesburg, her path and Thibodeaux’s overlapped during annual performances of “The Nutcracker” at the University of Southern Mississippi. After her many years of admiring Thibodeaux as a dancer, Berry said she is excited to bring the “phenomenal” group to the area.

Tickets for the performance are available online and are $30 each.

Ballet Columbus is also hosting a workshop for dancers of different skill levels at 4 p.m. Feb. 5, Berry said, allowing area dancers to enjoy learning from the professional company. This includes beginner and intermediate workshop classes.

Berry said this is the second time Ballet Columbus has offered the workshop with Ballet Magnificat!, with the first being in 2019. Getting to watch young dancers learn from professionals, she said, is always exciting.

“For a young dancer to look up to somebody like that and meet them in person is just a neat experience,” Berry said.

Tickets to the beginner or intermediate/advanced workshops are $60 each. There will also be a “Princess Ballerina Class” for dancers ages 3-6 that will cost $20 to attend. Tickets to the performance and workshops are available at buy.tututix.com/balletcolumbus