Try looking a little more closely. The long sleeves of her black warm-ups and sleeves stand out among the tights-and leotards crew. Her regal appearance marks her as the Snow Queen, a rare role that she plays. She is a watchful observer and occasionally corrects from the sidelines. After that, she will fold into a jackknife and stretch out on the floor, becoming, once again, like every other dancer in this room. The two-hour rehearsal of “The Return of the Snow Queen,” comes to an abrupt halt. The music stops, and the effort of dozens of dancers is combined in a collective whew. How’s Thibodeaux feeling? She says she is tired and then laughs. Thibodeaux will be celebrating her 50th anniversary of dancing on the Jackson stage in “Return of the Snow Queen,” Dec. 15-16 at Thalia Hall. Thibodeaux’s sister Mary Denton was helping to clear out boxes when she found an old 1968 program. This was the night Jackson Ballet Guild presented “The Shoe Bird”, a ballet by Eudora Welty, at Jackson Municipal Auditorium. Kathy Denton was a Wren in the April 20, 1968 cast list. “How old was i?” She says she must have been twelve. It’s unbelievable! It’s been 50 years and, by the grace God, I’m still alive.” And, I still dance. “Can you believe it? It amazes us all,” Cassandra Voborsky, trainee director, marvels. Thibodeaux, cofounder and artistic director at Ballet Magnificat!, soared past many milestones in 2016. The Christian ballet company celebrated its 30th anniversary and Keith, her husband, celebrated 40 years together. She retired from touring and dancing in 2017 to go semi-retirement. She is now celebrating another milestone on the same stage that launched her career. This is the same stage she performed under Thalia Mara’s tutelage, after whom the auditorium was named. It is the same stage she won the senior women’s silver medal at the II USA International Ballet Competition in 1982 (IBC). This is the same stage on which she performs her Ballet Magnificat at least once per year. She shares her faith with local audiences. It’s also the stage on which she passed the torch to John Meehan (jury chairman) for the lighting the USA IBC XI flame. The story ballet “The Return of the Snow Queen” is inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s classic. It tells the story of a young girl who bravely rescues her friend from the Snow Queen’s evil spell. Faith in God is the powerful weapon against all worldly temptations, as shown in this story. It is a large production that features extravagant costuming, costumes, makeup, and sets. The show’s 75 dancers are trainees and company dancers. It also includes about 150 School of Arts students. Thibodeaux admits that she wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to perform the title role. She is a fan of the role. She has a long career as a playwright, and loves the challenge of playing sexier characters. She teases that Voborsky did not give her any breaks. “I said, ‘Jiri, I’m 62! “I’m supposed to be toning my body down… but it has been good,” Voborsky smiles confidently. He dances in the production as well and he laughs when he realizes that “we’re both puffing and huffing” at the end. All of the dancers are. Thibodeaux may have more stage time and more dancing this time, but he says, “That’s more God’s fault, I would suggest,” he chuckles. It’s important because it tells the story. That’s the goal. The mission has been the ministry since its inception. Ballet Magnificat has grown over the decades since its 1986 founding. Ballet Magnificat has grown from a small company, which many initially doubted, to a leader in Christian dance that is accessible to audiences around the world. It boasts two professional companies, Alpha and Omega, with 15 dancers each. There are also two levels of trainees with around 20 dancers each. The School of the Arts is also available. Ballet Magnificat! The Ballet Magnificat! Husband Keith suggests that she would have been dancing for longer in “normal” ballet, but not as long. He says that the only thing that drives him to persevere is the passion for dancing for something you believe in. “I believe Kathy’s faith has propelled them, in their dance, for all these many years.” Ballet Magnficat!’s “The Return of the Snow Queen,” performances are at Thalia Mara Hall at 2 p.m. December 15 and 16. BalletMagnificat.com and 601-977-1001 are the best ways to get tickets.