Ballet Magnificat!, a Christian ballet touring company, began with a soul-searching moment by dancer Kathy Thibodeaux nearly 20 years ago.

Thibodeaux, who began dancing at 6 and made her international debut in 1982, began to question the direction of her life as a member of Ballet Mississippi in 1986.

“I came to know Jesus, and through prayer I said, ‘Is this where I’m supposed to be?’ I was seeking His will for my life,” said Thibodeaux. “God gives us gifts and talents and He gave me the gift of dance and I felt he wanted me to use it for His glory. I didn’t know how this would happen, but to just trust in the Lord to do it.”

Thibodeaux founded Ballet Magnificat! Tour Company in 1986, attracting dancers from professional companies worldwide and later from within Ballet Magnificat!’s own school and trainee programs.

In 2005, Ballet Magnificat! expanded to include an additional full-time professional tour company. The companies perform across the United States and internationally 10 months every year and annually hosts about 450 students from around the world at the company’s Summer Dance Intensives and Teachers Workshops every year in Jackson, Miss.

On Saturday, Friendship United Methodist Church will bring Ballet Magnificat! to Athens Middle School auditorium, where the tour company will dance the contemporary “Story of Ruth” beginning at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $5.

Thibodeaux is married to Keith Thibodeaux, who as a child actor played the role of Little Ricky on the old “I Love Lucy” sitcom. She said when she founded the dance company, many told her the general public would not support a company devoted to Christian dance.

“But we’ve been around the country many times and out of the country,” she said. “It’s been a truly amazing 20 years sharing the gift of Jesus through dance.”

Cindy Haney of Athens saw Ballet Magnificat!’s “Story of Ruth” in Jackson, Miss., in February 2004, along with Friendship Methodist Associate Pastor Steve Dorning and Youth Pastor Jody Hooven.

“We were blown away,” said Haney. “From that time on, we were committed to bringing it to Athens.”

“Ruth” is based on the Biblical story of Ruth and is set in Spain in the early 1900s. Both Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth are widowed and migrate to America through Ellis Island.

“From a technical standpoint, this is very different but beautifully done,” said Haney. “It tells the story of Ruth and Naomi beautifully with Boaz coming through as the kinsman. It emotionally touches you. It is very, very moving and the costumes are gorgeous.”

Haney’s 16-year-old daughter, Mallory Haney, along with Elizabeth Moore and David Kayok, also of Athens, have studied with Ballet Magnificat!’s Summer Dance Intensive in Jackson for the past four summers. The intensive is a four-week course in which participants dance from four to six hours daily.

“I’m pretty tired at the end of the day, but I absolutely love it,” said Mallory. “It is a Christian environment where you learn how to use dance to glorify God. It’s a pretty great experience.

Mallory has been studying ballet since she was 4 and hopes to someday be accepted as a dancer with Ballet Magnificat! Her dedication is evident. She dances five nights a week, from 5:15 to 9, and Saturday with Huntsville Community Ballet. She wears out a pair of $70 point shoes every week to two weeks.

“It pretty much breaks my parents on those,” said Mallory. “The bottom is a shank of wood that often breaks and the toe box is made of burlap and glue and the sweat wears them down and they don’t support you.”

Mallory said she is not stereotypical ballerina given to starvation to keep her lithe figure.

“Eating disorders are very prevalent in the secular ballet, but in Ballet Magnificat! we are taught to see ourselves through God’s eyes and believe that we will have everything we need to dance. They definitely discourage eating disorders.”

Mallory’s dance studies leave time only for school, dance and church. She hopes to dance with the professional touring company.