Natchez Ballet Academy, LLC

Mignon Reid, Artistic Director

Mignon Reid began dancing at Natchez Ballet Academy at the age of three.  She danced in performances of The Nutcracker, and the Natchez Historic Pageant from age eleven.  She danced as The Sugar Plum Fairy and Fanny Elssler when she was a senior in high school.  She was cast as a street urchin at Natchez Little Theater’s production of Little Shop of Horrors her junior year of high school.  She graduated in 1990 from Cathedral High School.  Mignon danced as a guest artist in The Nutcracker at Natchez Ballet Academy in 1994.  She moved to Atlanta,GA where she participated in theater classes with a local agency. 

Mignon attended the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg,MS, where she attained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Education.  She danced with the Southern Miss Repertory Dance Company, and was a member of the Department of Dance XTE.  After graduating, she moved to Raleigh, NC where she taught Dance and Intro to Theater at Wakefield Middle School.  She soon made the decision to move home to Natchez to purchase and continue the training at Natchez Ballet Academy.  She has been the artistic director since 2005. 

Mignon has choreographed for Natchez Little Theatre in productions such as Grease and Chicago.  She now directs The Nutcracker at Natchez Ballet Academy, and participates in many local activities providing dance works, including Fanny Elssler and Can Can in the Natchez Historic Pageant. 

Mignon is also the director of Natchez Junior Cotillion, a ballroom dance and social etiquette program for children grades 3 – 8.  It is held in the fall with the Holly Ball in December to complete the experience.

Recently, Mignon founded Natchez Dance Theater, Natchez’ first and only dance company.  The company will not only provide dancers many performance opportunities, but also outreach programs to the public, tuition assistance for underprivileged children, and professional guest artist workshops held annually.  Natchez Dance Theater was created for the purpose of providing Natchez and the surrounding area with a clearer knowledge of dance as an art form.