Debbi Jo Thibeau

Debbi Jo Thibeau has been immersed in the world of dance since the age of two. She was born in St. Louis, Missouri to a mother who was a professional dancer (and the daughter of one of the original Rockettes) and an engineer/opera singer father. Her two younger brothers have danced for the New York City Ballet, on Broadway and on television, but she also counts among her family some 15,000 dancers who have made her Dance Concept their home since 1973.

Debbi Jo's dream of providing a comprehensive and supportive home for dancers young and old became a reality in the early 1970s. After three location moves and a name change (formerly Froman Dance Studio), Dance Concept settled into its current home in 1989. Since then, the students she and her staff have trained have found careers in all aspects of the entertainment industry. DC students have gone on to major ballet companies (New York City Ballet, Joffrey Ballet Chicago, Ballet QuadCities) and won national and worldwide awards including the Rudolph Nureyev Scholarship, A.C.E. and Jazz Dance World Congress Choreography Awards. They have danced on Broadway (Movin' Out, Billy Elliot, Pal Joey, An American in Paris), in movies (Black Swan, The Muppet Movie, Center Stage, Across the Universe), on television (SMASH, SNL, Victoria Justice, Flesh and Bone), in commercials (Fruit of the Loom, LG, Capezio), on tour (Sky Blu of LMFAO) and in music videos (Black Eyed Peas, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift). Others have found careers in choreography, entertainment law and dance photography. Debbi Jo began her dance training in St. Louis studying under Carmen Thomas. She continued locally with Buster Cooper, Ed Holleman, Larry Howard and Fernando Schaffenburg. Her national dance education included the best: Gus Giordano, Joe Tremaine, Frank Hatchett, and Rick Sullivant. She is a past member of Fort Worth Ballet, Fort Worth Opera Association, and for many years was the choreographer/lead dancer of Granbury Opera House. Debbi Jo is an honor graduate of TCU, a member of Alpha Lambda Delta honor fraternity and Delta Delta Delta sorority. She has five brothers, loves to scuba dive and garden, and is mother to her pride and joy Nick Utter (founder and president of N8 Visuals). In October 2014 she and Kevin Thibeau began life as a married couple.

Debbi Jo Q & A

Favorite dancer of all time?
Ann Reinking

Favorite dance movie of all time?
I adore Black Swan, Saturday Night Fever and All That Jazz, but my all-time fave has to be Singing in the Rain.

Favorite dance step?
A perfectly executed pirouette.

Who is your rock star/musician alter ego?
Whitney Houston

Hobbies?
Gardening, cooking, entertaining and beaching.

Best life lesson you’ve learned from dance?
If you want anything, you have to work very hard, sacrifice some things, but enjoy the process along the way. Don’t give up…choose your battles…always be kind to those around you…no matter what their age.