▁Mississippi , ▁as ▁a ▁young ▁child ▁and , ▁except ▁for ▁a ▁short ▁time ▁in ▁California , ▁has ▁lived ▁there ▁all ▁of ▁her ▁life . ▁She ▁began ▁bal let ▁classes ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁six ▁with ▁the ▁Jackson ▁Bal let ▁School , ▁was ▁a ▁compet itive ▁sw immer ▁winning ▁many ▁tro ph ies ▁through ▁her ▁school ▁years , ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁cheer le ader ▁during ▁her ▁j r . ▁high ▁and ▁high ▁school ▁days ▁at ▁Ch st ain ▁Jr . ▁High ▁School ▁and ▁Manh attan ▁High ▁School . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁she ▁married ▁Keith ▁Th ib ode aux , ▁a ▁former ▁child ▁actor ▁and ▁music ian ▁who ▁appeared ▁on ▁I ▁Love ▁Lucy ▁and ▁The ▁Lucy - Des i ▁Com edy ▁H our ▁television ▁shows ▁and ▁later ▁drum mer ▁for ▁the ▁ground bre aking ▁Christian ▁rock ▁band ▁David ▁and ▁the ▁Gi ants . ▁ ▁They ▁have ▁one ▁daughter , ▁T ara ▁Th ib ode aux ▁D rew , ▁a ▁dan cer , ▁teacher ▁and ▁ch ore ograph er , ▁who ▁is ▁married ▁to ▁former ▁NBA ▁player ▁and ▁college ▁basketball ▁coach ▁Bry ce ▁D rew , ▁and ▁one ▁grand son , ▁Bry son . ▁▁ ▁At ▁the ▁Jackson ▁Bal let ▁School ▁( l ater ▁Bal let ▁Mississippi ), ▁Kath y ▁studied ▁under ▁American ▁Bal let ▁Theatre ’ s ▁Al bia ▁K avan ▁and ▁R ex ▁Cooper . ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁Jackson ▁Bal let ▁Company ▁turned ▁professional ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁under ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁Th alia ▁Mar a , ▁Kath