Brooklyn Mack facts for kids

Brooklyn Devon Mack is an amazing American ballet dancer. He is currently the Interim Artistic Director of Columbia Classical Ballet, a role he started on November 11, 2021.

Early Life and Discovering Ballet

Brooklyn Mack was born in Elgin, Kershaw County, South Carolina. He is the youngest of four children. An interesting fact about his name is that his sister chose it! When a nurse needed a name for his birth certificate, his sister quickly told her "Brooklyn Devon Mack" before his mom could say anything.

When he was 12 years old, Brooklyn saw a performance by the Columbia Classical Ballet. He learned that ballet could actually help football players. So, he and his mom made a deal: he would try ballet if he could also go to a football tryout.

His mom took him to Pavlovich Dance School. She asked if he could get a scholarship. Even though the school didn't usually offer scholarships, they agreed to give one to Brooklyn. The only condition was that he had to take classes six times a week, which he happily accepted!

Two years later, he received another scholarship to the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington D.C. He was the only African American student there and trained for three years. He also attended summer programs at the School of American Ballet in New York City.

A Career in Dance

Brooklyn Mack's professional dance journey began in 2004. He became an apprentice with Joffrey Ballet in Chicago. The next year, he joined the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company.

In 2006, he started dancing with Orlando Ballet as a principal dancer. This means he performed many of the main roles. In 2009, he joined The Washington Ballet. He also took part in their community programs, helping to share ballet with more people.

He was recognized as one of Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch" in 2012. Brooklyn also competed in several international competitions. In 2012, he won the senior gold medal at the Varna International Ballet Competition. He was the first African American dancer to achieve this!

In 2015, The Washington Ballet performed Swan Lake for the first time. Brooklyn was chosen to dance the role of Prince Siegfried. Misty Copeland, another famous African American dancer, was Odette/Odile. This was a historic moment, as it was the first time two African American dancers performed the lead roles in Swan Lake together.

Also in 2015, he danced with the English National Ballet as a guest artist. He even toured with them to the famous Palais Garnier in Paris. He has also performed in special galas with dancers from other top companies like American Ballet Theatre and New York City Ballet.

In 2018, Brooklyn Mack decided to leave The Washington Ballet to explore new opportunities. He then made a guest appearance at the Hong Kong Ballet. In June 2019, he performed in American Ballet Theatre's Le Corsaire. He danced the roles of Conrad and Ali, stepping in for an injured dancer without even having a dress rehearsal! In August 2019, he returned to English National Ballet as a guest artist until January 2020. During this time, he danced in Le Corsaire, Christopher Wheeldon's Cinderella, and the company's 70th anniversary gala.

On November 11, 2021, Mr. Mack became the Interim Artistic Director of Columbia Classical Ballet.

Personal Life

Brooklyn Mack is a father and has one son.

Famous Roles He Has Danced

Brooklyn Mack has performed many important roles in ballet. Some of his famous roles include:

• George Wilson in The Great Gatsby (he was the first to dance this role!)
• Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake
• Crassus in Spartacus
• Basilio and Espada in Don Quixote
• Conrad and Ali in Le Corsaire
• Albrecht in Giselle
• Romeo in Romeo and Juliet
• Benjamin in Cinderella

Awards and Special Recognitions

Brooklyn Mack has received many awards for his incredible talent:

• 2006: Silver medal at the USA International Ballet Competition
• 2007: Princess Grace Award
• 2009: Silver prize at the Helsinki International Ballet Competition
• 2012: Named one of Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch"
• 2012: Grand Prix at the Istanbul Ballet Competition
• 2012: Gold medal at the Varna International Ballet Competition