Dancing on top of the world
Brooklyn Mack beat all odds.
"We dance for
laughter, we dance for tears, we dance for madness, we dance for
fears, we dance for hopes, we dance for screams, we are the dancers,
we create the dreams."
On June 30, 2006, the senior silver medal was placed around Mack's neck. The dancer received the second highest honor in the ballet world at the prestigious USA International Ballet Competition (IBC) in Jackson, Miss. Mack was one of only four American medalists.
For two weeks, 99 dancers from 24 countries performed in the three round competition, many eliminated along the way. When the jury chairman Bruce Marks said, "And now the silver medal goes to the man who bears the name of my city, Brooklyn! Brooklyn Mack has a jump that legends are made of. He literally hangs in the air." Tears streamed down Mack's face as he accepted the medal and hugged his teacher, trainer, and "second dad," Radenko Pavlovich of Pavlovich Dance School and Columbia Classical Ballet.
When Mack was 12 years old, he fell in love with ballet when he went on a field trip to the first LifeChance performed by the Columbia Classical Ballet. At the time, he thought dance would help him with his basketball and football. When he asked Pavlovich to teach him. Pavlovich thought to himself, That boy doesn't stand a chance . But Mack proved him wrong. He rode the bus from Elgin, walked to the studio in Forest Acres, practiced hard, then walked to meet his mtoher when she finished her nursing shift at Providence Hospital. He did this six days a week for years. "I have never seen anyone that determined in my life," said Pavlovich. "He is not only a very good dancer; he is a very good young man."
Brooklyn Mack with his teacher, Radenko Pavlovich, at the USA IBC.
After training with Pavlovich, Mack began dancing with the American Ballet Theatre in New York, but he came back to Columbia to perform in LifeChance this past year and then to train with his teacher for the USA IBC.
"In Jackson, Brooklyn competed with the best male dancers in the world today. He won over accomplished medalists and principal dancers of major companies in the world. There were no politics at all. Brooklyn won strictly on his own," said Pavlovich.
People at the competition told Pavlovich, "The audience will love Brooklyn, but don't expect him to win." Pavlovich thought, We'll see.
While in Jackson, Pavlovich said he worked with Mack on placement. He told him not to push, to calculate, to focus. "Brooklyn listened and followed my instructions," said Pavlovich. His teacher did not allow Mack to take any lessons while in Jackson or to watch any other dancers. There could have been so many distractions.
"Security was unreal. The press were everywhere. One of the most heartfelt things at the competition was the way the young men cheered for each other. The support was unbelievable," said Pavlovich.
The Pavlovich Dance School is the only dance school in South Carolina holding a senior silver medalist.
Mack said he hopes his win will inspire other African-American youth to pursue the arts, "so they can see they can follow their dream no matter what race or background they have. It's a beautiful thing."
Brooklyn Mack (c) stands with other winners of the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Miss. (l-r) Jeffrey Cirio, junior bronze medalist; Denys Cherevychko, junior silver medalist; Brooklyn Mack, senior silver medalist; Daniil Simkin, senior gold medalist; and Radenko Pavlovich, Mack's teacher and trainer.
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