biography
Robert Steven Mack is an award-winning filmmaker, arts and culture writer and is currently a company artist with City Ballet of San Diego.
Robert is also a writer who covers a variety of topics related to arts and culture and public affairs and has been published in The New Criterion, Law and Liberty, American Purpose and Arts Fuse. He has been a recipient of writing and humanities fellowships from the Hertog Foundation. He has been a research associate to American Purpose,
Originally from Irvine, CA, Robert recently graduated with a Master of Public Affairs (MPA) in Media, the Arts and Public Policy from the Indiana University O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He also graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Indiana University in 2021 with a BA in History with Honors, a minor in Classical Civilizations, and a BS in Ballet from the Jacobs School of Music.
Robert began formal ballet training at 13 at Lauridsen Ballet Centre in Torrance, CA. He trained at summer intensives at American Ballet Theatre New York, Royal Ballet, the Princess Grace Academy in Monaco and Ballet Arizona. At IU, he trained with Michael Vernon, Kyra Nichols, Carla Körbes, Christian Claessens, Sasha Janes and Sarah Wroth. While attending IU, he has danced professionally with American Ballet Theatre at the Metropolitan Opera House, Indianapolis Ballet and Ballet Project OC. With Indiana University Ballet Theatre, he performed in Jerome Robbins' "The Concert," Mark Morris' "Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes" and "Sandpaper Ballet" Martha Graham's "Diversion of Angels," Anthony Tudor's "Dark Elegies," and Christopher Wheeldon's "Carousel: A Dance," among others. Joining Indianapolis Ballet in 2022, Robert has been featured in works by George Balanchine, including Waltz Boy in "Serenade," Phlegmatic in "The Four Temperaments," "Allegro Brilliante," "Rubies" and "Tarantella," as well as in Victoria Lyras' "A Midsummer Night's Dream" as Oberon and Septime Webre's "Romeo and Juliet." Robert joined City Ballet of San Diego for the 2024-2025 season.
As a filmmaker, Robert seeks to expose audiences who don't go regularly to traditional performances to the art of ballet through stand-alone storytelling rather than pure choreography. He is interested in both narrative and documentary work. He most recently produced, directed and starred in "Dancing Man," which won Best Local Film at the Bloomington Indiana Film Festival and Best Score at the Montage Film Festival. Previously, he directed "North," a music video shot on Super 8 mm to a score by John Raymond, which earned Honorable Mention at the 2024 Covent Garden Film Festival in the UK, and "Chisel," winner of "Best Performances" at the Black and White Film Festival and has been selected for numerous other festivals and showcases. His first dance film, "Shift," won Best Film at the Wildsound LA Feedback Film Festival, Best Scripted Film at the Montage Film Festival, and Best Costuming at the Idaho Screendance Festival. His follow-up, "Midnight in the Park," featuring Carla Korbes and Kyra Nichols, was recently screened at the Hoosier Films Annual Festival. He also produced and co-wrote "The Table Read" which can be streamed on Hoosier Films. Robert can also be seen as an actor in "Table Read" and in the short film "Graduation." He is a member of SAG/AFTRA.
Robert is also a writer who covers a variety of topics related to arts and culture and public affairs and has been published in The New Criterion, Law and Liberty, American Purpose and Arts Fuse. He has been a recipient of writing and humanities fellowships from the Hertog Foundation. He has been a research associate to American Purpose,
Originally from Irvine, CA, Robert recently graduated with a Master of Public Affairs (MPA) in Media, the Arts and Public Policy from the Indiana University O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He also graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Indiana University in 2021 with a BA in History with Honors, a minor in Classical Civilizations, and a BS in Ballet from the Jacobs School of Music.
Robert began formal ballet training at 13 at Lauridsen Ballet Centre in Torrance, CA. He trained at summer intensives at American Ballet Theatre New York, Royal Ballet, the Princess Grace Academy in Monaco and Ballet Arizona. At IU, he trained with Michael Vernon, Kyra Nichols, Carla Körbes, Christian Claessens, Sasha Janes and Sarah Wroth. While attending IU, he has danced professionally with American Ballet Theatre at the Metropolitan Opera House, Indianapolis Ballet and Ballet Project OC. With Indiana University Ballet Theatre, he performed in Jerome Robbins' "The Concert," Mark Morris' "Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes" and "Sandpaper Ballet" Martha Graham's "Diversion of Angels," Anthony Tudor's "Dark Elegies," and Christopher Wheeldon's "Carousel: A Dance," among others. Joining Indianapolis Ballet in 2022, Robert has been featured in works by George Balanchine, including Waltz Boy in "Serenade," Phlegmatic in "The Four Temperaments," "Allegro Brilliante," "Rubies" and "Tarantella," as well as in Victoria Lyras' "A Midsummer Night's Dream" as Oberon and Septime Webre's "Romeo and Juliet." Robert joined City Ballet of San Diego for the 2024-2025 season.
As a filmmaker, Robert seeks to expose audiences who don't go regularly to traditional performances to the art of ballet through stand-alone storytelling rather than pure choreography. He is interested in both narrative and documentary work. He most recently produced, directed and starred in "Dancing Man," which won Best Local Film at the Bloomington Indiana Film Festival and Best Score at the Montage Film Festival. Previously, he directed "North," a music video shot on Super 8 mm to a score by John Raymond, which earned Honorable Mention at the 2024 Covent Garden Film Festival in the UK, and "Chisel," winner of "Best Performances" at the Black and White Film Festival and has been selected for numerous other festivals and showcases. His first dance film, "Shift," won Best Film at the Wildsound LA Feedback Film Festival, Best Scripted Film at the Montage Film Festival, and Best Costuming at the Idaho Screendance Festival. His follow-up, "Midnight in the Park," featuring Carla Korbes and Kyra Nichols, was recently screened at the Hoosier Films Annual Festival. He also produced and co-wrote "The Table Read" which can be streamed on Hoosier Films. Robert can also be seen as an actor in "Table Read" and in the short film "Graduation." He is a member of SAG/AFTRA.