By Nancy McCauley
You've probably heard these lyrics to Jet Song from Broadway's legendary musical “West Side Story” — “When you're a Jet, you're a Jet all the way.” Ryan Steele, 19, of Walled Lake became a member of the famous 1950s New York gang in July 2008, when he was cast to play the role of Baby John in the Broadway revival. Ryan's finger-snapping, high-energy moves have audiences on their feet with applause eight shows a week.
Leading the standing ovation at a recent Saturday night performance was his mother, Joan Steele, who is supervisor of food services for Huron Valley Schools. She's seen the show several times and brought three colleagues enjoy the “West Side Story” experience.
“Seeing a Broadway show is so different when you know someone in the cast” said Joan Steele. “I've told so many people at work about Ryan and his big break on Broadway, that my friends wanted to come and see him. He is just amazing.”
Ryan's cast picture is on the wall above Joan's desk at Highland Middle School and draws attention from students and staff. An aspiring young dancer attending the school tracked her down to tell her he is a huge fan of her famous son.
“It is such fun being Ryan's mom. At least a half dozen staff members have made the trip to New York to see Ryan in West Side Story. They met Ryan at the stage door after the show, and he made them feel special. He appreciates the visitors because he misses home.”
Steele began dancing at Walled Lake Dance Dynamics studio at the age of 6, attended Walled Lake Central and graduated from Clonlara School in Ann Arbor in 2008.
“I thought my career was headed toward concert dance, and was asked to join Ballet Austin (Texas), but it took an unexpected turn,” smiled the charismatic athletic blond dancer.
Ryan was in New York City in May 2008 for a dance competition. As he headed for the airport, a teacher suggested he audition for ‘West Side Story.”
“I didn't even have a song to sing for the audition,” Ryan shrugged. “I bought some sheet music for “Sixteen going on Seventeen” and took my shot.”
Within a couple of hours, he'd received a call-back and was headed toward a career in musical theater. Ryan survived several more singing and dancing auditions before receiving word last July that he would be part of the Broadway classic, pitting his razor sharp dance nightly against the Sharks' Hispanic-style moves.
The producers tested the show before audiences in Washington, D.C., before opening on Broadway March 19 of this year.
Ryan has completed more than two hundred performances, never missing a show.
Additional Factshttp://www.hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090917/LIFE/909170469&template=printart
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