'BEAUTY AND THE BEAST' Making a career leap of faith

Michael Lewis began studying dance in the third grade.
By ASHLEE OWENS
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
The girls are impressed. The guys are often perplexed.
But regardless of what anyone thinks of his dancing, Michael Lewis has persevered. And come May, he'll be the first male to graduate from Ballet Western Reserve in Youngstown. The 17-year-old senior will also graduate from Ursuline High.
Before he dons a cap and gown, Lewis will wear a cape as Beast in Ballet Western Reserve's November performance of "Beauty and the Beast."
At a rehearsal for the show, Lewis sat on a windowsill in BWR's dance studio, reminiscing about his past and laying out his future. His love of dance began in third grade, when he saw tap dancing on television. He enrolled in a pre-tap class at BWR and advanced to the second level of four within a month. Normally, one level is mastered per year. In fourth grade, Lewis took up ballet. Modern and jazz dance followed.
He progressed, despite often being the only guy in classes filled with girls.
Teasing
"A lot of guys, when I first started out dancing tried to make fun of me and bring me down like, 'That's gay; only girls dance,'" said Lewis. "But I've never been one to conform to what other people want. I always say that if you love what you do, then just go for it and do it with your all."
Far from being influenced by the boys around him, Lewis exerted an influence of his own. Anita Lin, artistic director at BWR, said that Lewis has inspired other young male dancers.
"They have just looked up to Michael like one of their idols," Lin said. "So they figured that if Michael can do it, they can do it too."
Lin said more boys are now taking Irish step, tap and ballet at BWR. "I think he's set such a great example. And in this area where football rules, and sports rule, Michael's the one who's stayed with us, who's stuck it out," said Lin.
His future
After high school, Lewis plans to study dance at Winthrop University in South Carolina and to get his teaching certification.
College, when so many talented young dancers opt to "go professional" directly out of high school.
"Get a degree in fine arts even though you're in a fine- and performing-arts area," said Lin. "Anything can happen."
She speaks from experience. After several years of dancing professionally, Lin was dropped from a dance lift. Her doctor told her to find another profession. "I never would have been the artistic director of Ballet Western Reserve if I didn't have a degree in teaching," Lin said.
Lewis plans to follow Lin's career path -- to dance professionally after college and, ultimately, teach and direct. "I want to own an establishment like Ballet Western Reserve because it's been such a positive influence throughout my life," said Lewis, adding that his mother has been a huge support. "It's taught me so much about being yourself and having confidence."
The respect is mutual. Lin called Lewis "a wonderful student and dancer and also a wonderful person.
"He's at the top of his level now," she said, "and he's still so generous, so kind to the smallest little mouse."
Literally.
In "Beauty and the Beast," all the younger dancers take the stage before Lewis, as a peaceful French village is painted through dance. "Butterflies" flow across the stage, "bakers" display their goods and little ballerina "mice" scavenge for crumbs.
Lewis enters as Beast midway through the first set. Until his part, he sits patiently on the floor, observing and chatting quietly with friends.
First rehearsal
At the first rehearsal, the children ran through their roles once and then a second time. Finally Lewis came on. Lin apologized for the delay. "And he said, 'Oh, that's OK; that's exactly what you need to do to get the performance strong,'" Lin recalled.
Lin enjoyed a silent moment of pride. This was the young man she'd worked with year after year, and it had paid off. He'd gotten it.
"He understood that this is the profession he's choosing," said Lin, "and to get to the finished product that the audience will see, you have to go through a lot of hard work."