Ryan Sherk

Ryan (he/him) is an 18-year-old dancer from St. Catharines, Ontario with a very strong passion for the Arts. He began dancing hip hop at the age of 5, but as his love for dance quickly evolved over the years, he added many more styles to his repertoire. Ryan trains extensively in hip hop, jazz, tap, contemporary, lyrical, ballet, musical theatre and modern. He is a versatile artist who excels in each of these genres. Ryan has been a competitive dancer for the past eleven years. He currently holds the title of ‘America’s Teen Male Dancer of the Year 2021.’

Dance has opened the door to many exciting opportunities for Ryan. His earliest experiences solidified his love of performing. In 2016, Ryan performed a contemporary solo on CHCH TV’s ‘Tiny Talent Time Holiday Special.’ From 2016-2017, he was a member of the Toronto Raptors Lil’ Ballas Dance Team. Soon afterwards, he became a Mini Pop Kid, where he was featured in the Mini Pop Kids 15 commercial, several music videos and in many tracks on the Mini Pop Kids 15 Album. In 2018, he toured across Canada, singing and dancing in 26 live shows with the pop group. Ryan also performed at ‘Youth Day Toronto,’ the ‘Mini Pop Kids Sick Kids Fundraiser Concert’ and appeared on ‘Breakfast Television.’

Some of Ryan’s more recent performance opportunities include live stage productions and film projects. He has been cast in lead roles in Niagara Ballet’s productions of ‘The Nutcracker’ between the years of 2018 and 2021. His most notable roles include the Nutcracker Prince, the Cavalier and the Snow King. He has performed choreography from these shows at ‘Project Share’s Good News Breakfast’ for the past three years and also at ‘The Niagara Falls Festival of Lights Opening Ceremony.’ Ryan also danced the role of the Prince’s Main Advisor in Niagara Ballet’s 2019 production of ‘Cinderella.’ In June 2021, Ryan was a dancer in ‘Virtual Concert Reality 2’ (VCR 2), where he danced in several numbers and choreographed a routine for one of the artists. Some of his other performances include dancing in music videos for a variety of Toronto based artists and performing at ‘Toronto Kids Fashion Week’ in 2021.

Over Ryan’s dance career, he has caught the attention of many judges, both in Canada and the United States, while spending time on the competition circuit. His strong technique paired with his undeniable stage presence make him stand out in the crowd. He has received a number of prestigious scholarships, special awards, top placements and titles. His biggest achievement to date is winning the title of ‘America’s Teen Male Dancer of the Year 2021’ at the American Dance Awards Nationals in Boston. In addition, he earned the highest audition class scores for ballet, jazz, modern and tap in the Teen Title Competition. Some other titles include being named ‘Teen Mr. Dance Champion 2018’ at the ‘Bedazzled Finals’ and being recognized as 1st-Runner Up for ‘America’s Teen Male Dancer of the Year,’ at the American Dance Awards Nationals in New York City in 2019. Receiving ‘1st Place Pas de Deux’ at the ‘Youth America Grand Prix’ Canada-wide Virtual Competition was another one of Ryan’s greatest accomplishments. Ryan was recently named a Senior Breakout Artist Winner at NUVO Dance Convention in 2021 at their Toronto event.

Ryan is currently a youth ambassador for Tendu Active, a Toronto based dancewear brand. He also served as an ambassador for the Canadian Dance Awards, assisting at their 2021 fall convention for Amy Wright, Shawn Bracke, George Absi, Krista Leis and Breanna Willis.

Ryan attends an Arts highschool where he has the opportunity to explore his artistry further with a wide range of vocal, dramatic arts and dance classes. Ryan prides himself on being a conscientious student, maintaining an A+ average across all subject areas. He is a member of the ‘District of Niagara Academy for the Arts Program’ which enhances his training in all art forms. He is also a Dance Captain for the School’s Dance Team, choreographing routines for the competitive stage.

Ryan hopes to one day fulfill his dream of becoming a professional performer. There is nothing that he loves more than being on stage before a live audience or in front of the camera. He plans to continue to push himself not only as a dancer but also as an actor and a singer. Ryan is a true performer at heart and his passion for his craft is evident to all who meet him.