JILL SIGMAN ’85
BREAKTHROUGH
Dancer
KHAIL BRYANT ’17 Actress
— IT’S FUNNY, when people see child actors and actresses it’s assumed that they are new to the business, but the reality is most of us have worked for several years before getting our big break. I got into the business at only four years old after growing tired of watching my brother audition and not having the opportunity myself; I kept asking when I would get my chance, so my mom took me on my first audition for a Downy fabric softener commercial. To my surprise, I booked that very first audition I went on. It was a huge national commercial, starring me. Along with that, I essentially became the face of Downy and I truly believe that was a defining moment for me. At only four years old, I had my breakthrough moment and found a passion that has only grown stronger over the years. This one moment led me to so many opportunities, such as starring in my first feature film at only six, The Perfect Holiday, or getting to grace the stage at the Minskoff Theatre in Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway, and so much more. I must say, however, it’s a difficult business to be in; you have to love it because you hear no more than yes and it can get very discouraging. It’s even more difficult for people of color because there are not a lot of roles out there for us, but I feel more than blessed to have found my passion and to have had these opportunities at such a young age.
NOAH ABERLIN ’00 Dancer
— MY STORY IS just like Mike’s monologue in A Chorus Line. I would tag along with my mother to pick up my sister at dance class and would start mimicking the older kids there. My mother saw how much enjoyment I got out of it, signed me up for classes at the local dance school in Carroll Gardens, and I’ve been dancing ever since, both professionally and for the sheer enjoyment of it! 8
T H E B L U E & T H E G R AY
— WHEN I FINISHED my Ph.D. in philosophy, I felt like my feet were on two different icebergs, the worlds of mind and body. And as much as it all seemed continuous to me, the icebergs just kept floating farther and farther apart. I knew I needed to be a choreographer. I knew I needed to ask philosophical questions in movement rather than in journals. And I knew that this was the point of no return. So I leapt. One of my first gigs around that time was commissioned by an organization called Dancing in the Streets. It was at Wave Hill, a stately garden in the Bronx. So one sweltering summer, I crawled
on hot gravel, rolled down an itchy hill, and did a duet with a tree. It was my first site-specific dance, and it also led to my first photo and interview in Time Out New York. There was no going back. That piece set me on a path of dancing on fences, rooftops, islands, and roads, and in factories, cemeteries, swimming pools, arsenals, museums, and bus stations. I have been making live performance for alternative sites around the world ever since. In 2015, I completed The Hut Project, in which I performed in 11 site-specific huts made of cast-off objects (trash) that I built by hand.
CRISTINA COTE ’05 Comedian
— Dressed in drag, wearing a tracksuit, du-rag, dollar sign gold necklace, and painted-on goatee using eyeliner, I practiced my best “Booyakasha!” — MY SENIOR YEAR at Poly, I was student government vice president and the head of Honor Council and often made speeches in Chapel. I was involved in a lot of different extracurricular activities and loved the arts, but never had the chance to be in any of the plays or musicals. I have been passionate about comedy since I was a child, and in high school, I was obsessed with Saturday Night Live and Sacha Baron Cohen’s character Ali G. With a captive audience every week and a desire to express myself creatively, I started writing and performing in my own skits to promote the Homecoming dance and Oasis Night. I wrote renditions of my favorite classic SNL sketches infused with Poly jokes like the “Spartan Cheerleaders” and borrowed someone’s Blue Devil Cheerleader uniform. One of my best friends at Poly helped me develop my jokes and brainstorm ideas while we were commuting on the school bus to Poly. My breakthrough moment happened
senior year. I convinced the Headmaster to allow me to come to school an hour early to take my Calculus midterm so I was finished in time to perform in Holiday Chapel as Ali G. Dressed in drag, wearing a tracksuit, du-rag, dollar sign gold necklace, and painted-on goatee using eyeliner, I practiced my best “Booyakasha!” and wrote a sketch called “The Ali G Family Holiday Special.” The librarian, Mr. Kemp, played my dad, the football coach wore a long blonde wig and played my mom, teachers Mr. Sivin and Mr. Disimile played my brothers, and some middle schoolers played my children—everyone wore matching bling necklaces and eyeliner goatees. Chapel was packed to the gills with students and faculty from both Upper and Middle School—over 500 people. I will never forget the intoxicating feeling of hearing the crowd roar with laughter. It was wonderful to collaborate with a team and see my vision come to life. This is when I knew my dream was to act/write and produce my own shows and videos… and the rest is history!