Riley Schillaci

Infobox Person
name = Riley Schillaci
src="http://home.eznet.net/%7Emschilla/swordswallowing/riley8_demo.jpg"
image_size =
caption =
birth_name = Riley-Ann Schillaci
birth_date = birth date and age|1982|12|22
birth_place = Rochester, NY
nationality = flag|US|name=American
other_names =
occupation = Performance Artist, Sword Swallower, Fire Breather, Burlesque Artist.
website = [http://www.rileyschillaci.com]

Riley Schillaci (born December 22, 1982) is an American professional sword swallower & fire breather.

Biography

Early Life

Schillaci was born in Rochester, New York on [December 22] , 1982 to Michael Schillaci and Deborah Schillaci (Healy). She is third generation Sicilian on her father’s side. Her mother’s family is of Irish, German, and English descent.

Schillaci's first brush with fame came as an infant, when in 1983 she became a "Kodak Baby", one of 13 infants pictured in a panoramic photo, taken by photographer Sam Campanaro which was used in Kodak advertisements world wide. The photograph was also used on the cover of “Photographing Your Baby” by Eastman Kodak Co. Editors (1984) . Three more versions of the photograph were taken of the children at various ages.

At the age of 10, Schillaci was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder, and continues to seek treatment, as an adult, in the form of therapy and medication. Schillaci has spoken very candidly about her diagnosis, but has only formally disclosed it to a local Rochester NY “zine”, ACT : LIVE.

Riley Schillaci first became intrigued by sword swallowing, after reading “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar”, by Roald Dahl, at age ten. She soon discovered that a close relative on her mother’s side, was able to swallow silverware, and at the age of 14 Riley to, began to swallow silverware, and trained until her junior year at SUNY College at Brockport, where she practiced with a plastic toy sword, and shortly after graduating, began working with a 17.5” steel rapier

Riley Schillaci is a member of Sword Swallowers Association International [3] , which was founded by Dan Meyer, to network the few sword swallowers world wide. Today only a few dozen of people are known to swallow swords, very few are women.

Educational Background

Graduated Webster Schroeder High School in 2001, with a New York State regents diploma.

Received an Associates Degree, in Liberal Arts, from Monroe Community College, in 2004

Graduated from the State University of New York College at Brockport, in 2006, with a double major in sociology, and health science.

Performance Career

Schillaci had opened for musical acts such as, Type O Negative, and My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, and performs at private and public events.

Appearances

Television Appearances

* "13 WHAM" "Morning Show" by [Norma Holland] (2008)
* "R NEWS" "Her Hobby's Hard To Swallow" by [Seth Voorhees] (2008)

Print Appearances

* "Messenger Post"Hard to Swallow” [Uthe, Tori] (November, 2007)
* "ACT : LIVE [http://www.actliveochester.com] " Deep Throats: Running With Swords" [Niche, James] (July, 2008)
* "Insider, "What’s The Point?" [Smith, Troy] (March, 2008)

Trivia

Schillaci is also an amature musician, and writer. She plays guitar, is classically trained in vocals, and also play trumpet.

She traveled to Vietnam for 2 months, while studying for her Bachelors Degree at SUNY Brockport. Here she worked with children affected by agent orange, the elderly, as well as taught conversational English to adults.

Schillaci has turned down two offers to appear on the Jerry Springer Show’s, To Hot For T.V. special, because they wanted her to appear completely topless.

It is rumored that at one point Riley Schillaci was met with accusations by a small group of religious fundamentalist, who mistaking her pentacle ring for a Satanic symbol, claimed that she had sold her soul to Satan, in exchange for the ability to perform the physical feat of sword swallowing. Shillaci denied these allegations, stating that she does not believe in Satan, and if she did, she would have no dealings with such an entity. This story can neither be confirmed nor denied.

References

*Holland, Norma. 13WHAM News". Broadcast on June, 2008.
*Meyer, Dan. Sword Swallower's Association International". Accessed on August 17, 2008.
*Niche, James. ACT : LIVE'. Accessed on August 20, 2008.
*Schillaci, Riley. Riley Schillaci. com". Accessed on August 17, 2008.
*Smith, Troy. "Insider. What's The Point?, March,7 2008.
*Uthe, Tori. Messenger Post " [http://www.mpnnow.com/archive/x9495918 Hard to Swallow] ". November 14, 2007.
*Voorhees, Seth. R NEWS". Broadcast on February 12, 2008.