Bunker Performing Arts Scholarship

My favorite part of dancing is the experience of movement as an art form. At USC Glorya Kaufman school of dance, my understanding of movement deepened. Under Brett Easterling, I was introduced to Ohad Naharin’s Gaga technique, which completely reshaped my relationship to dance. Gaga taught me to move from sensation and inner listening rather than outward perfection. I began to trust my instinct, my rawness. At the same time, working with Fiona Lummis Eddy, a former dancer with Nederlands Dans Theater, gave me access to the subtlety and emotional clarity of Jirí Kylián’s choreography. She set his work on us, performing Kylian's Sarabande comprised of multiple male solos and through that, I learned how to hold weight, tension, and stillness with intention. These professors didn’t just refine my movement—they helped me discover the language I was meant to speak. Outside the university, mentorship has played a vital role in shaping my journey. Francisco Gella, a Filipino choreographer based in New Mexico, taught at my studio across multiple years—setting my junior year group piece, guest teaching, and ultimately choreographing The Final Phase, my senior solo. That solo became a milestone—it held my history and momentum, and helped me get into USC. Francisco’s guidance through Zeitgeist Dance Theatre continues to inform the way I move—with integrity, generosity, and curiosity. Sandra Rubi, my studio owner, believed in me when I didn’t yet know how to believe in myself. By supporting and fighting for me, she helped me reach spaces that once felt out of reach. With her advocacy and Francisco’s mentorship, I’ve had recently received opportunity to train at the Nederlands Dans Theater Summer Intensive in The Hague, Netherlands, and the Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Program in Massachusetts. I’ve fought to stand in these esteemed rooms with artists I once looked up to from afar. My dedication has also led me to Orsolina028 in Turin, Italy, where I studied the repertoire of Crystal Pite and Marco Goecke, and to the Ballet BC Summer Intensive in Vancouver, British Columbia. These experiences didn’t just sharpen my technique—they deepened my purpose. I’m drawn to movement that is instinctual, animalistic, emotional—language that lives in the bones. Artists like Crystal Pite, Goecke, and Kylián showed me that dance can be intimate and enormous at once. That’s what I want my work to hold: the tension of vulnerability and power, the echo of a personal history moving through space. After graduation, I plan to perform with contemporary companies that engage with social and emotional storytelling. I want to choreograph and collaborate on work that speaks to ecological awareness, memory, and transformation—creating space for others to feel seen through movement the way I was. My dream companies include Nederlands Dance Theatre, and Ballet BC, and Batsheva Dance Company all of which I've attended an intensive, plan to attend one, or have been exposed to the movement languages within these companies. All of this happened because I was believed in and somebody took a chance on me. This scholarship wouldn’t just support my education—it would allow me to continue to deepen my knowledge of dance and movement to share with others, and help me invest in the ongoing journey of an artist still uncovering what’s possible. I move to process, to express, to remember. I move in hopes that someone, somewhere, feels a little less alone. And I’ll keep moving—for all of us who are still finding our way back into our bodies and into belonging.

While interviewing Begum Inal (they/them), a dramaturg from National Queer Theater, for a school fellowship focused on LGBTQIA+ spaces in NYC, I asked what they love most about theater. They answered, “Life – theater brings it to the stage. So does every form of performance.” I completely agree - that's what I like about it. There’s a unique power in performance; no other field makes people stop and feel so deeply. Whether it’s a concert that gives you chills or a play that resonates with your story, performance gathers, represents, inspires, empowers, and even saves. For me, theater brings people to life – it creates something out of “nothing”, and that “life” often reflects the artist’s soul. When I first arrived in New York at 17, I’ve been following a plan ever since. I’ve been working full-time to pay for school, rent, and all the responsibilities of adult life. That’s why I applied for the Economic Hardship Program and several scholarships because I lost financial support from my sponsor. As a theater major, I truly value my education, it helps me grow as an artist, keeps me motivated, and drives me to stay in this country until I can say, “I did my job, it was transformative for me and the audience, and, last but not least, I was financially valued for my work.” My mom once told me we have to create our own opportunities because nothing just falls from the sky. Even while juggling a full-time job and college, I’ve committed to helping others through the fellowship I’m part of. When choosing a community-based organization to work with, I looked for one that reflected who I am: an immigrant, queer, and an artist. That’s how I found the National Queer Theater. After my interview with Begum, they encouraged me to apply for the Criminal Queerness Festival at Lincoln Center to present my play. In the next few years, I plan to graduate, keep performing in theater festivals, and film productions, share my work, build connections, and use theater/acting as a tool of resistance to amplify voices like mine. During my career, I have participated in a total of five plays and three short films. My performance journey began with a short film inspired by Machado de Assis’s story, “O Enfermeiro,” in which I acted alongside my grandfather, with my brother as the filmmaker. It took a significant step forward when I joined the Barracão Encena Theater Company in Brazil, performing in productions such as “Palavra,” “Nossas Mentiras, Nossos Pecados,” and “Teicoscopia – The Vaudeville of Horrors,” as well as in the film “Os Desvalidos.” After studying English for two years to prepare for college in the U.S., I performed in the play “Love & Information” by Caryl Churchill, directed by James Caldwell, who is currently my drama professor. My favorite role I’ve played was Perseus and Ipupiara in the mentioned play: "Teicoscopia –The Vaudeville of Horrors". It was an original and experimental production that combined physical theater, and mythical narratives. First, the actors had the opportunity to create the play from scratch. The stories were told through clowns directly to the audience – it was essentially a devised theater process, which I loved. Second, we used Commedia dell’Arte to embody our characters, and I worked intensely on body control, voice, and creativity. And third, we could truly feel the audience enjoying it. They were laughing and engaged – and even though it was back in 2022, I still remember the sparkle in their eyes as they had fun during the performance, it was when I could first see the power of a performance. My dream role would be to play a character like a clown, a dancer, a gay man, or someone who faces physical or health limitations and still chooses to carry on. I believe they give voice to resistance, the beauty of vulnerability, and the strength of those who keep going even when everything seems against them. They represent human complexity in its truest form. I'm not looking for perfect or simple characters, I'm interested in stories that delve deep inside someone, that show their pain, their conflicts, their courage, and, above all, their humanity, their life. These roles appeal to me because they force me to go deep, investigate real emotions, to use my body, my voice, and my soul truthfully. They allow me to explore pain, laughter, love, failure, and hope - all in the same character. And when the audience sees that on stage, or on the screen something changes. I think that's what drives me as an artist: the possibility of touching someone through the truth of a story. That’s why I keep going: to tell stories that matter, connect souls, and make people feel alive.

Throughout my life, I have often wondered who I wanted to be when I grew up. Would I become an architect, bound to sit all day and make designs? That doesn’t sound particularly exciting, does it? As a child, my parents encouraged me to consider a career in medicine or engineering for a better and more stable income. However, I didn’t enjoy either of those paths. No matter how interesting or unique they seemed, I never found joy in them. That’s when I had a realization: “What if I could act on the big screen? What if I could make a name for myself? What if I could choose a career that makes me proud and happy?” That’s exactly what I aim to pursue in my journey toward an acting career. My plan is to build a career in performing after graduating by receiving a comprehensive education in theatre and understanding what goes into acting. This preparation will help me embark on a journey filled with drama, comedy, romance, and more. I intend to start with small projects to build my portfolio and gradually work my way up to bigger opportunities. This approach will ensure that I don’t overwhelm myself while discovering my strengths and weaknesses, allowing me to improve over time. As a child, I often watched cartoons available to me without cable, particularly on Cartoon Network. I recall enjoying fascinating animations like "Adventure Time," "Regular Show," and "The Amazing World of Gumball." What intrigued me most was how these characters were given distinct personalities and voices that made them unique. As I watched them interact, I told myself, “I could voice a character!” Now, I am taking that self-advice from 13 years ago and working to make it a reality. The same can be said for acting; watching Hollywood stars throughout my life has shown me the immense effort and passion required to bring a character to life. Some memorable performances that have impacted me include Andrew Garfield, Adam Sandler, and Charlie Cox. From Andrew's emotional and physical portrayal of Desmond Doss in "Hacksaw Ridge," to Adam Sandler's comedic roles in hits like "Pixels," "Grown Ups," and "The Waterboy," to Charlie Cox’s incredible performance as the vigilante in "Daredevil," each of these actors is unique in their way. I plan to use their performances as guidance to better understand the characters I portray. This year marked my first introduction to acting, and it has been nothing short of inspiring. Having a passionate theatre professor has deepened my love for the art. I was fortunate to perform a monologue from the play "Living at Home" by Anthony Giardina. The character I played, John Bogle, has dinner with his family when his brother, David, announces he is getting married. When a family member asks why I dropped out of college, I initially hesitate, but my bottled-up thoughts and emotions come flooding back, and I share my decision to leave college. With my professor's guidance, I delivered a natural and well-told story about a young man grappling with present challenges and his future. One effective method my professor taught me was to identify the obstacle and objective of a scene. Understanding these key elements makes it easier to convey emotion and expression in performance. I have always believed that imagination plays a crucial role in visualizing who I’m speaking to and understanding the context of the scene I’m in. I will perform this piece so that you can gain a better understanding of what I’m conveying in the video provided! My dream role has always been to play a young version of Robbie Reyes' Ghost Rider. While Marvel has cast Gabriel Luna as Robbie Reyes' Ghost Rider, they have yet to cast a younger version, as depicted in the comics. I believe I can bring this character to life with the right guidance, a deep understanding of the character, and a commitment to landing the role. I know I can do it and will achieve this goal along my journey. Great accomplishments are possible when you are passionate about something, and I am passionate about acting. It has opened my eyes to a world of creativity and art. Theatre and films have inspired me to pursue acting, a role I never imagined I would have the courage to play. Now it’s my time to turn that dream into a reality and work in a passionate field alongside other talented individuals who share my enthusiasm for theatre.

I love performing because it is an art form which reflects social issues in order to create connections between people. Seeing "Indecent" (2015) by Paula Vogel this past summer reinforced why I love theater. This show is about the controversy surrounding the romance between two Jewish women in "The God of Vengeance" (1906). During its 1923 Broadway run, the actors were arrested on obscenity charges. Indecent tackles themes that are still relevant today, such as homophobia, anti-semitism, and censorship while depicting happiness and love. Portraying these themes with humanity helps the audience to connect with the characters and story. Even before I was truly able to grasp the abilities theater has to elicit empathy, I knew it was able to affect and inspire, which is why I first fell in love with it as a small child. As long as I can remember, I’ve been performing. I spent late nights singing and dancing in the theater of my local Jewish Community Center where I performed in plays and musicals. In fact, as I write this essay, I’m sitting in the greenroom of my high school theater, face full of makeup and a mic pack strapped to my back. The founder of the JCC's children's theater is still one of my biggest inspirations. I acted in three shows with her as my director, and she believed me when I did not believe in myself, always encouraging me. At the end of each rehearsal, the cast would sit in a circle, and each of us would compliment someone else in the cast. It would go until everyone received a compliment. She's the reason for my deep love of theater, which has continued to this day. This past year, I’ve acted in five productions and written two original plays for my high school theater department. In October, we put on the 24-Hour Plays, a series of ten-minute plays written, produced, and performed within twenty-four hours. I wrote one play and performed in another. I also wrote a one-act, “Claustrophobia,” about an unhoused family, for the annual One-Acts festival. My favorite role was Natalie in "Next to Normal," which I played in February. The local newspaper said the show was as good as professional productions, and the principal said it was the best show ever produced at my high school. I am extremely proud of the work we did, as the show addresses mental health awareness and the stigma surrounding it. In this production, a family hides how the mother’s bipolar disorder has driven them apart. By overworking herself, Natalie aims to be the “perfect” child, in hopes that her parents will pay attention to her. This was my first musical lead, and I plan to learn more about singing and musicals throughout college. One of my dream roles in Nina Rosario from "In the Heights." Her big song, "Breathe," is one of my favorite songs, and was the song I used to audition for Natalie. I love her story: a young, gifted Latina girl, who is struggling to keep her life together at Stanford University, while her community looks to her as a beacon of hope. I see a lot of myself in her, which is why I'm so drawn to her character. I will attend University of California, San Diego, in the fall, where I will double major in theater and literary arts. The UCSD theater department produces multiple plays per quarter, which gives me an opportunity to get involved onstage and behind the scenes. I have worked behind the scenes for multiple shows, mostly in wardrobe, as I enjoy exploring how a character’s costumes can impact audience interpretation. I’ve also painted sets and done stage makeup, as well as learned about special effects. In college, I hope to learn more about technical theater in a wider variety of departments. Additionally, the acclaimed La Jolla Playhouse, which has sent countless shows to Broadway, is in the UCSD theater district. As soon as I arrive on campus, I will try to be involved with them as an intern, usher, or Playhouse Partner. Working in the La Jolla Playhouse will help me make connections within the industry and allow me to see how I would enjoy a career in a professional theater.

What I love most about performing is the escape it offers. Initially, this escape was experienced as an audience member—a way to leave behind my own life as a closeted gay kid growing up in a Mormon household. Watching productions transported me to new worlds where I not only found refuge but also glimpsed places where I could truly belong. Once I began performing myself, that escape transformed into something even more joyful and vital. Theatre became a safe haven, a space where I could let my true self and creativity run wild without fear. Over time and as I found more mature shows, what I loved most about performing grew much deeper than personal escape. The core of my work as a performer shifted to be about creating and experiencing art that reflects both individual and shared human experiences. I believe theatre holds a unique power to build empathy and forge connections across local, national, and global communities. My goal is to use my art to bring people together through stories that resonate deeply with our shared humanity. Completing my training at school is not only about achieving dreams like performing on Broadway but also about staying true to this core purpose—using theatre to connect, inspire, and make a difference in the world. I’m sure of making a career after I graduate because I am a multi-hyphenate artist; I am a strong actor, singer and dancer with directorial and writing experience who is always learning. These will all be assets in this industry as I am a curious and “yes, and” artist. No job is too big or small. I am eager to contribute to theatrical work in all capacities. Additionally, my passion for inspiring and teaching young artists is unwavering. I adore kids and have been teaching them since I was 16 years old. The biggest inspiration for pursuing this path came from my mom, who was a professional modern dancer throughout my childhood and early teenage years. I was always a mama’s boy, and one story she shared has stuck with me. When she was about to enter her senior year of high school, her longest dance mentor told her she should quit. Though she was a great dancer, her mentor said she didn’t have the right body type and would never make it in the industry. Naturally, my mom was shattered, but instead of giving up, she dedicated the next few years to proving that wrong. She went on to perform in numerous regional productions and joined a dance company where she stayed for twenty-five years. Her story of perseverance has been a guiding light for me, especially when pursuing a career in the arts feels daunting or even impossible. Some of my favorite performances over the last few years include playing Miss Trunchbull in Matilda, Bert in Mary Poppins, and Will Parker in Oklahoma!. Out of these, Miss Trunchbull stands out as my favorite role so far. I know what you’re thinking here, and I see it too. How can you go on about the deep emotional meaning of your work and list off your favorite roles as caricatures or surface level Disney characters? But something I’ve learned is that in even the most commercial work, our job as actors is to find the humanity in characters like Belle or Miss Trunchbull, because that experience is what draws audiences in. Looking ahead, a dream role I hope to audition for in the future would be Riff in West Side Story or, likely when I’m older, Marvin in Falsettos. They’re very different characters but both come from some of my all-time favorite shows, and I’d love the opportunity to dive into those worlds one day.

In this life, I guess you could say everyday is a performance. The clothes you wear, the way you speak, the daily acts, the person you're perceived as, and the person that you know yourself to be. So naturally, we all have performance qualities in us, but with that said, we also all have fantasies. People we envision are held in our crowded yet infinite imagination waiting for moments where we can express them. The stage is an offering to our minds. It is ground made to hold the expression of one's creation, without judgment or question, it is a place where one can simply be, and that is why I love performing. To me it is a meditative practice that pushes mankind to fully commit to zoning into his immersive imaginings and using his talents to channel them into the physical. Performing has become a sacred opportunity allowing me to be anyone and experience everything. Physical performance has the power to connect people all over the world, through the beautiful release of self expression. As I am graduating highschool and heading into college, combining the two is a goal I am working towards. After nine months of yoga training, I have become fascinated by ancient body practices, and as dance is a big part of that, I want to focus on combining healing/somatic release movement with the contemporary movement of dance, and someday putting that on stage to create an eye opening experience for both dancer and viewer. I have been performing since I was 4 years old, whether it be in front of my mom in my living room, or on stage in front of 1,000 people and my performance experience has grown tremendously. During junior year of high school, I choreographed my very first solo. The assignment was to choose a poem and create movement following the feeling of that poem, then present our work to the whole class. This work was done in complete silence, using only the flowing breaths that escaped within the dance and foots thump on the floor. I chose to write my poem which made me extra connected to my work and after careful decision my teacher featured my solo in our winter dance show. Ever since that moment I knew that performance was going to be a big part of my life. My class travelled to Pittsburgh to perform three of our pieces this year at the National High School Dance Festival. That was the first time I had ever performed in front of such an audience, 1,000 people filled the theater to watch us perform. WIthin my high school's dance department there is a composition class, which happens to be my favorite program. This class has truly opened my eyes to the process of creating a dance and the hard work it takes to turn your thoughts into reality. We have held four shows dedicated to this class where I have performed 12 dances in total not including my solo work and set my own choreography on stage. I have been a fairy, killer, psych ward patient, mountain climber, evil mother, alien, and so much more. And although each of these characters were completely different they all held the same magical essence. Through each role I played, danced, and created, I found a place to let myself live in its truest form. When I think of each experience, I do have my favorites, but I have to acknowledge my very proudest moment, my senior solo. After my dear friend passed away last year, I dedicated my senior solo to our story, but two weeks before the show I attended Calarts RedCat performance and everything changed. Something came over me, and that something felt right. I frantically called my teacher and told her that I knew I had to redo my solo completely. I realised that my first creation was in a state of grief and, now healed from that time, I was ready to present something that showed who I am, not what I've gone through. Two weeks before the show, I worked day in and day out on this solo. I painted my hands green, wore a bright purple unitard, and brought my all to the stage. It was the biggest hit thus far of my dance career, and I have learned the most about what art can do and how to trust it. A dream role I would love to play in the future as a dancer would have to be as one of Lady Gaga's backup dancers or to be a part of Mike Tyus’s company. But for now, I am taking my time to learn who I am in the process and see who I can become.

Growing up in poverty and homelessness, the one constant factor that helped me through tho times, was music. It truly heals and I want to share that power with the world, to give back to others, the pure joy it gave to me. For ten years, I worked alongside a well-known DJ as an occasional deejay myself. Ultimately, this role evolved into a hype dancer. In other words, he brought the music and I brought the moves. We were a dream team. Our diverse gigs ranged from school proms, to bar/bat mitzvahs to weddings, fundraisers and annual holiday parties at The World Bank. My earliest memory of my love for performing, was tap-dancing at age four and at nine, rewriting the lyrics to the Sister Act II soundtrack. Since then, I have written and recorded hundreds of songs, performed all over the U.S. and overseas at various events. After establishing life in Arkansas in 2018, the following year, I created an alter-ego in the form of drag persona Glossy Gephistone. Glossy was borne of my successful stint as The Usherette in a ten-show run of "The Rocky Horror Show". It was one of the best experiences of my life. If it seems hyperbolic for me to say that, I don’t mind. I was gifted with the opportunity to host, write my own stand-up routine, dance and sing one of my favorite songs to perform, "Science Fiction: Double Feature". For a dark comedy, the song is quite moving. Admittedly, The dichotomy of executing a major production like that, could not eschew the hard work it required. Yet still, it was rewarding in the end. One of my favorite aspects of being in such a big ensemble was the bond I made with my castmates. There was a unique kind of euphoria, performing in harmony and rhythm with such talented people. Another one of my favorite parts of the play, was getting to dress up, not as the traditional Usherette but I had the honor of portraying, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. This past semester has been the busiest and most fruitful so far when it comes to my growth as a singer and dancer. My participation in the school choir, has lead me to singing with a sixteen piece jazz ensemble as the soloist. This was a dream come true! On top of that, I performed in a theater production that was featured in a national broadway magazine. I have also started learning how to play the piano for the first time. One day, I dream of performing my soulful songs and add professional pianist to my repertoire. Singing is not my only love, of course. Dancing, songwriting and acting are some of my deepest passions. Featuring in a sitcom, or a sketch comedy is something I’ve wanted to do since childhood. Being cast as The Doctor in the British Sci Fi series, "Doctor Who" is a quirky, fun role that is at the top of my bucket list that I would be overjoyed to secure. I was inspired by comedy shows like "Primetime Glick, with Jiminy Glick" starring Martin Short," "In Living Color" and "30 Rock" to name a few. Like music, laughter heals but both stir stir my soul.