Riley Schillaci

Known for

Sword Swallowing & Balloon Twisting

Occupation(s)

Balloon Twister & Sideshow Artist

Websites

http://www.balloonsroc.com

https://www.facebook.com/balloonsrochester

Riley Schillaci is recognized internationally as one of the few female Sword Swallowers in the world. She has appeared in local publications, news broadcasts, and at Ripley's Believe It or Not! in Niagara Falls and Times Square. She has also opened for international bands and was a featured contestant on Season 6 of America's Got Talent.

Riley's other skills also include: Fire Eating, Fire Breathing, Human Pincushion, Human Blockhead, Bed of Nails, Blade Ladder, Mouse Traps, and Balloon Twisting.

Riley 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. She briefly moved to Allentown PA in 2009, but returned to Rochester in the spring of 2012.

Schillaci's first brush with fame came early. In 1983 she became a "Kodak Baby", one of 13 infants featured in a panoramic photo taken by photographer Sam Campanaro which was used in Kodak advertisements worldwide. 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.

Shillaci is one of less than a few hundred active professional sword swallowers performing around the world today.

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 2003

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. In 2009 Schillaci was chosen to represent the Sword Swallowers Association International at Ripley's Believe It Or Not! Niagara Falls, in honor of International Sword Swallower Awareness Day. On April 17, 2010 Riley Schillaci appeared on a live webcast with members of the band GWAR for their first annual Crack-A-Thon, streamed on Ustream.

In recent years, Riley has turned her focus to balloon twisting and more family oriented entertainment, under the rebranding of Balloons Roc.

Television Appearances

• WHAM-TV "Morning Show" by Norma Holland (2008)
  

• R News "Her Hobby's Hard To Swallow" by Seth Voorhees (2008)
  

• America's Got Talent (American Series, June 2011)

Print Appearances

• Messenger Post, "Hard to Swallow” Tori Uthe (November, 2007)
  

• ACT : LIVE [1]" Deep Throats: Running With Swords" James Niche (July, 2008)
  

• Insider, "What’s The Point?" Troy Smith (March, 2008)

Riley's last name is pronounced Sha-lacy.

Schillaci has turned down two offers to appear on the Jerry Springer Show and a Too Hot For T.V. special because they wanted her to appear topless.

References

• GWAR, Crack-A-Thon, ustream.tv. Broadcast on April 17, 2010.
  

• Holland, Norma. 13WHAM News. Broadcast on June, 2008.
  

• Meyer, Dan. Sword Swallower's Association International.[2] 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 "Hard to Swallow". November 14, 2007.
  

• Voorhees, Seth. R NEWS. Broadcast on February 12, 2008

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