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Taleen Shrikian '11 Becomes First Alumna Faculty Member

We are thrilled to welcome our first alumna faculty member, Taleen Shrikian ’11,  to Sage Hill as a member of the performing arts department. She will be sharing her expertise and teaching dance classes, and we are so proud to have Taleen back at Sage Hill and part of our community!

Taleen is an Armenian-American performer, teacher, and choreographer who was born and raised in Southern California. After years of competitive dance training and participating in Sage Hill’s theatre, dance and choral programs, Taleen attended Boston College where she was a member of the BC Dance Ensemble and earned her bachelor's degree in Theatre Arts and Minor in Education. After graduation, Taleen returned to Southern California and has worked consistently as an LA-based performer, represented by Bloc talent agency, in the Theatre/TV/Film industry. Some of Taleen’s favorite professional performing credits include the National Tour of Evita and regional productions of Kinky BootsMamma MiaKiss Me KateWest Side Story, Legally BlondeCabaretIn the HeightsHairsprayA Christmas Carol ('15-19), an episode of Nickelodeon's The Thundermans, and many more. As a teaching artist, Taleen has been a Dance and Theatre instructor at schools, dance studios, theatre companies, and arts enrichment programs across LA and Orange counties. Since choreographing Urinetown (the first musical ever produced in the Studio at Sage Hill) as a student in 2010, Taleen has enjoyed the opportunity of choreographing many more musicals such as A Funny Thing...ForumFootloose, Once Upon a MattressSomething Rotten and Sage Hill’s recent productions of Legally BlondeMamma Mia, and High School Musical.

How did you get started in your profession? 
One of my first professional acting jobs out of college came from a professional acting internship I did at a classical theatre company in L.A. called A Noise Within (ANW). During my internship at ANW, I had the opportunity to perform in a production of Antigone, understudy a role in a production of A Flea in Her Ear, and work as a crew member on a production of All My Sons. I learned so much in my time interning at ANW, working with professional artists, and building connections that I have kept throughout my entire career. Immediately following my internship, I was cast in ANW’s annual production of A Christmas Carol, a production that I would reprise my role in for the next 5 years! To this day, I am lucky enough to still work at A Noise Within, both as an actor and as a Teaching Artist in their Education program. 

What is your proudest accomplishment since graduation from Sage Hill School? 
Something I am really proud of since graduating Sage Hill is building a well-rounded career in the arts. I didn’t even know that you could major in Theatre in college until I came to Sage Hill! To know that I went from being a kid who liked to sing and dance to someone who performs and choreographs and teaches the arts for a living is pretty wild. 

What about your experience at Sage Hill prepared you for what you are doing now? 
I think Sage Hill is where I really honed my ability to find balance for all the things I am passionate about. During my time at Sage Hill, I knew I had interests in not just dancing but also singing, acting, choreographing, directing, and maybe even student leadership. No one at Sage Hill told me that I had to choose, that I couldn’t do it all. I participated (at one time or another) in Sage’s Dance Ensemble, Treble Choir and Theatre Ensemble. I choreographed the first full length musical in the Black Box Theater, I directed one-act plays, co-founded the Dance Team and was senior class co-chair. At Sage Hill, I learned how to manage my time and my multiple passions and that set the foundation for my journey to being the versatile arts professional I am today.

What about your Sage Hill experience impacted the person you are today? (This could be a favorite class, person, a club, etc.)
To no one’s surprise, I would have to say the Arts Department is what most impacted the person I am today. The Arts faculty at Sage Hill did not merely exist to cultivate my skills in the various arts disciplines -- they ignited a passion in me and an undying appreciation for the arts and the way that they function in our society. As the Bertolt Brecht quote reminds us, “Art is not a mirror to hold up to society, but a hammer with which to shape it.“ The Arts faculty at Sage Hill knew what profound power and impact the arts have on individuals and the world around us and they never failed to pass on their reverence for the arts onto us as students and future artists.
 
If you could share one piece of advice to current Sage Hill students, what would it be?
I know it can be daunting when seemingly everyone is saying, “find what you’re passionate about!” and “get involved!”- but it’s true. Sage Hill has the most incredible resources- utilize them! You have state-of-the-art facilities, stellar programming, and incredibly caring and dedicated expert teachers and staff at your disposal. Try new things and figure out what gets you excited to go to school every day. It might be the same thing that you dreamed about doing since you were 5 years old, or you might discover something totally new. Make the most of your time at Sage and I promise it will make going into college and your professional life easier. Doing well in high school is so much more than just loading up on AP’s and getting A’s on essays and tests- in fact, when I look back on my time at Sage Hill, I can hardly remember that stuff. The things that stick with you are the connections you make, the new experiences and deep conversations you have, and the things you learn about yourself along the way.
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Sage Hill School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, and athletic and other School administered programs.