Ft. Dorchester alum playing unique role in Super Bowl Halftime show

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Former Fort Dorchester High School teammates Robert Quinn of the Eagles and Carlos Dunlap of the Chiefs are facing off in the Super Bowl this weekend, but another Fort alum is participating in the Super Bowl.

Bryan Waterman is a field director and choreographer for the Super Bowl Halftime show. He produces live events all over the world and this is his 17th Super Bowl. An event he says never gets old.

“When we’re set, the stage is in, the performers are set and the lights go down there, there is still an ‘oh wow’ moment,” Waterman said. “I’m like, this is one of the most watched shows every year.”

He’s part of the team in charge of directing and organizing all of the performers/dancers on the field during the show.

“We sort of take the vision of the artist, with their creative team, and how that spills over to the field is on our team to pull together,” Waterman said.

Waterman was part of the first graduating class at Fort Dorchester High School in 1995.

Waterman was a member of the first graduating class at Fort Dorchester. He played football,... — Waterman was a member of the first graduating class at Fort Dorchester. He played football, basketball, and ran track.(Bryan Waterman)

He played football, basketball and ran track at Fort. He says lessons he learned from the late Coach John Bagwell and through playing high school sports prepared him for the career he’s in now.

“I think there’s still value in being willing to come in at the ground level and take those same skill sets as an athlete and use those in the business world,” Waterman said. “I’m going to hustle like I did in the weight room and on the field, but I’m going to do this and incorporate in business and its going to lead to good things.”

Waterman says some of his favorite halftime shows he’s worked were performances from Prince, Lady Gaga and Beyonce.

But he says there’s no doubt this one, Super Bowl LVII, feels extra special for him because of the players involved in the game.

“I think it’s cool for Fort Dorchester, where they’ve come since ‘95, not being a new school, but not a school that’s been around for like 60 years,” Waterman said. “I didn’t play with either of those guys [Quinn and Dunlap], but I think having been apart of the program when it started, I’m excited for the school and those athletes to have the chance to win the ultimate championship.”

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