A little information about our team…
Brittany Naegel – Owner, Instructor & Performer
At a young age, Brittany enjoyed competing on a national award winning rowing team, coaching swim team for her local community center and assisting with as many outdoor team building adventure activities as possible (such as climbing/mountaineering, rappelling, kayaking, etc.). Her love of movement and passion for using adventure to help others realize their full potential began early on.
Brittany took her first aerial silks lesson in early 2014. After her first touch of the fabric, she was hooked! She began taking classes, training and eventually teaching all over! She believes that everyone has a gift to share, and enjoys sharing her love of the fabric with all who are willing to explore. Combining her knowledge of the body as a Licensed Massage Therapist with her passion for aerials has enabled her to help others realize their strengths, both inside and out.
Brittany performs on many apparatuses, but her main love will forever be the aerial sling/hammock. Her certifications include aerial teacher training with NECCA, as well as rigging and rope course training with Outward Bound, Delbert Hall, Andrew Bundy and Brett Copes. Certified by the Circus Arts Institute (the first ACE recognized teacher training program in America) and Reflex Arts as an aerial silks and aerial yoga instructor, as well as a certified Cirque-it Fitness instructor.
Brittany is available for performances, aerial instruction (sling, teardrop) & traveling workshops! Email her at Brittany@elevated-aerials.com or visit her website for more info!
Samantha Hancock – Studio Manager, Instructor & Performer
Samantha was a pole, fitness, and flexibility instructor at Defiance Studio for 4 years taking students all the way to competition and professional performances. She’s studied multiple dance styles from ballroom, argentine tango, swing, blues, zouk and more. In 2017 she became a certified and licensed Floor Flow® instructor, a floor movement style developed by Marlo Fisken taking inspiration from modern dance, primal movement, break dance, and martial arts. The challenge and freedom afforded by aerial arts has given Samantha the opportunity to express herself in ways unlike anything else in life. Samantha thrives to share and assist others to find that same freedom!
Samantha has completed Born To Fly lyra teacher training with PaperDoll Militia and is a certified Cirque-it Fitness instructor.
“ Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your Soul on Fire!” – Samantha Hancock
Samantha is available for performances, private lessons (lyra, pole, lollipop) & traveling workshops! Email her at Samantha@elevated-aerials.com
Kelsey Long – Assistant manager, Instructor & Performer
Kelsey has been involved with the flow and movement arts for over a decade and had her first experience with the aerial arts at Kinetic Fire. She regularly travels to teach and attend flow festivals.
Kelsey’s movement practice took to the air 9 years ago; she has been instructing various forms of aerial for 6.
Kelsey has trained with aerialists from all over, from Floorwork to Lollipop, Sling, Silks, Lyra, and Pole, she believes that everyone has something to share!
Kelsey’s greatest joy is helping others develop their movement practice. She currently holds certifications in Lyra, floorwork, and circuit-style fitness.
”Let your dreams take flight!” – Kelsey Long
Kelsey is available for performances, private lessons (sling, silks, lollipop, lyra), & traveling workshops! Email her at Kelsey@elevated-aerials.com
William Ott – Instructor
William took his first foray into circus arts when he was 16 and a co-worker brought a unicycle to work. Since then he has learned to unicycle, juggle, diabolo, and show off a few skills in German Wheel. William is always open to the opportunity to challenging himself with a new skill.
William discovered aerial arts a few years ago and was immediately drawn in. The versatility of aerials for strength building, achieving greater flexibility, and providing an outlet for artistic expression are all part of what engaged William.
Seeing students develop a movement style unique to themselves is always amazing. The variety of ways that one sequence of moves can be performed, and the complexity of personality, style, and artistic choice that students incorporate into their work is mesmerizing to watch.
William completed his teacher training certification in lyra with Paperdoll Militia.
William is available for private lessons (lyra). Please contact William at william@elevated-aerials.com
Sydney Jones – Instructor
Sydney’s first aerial experience was a pole fitness class in 2009. She couldn’t lift her arms over her head the next day, but she couldn’t wait to get back in the air! She tried silks a year later, which sparked her enduring love affair with fabric apparatuses.
Sydney loves to study all forms of movement, both in the air and on the ground. She combines her passion for travel and aerial arts by frequently studying at aerial studios and retreats around the world. She enjoys learning from different teachers and believes there’s always something new to learn.
Sydney also finds joy in helping others succeed. She finds it incredibly rewarding to watch her students master new skills and discover how movement can unlock creative exploration.
Although Sydney enjoys training on various apparatuses, her favorite is sling. Her certifications include Level 1 Silks Teacher Training with Paper Doll Militia and rigging training with Brett Copes.
Sydney is available for private lessons (sling). Please contact Sydney at Sydney@elevated-aerials.com.
Amanda Troyer – Instructor
As a child, Amanda dreamed of running away to join the circus. Sadly, she didn’t have much exposure to the circus so she didn’t know where to run to find it. Instead she spent her time learning to be a normie and grew a family of three little oddballs.
She spent her time raising her family but still longed to move her body like the performers she saw. More than anything she wanted to learn aerial hoop.
It wasn’t until 2019, when she found out normies like herself were able to train like circus performers, that she was able to learn through aerial fitness classes. She hyper focused on her training and eventually wanted to share her passion with others. She knew how hard it was to harbor a buried dream of circus fun and believe she was too old, or it was too late, so she’s dedicated to encouraging students who have their own dreams.
Now, Amanda is certified by PaperDoll Militia to help her students learn to do everything they set their minds to and she loves every second of her journey!
Amanda is available for private lessons (lyra). Please contact her at Amanda@elevated-aerials.com.